wooded area for summer interest

Marie McCarthy asked 16 years ago

I have a wooded area in my garden which was overgrown and I have just cleared. I plan to plant crocus, bluebell and snowdrops but need some inspiration for summer interest. What else can I plant which will give color in the shade ?

1 Answers

Gerry Daly Staff answered 6 years ago
The reason that there are so many bulbs and other plants for woodland in spring, and very few in summer, is that the woodland is not casting heavy shade in spring.

Spring flowering plants flower before the shade comes on and many simply wither away for the summer. It is difficult to find plants for summer show in shaded woodland.

If there is not too much shade, it is possible to have foxgloves flowering in early to mid-summer. Welsh poppies too make a good effort. The foliage of epimedium is superb but floweirng has finished. Some kinds of hardy geraniums are good, such as Geranium macrorhizum and Geranium phaeum, in early summer.

Dianella is very good with small blue flowers and blue berries and francoa can withstand a lot of shade. Check out our Plant finder for more ideas. And don’t forget ferns, which are the most successful summer woodland floor plant. 

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