Plants in dry, shady areas of your garden can still flourish
Against a north-facing wall, beneath a deep roof overhang, under the branches of a large tree: Dry, shady spots like these are among the most challenging places for plants to grow.
“It’s a double whammy,” said Julie Janoski, Plant Clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “There’s not much sunlight, which plants need to make their food. But there’s also a short supply of water, because not much rain reaches the ground under a roof or beneath the leaves of a tree.”
Even a vertical wall or fence can create a dry spot if it stands against the prevailing wind and blocks windblown rain.
Plants beneath a tree, meanwhile, must compete for water with the tree itself. “The whole area of soil around a tree’s trunk is full of tree roots,” Janoski said. “They’ll absorb a lot of the rainfall that does manage to penetrate the tree canopy and reach the soil.”
You can still have an attractive garden in dry shade. “You’ll need to choose plants that can tolerate drought and get along on not much sunlight,” she said.
Among the ground cover plants that work well in dry shade are barrenwort (Epimedium); bugleweed (Ajuga reptans); creeping lilyturf (Liriope spicata); and the native Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense). Some taller perennials, such as hostas and Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla), can also tolerate the conditions. All these plants will need regular watering for the first year or two until they are well established.
Other shade-tolerant plants, such as hostas, ferns, pigsqueak (Bergenia), bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) and wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) will grow in dry shade if you keep the soil moist. “Watering plants under a tree will help the tree as well, since its roots are all around.” Janoski said.
You can find many more options through the Arboretum’s tree and plant database at mortonarb. org/trees-and-plants. The Plant Clinic can also make suggestions for your site.
When it comes to gardening in dry shade, the most important step is recognizing it, Janoski said. “Many people expect open areas to dry out in the hot sun,” she said. “They don’t realize that shady places also can be dry.”
Growing conditions can vary greatly within a single yard, she said. “If you pay attention to the differences from one spot to another, you’ll be a much more successful gardener,” she said. “You’ll be able to choose the right plants and give each area the care its plants need.”
For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, plantclinic@mortonarb.org or morton arb.org/plant-clinic). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.