Introduction
With the right plants, you can turn your shady garden into a beautiful haven of color and fragrance. Here are some of our favorites for bringing life to dark corners:
Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is a fast-growing, hardy vine that can climb up to 20 feet. The fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers come in shades of red, pink, purple and white. They bloom from late summer through fall and have an excellent scent that’s reminiscent of honeysuckle or jasmine.
Trumpet vines are easy to grow indoors or out: they need full sun but will tolerate partial shade as well as low humidity levels–making them ideal for coastal areas where rain often falls at night when temperatures drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 C).
Wisteria
Wisteria is a climbing vine with fragrant flowers. It’s a beautiful addition to any landscape, but it does require some care to grow well.
Wisteria plants do best in full sun and well-drained soil, so choose your planting location carefully before you plant your wisteria vine. They will climb over fences or trellises on their own if need be; however, it can be helpful to install some wiring for support if you plan on growing them up a wall or fence line.
Purple Passion Flower
The purple passion flower is a perennial that grows to about 3 feet tall. It has purple flowers, which bloom from summer to fall. The purple passion flower can grow in full sun or partial shade, although it prefers the latter because it’s more tolerant of heat and humidity.
The USDA recommends growing this plant in USDA zones 5-9.
Cardinal Climber
This vine is a native of China, but has become naturalized throughout much of the world. It grows well in USDA hardiness zones 7-11 and produces small, bell-shaped flowers that are red, orange or yellow. The plant can grow up to 20 feet long when given enough space and sun exposure. You can train this vine onto trellises or fences for an attractive display that will brighten up your yard during springtime!
Alyssum
Alyssum is a good choice for shady areas, as it prefers well-drained soil. The plant can be grown from seed or from cuttings, but you should know that it can be invasive if not planted in a container or trained on a trellis.
Sweet Autumn Clematis
Sweet autumn clematis is a vine that grows up to 20 feet long, so you’ll want to keep it in check by training it on a trellis or wall. It blooms in late summer with fragrant flowers that are pink, white or purple. This perennial can grow in partial shade but prefers full sun and moist soil.
For more on gardening, see our website.
We have articles on everything from how to grow tomatoes in containers to the latest trends in decorative landscaping. We also offer a wide selection of products that can help make your garden beautiful and functional, including:
- Gardening tools such as shovels, pruners and rakes
- Pots for growing plants indoors or out
- Watering systems for keeping your plants healthy during long droughts
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many options for growing climbing plants that will thrive in shady areas. The best thing to do is research the type of vine or flower that interests you and then ask around at local nurseries or garden centers if they have any experience with it. This way, you’ll be able to find out if it will work well in your particular climate zone before spending money on something that may not grow well outside!
