A selection of varieties and planting tips

Ground cover for the shade are original inhabitants of forests and forest edges that have adapted to poor light conditions. Within the variety selection you will find ground cover for dry shade and moisture-loving area cover. They cope well with the pressure of the roots of trees and are easy to care for. Thanks to a balanced combination of different ground cover, shady garden areas bloom throughout the vegetation period and decorate the garden with fresh green tones even in winter. All the plants presented are hardy, although some species feel more comfortable with winter protection.

What to look out for when choosing a location

In bloom, ground cover in the shade is a real eye-catcher. However, not all shade is the same, so you should pay attention to the subtleties when choosing your plants. All flowering plants show increased flowering and vigorous growth in better light conditions. There are also species that thrive not only in light shade but also in full shade.

Light shade

Creeping Gunsel feels comfortable in the light shade

The bed is in light shade when sunspots and shadows alternate continuously in the smallest of spaces. Typical examples of such areas are translucent and gappy treetops of birch and willow trees, the branches of which are soft and sparsely leafed. Beds that are not illuminated by the sun for more than four hours in the morning or in the evening also ensure light-shaded conditions.

Plants that thrive in partially shaded conditions feel at home here. In contrast to partially shaded corners, these areas are never in full shade. If you put pure shade plants in such locations, these species will thank you in their own way. They grow better and bloom more profusely.

Full shade

At these locations, light conditions prevail at all times of the day. You do not get any direct daylight. Such areas under large evergreen shrubs such as rhododendrons or conifers are typical. Mosses and ferns feel particularly at home in such locations.

Typical areas with full shade conditions:

• high walls
• North side of buildings
• Eaves
• Grave with trees

Preparations and planting

Ground cover in the shade, which is blooming, is not the only thing that enchants you eye. At the same time, they increase the biodiversity in the garden and attract numerous pollinators. Early flowering species are particularly friendly to bees because they provide a valuable source of food in spring. In order for you and your relatives to flower in your garden to shine, it is important to use the right procedure for planting.

Before planting

Thoroughly dig up the area where you want the shade plants to grow. This loosens the substrate and ensures air exchange. Remove turf soil and root weeds so that they do not interfere with the growth of carpet-forming species. Make sure that there are no remains of ground elder or Couch grass remain in the ground. Pay attention to the demands of the ground cover:

• for plants in drier locations: enrich heavy soils with sand
• for nutrient-consuming plants: Incorporate compost
• for sensitive plants: Improve soil structure

Plant out the ground cover

After two years, the common hazel root has formed a dense carpet

Area covers are ideally planted out in late summer, when the weed growth subsides. At the same time, the plants can grow in better because they do not have to worry about stress from hot and dry summer days. The herbaceous plants have enough time to develop roots before winter sets in. How densely the species are set depends on the individual growth forms and growth rates. It also matters how quickly the area should be covered:

Weakly growing species such as fat males and hazel roots quickly come into competition if they are planted too densely. They shoot up, which often makes the carpet of plants look unkempt. Put such species at a greater distance from each other and be more patient. If the ground is to be covered quickly, strong-growing species such as ivy are recommended. Shorten the shoots by half immediately after planting so that the plant branches quickly.

After planting

Mulch (239.00 € at Amazon *) harbors weed growth

Particularly with slow-growing species, you have to make sure that no weeds spread over the area for the next two to three years. Work Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) into the substrate and then distribute bark mulch under the perennials. This layer prevents uncontrolled water loss from the soil through evaporation and suppresses the growth of unwanted weeds. Water the plants thoroughly so that pores in the soil close and the roots come into contact with the soil.

Avoid stress and disturbance

In order for the perennials to grow in well, you should avoid step loads in the first year after planting. Numerous ground covers are considered to be step-resistant or accessible. However, such species should not be stressed like a conventional lawn. There is a risk that the carpet of plants will become gaps and that regular walking paths will emerge. In wet soil, the load should be severely limited so that the vigor is not restricted.

These are walk-in shade plants:

• Purple Dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) is ideal for poor soils
• Star moss (Sagina subulata) is an ideal one Lawn replacement for dry locations that bloom white
• Forest strawberry (Fragaria vesca) prefers light shade

Garden design ideas

You can plant ground cover alone or mix it with species that have similar habitat requirements. When arranging plants in the shade, make sure that the species show a similar vigor. Do not combine weak-growing plants with strong-growing competitors.

• Scatter onion flowers in the area
• Speckle shadow areas with bright-looking or variegated leaves
• use light flower colors
• Roses, bamboo and tall perennials loosen up extensive planting

Grave planting

Ground covers are ideal for graves because they hardly need to be tended and they permanently beautify the memorial. Choose low-growing ground cover so that the planting doesn't look intrusive or get out of control. With these species, the editing costs are also kept within reasonable limits.

Care tips

With ground cover you not only make your garden attractive but also easy to care for. Evergreen perennials are particularly recommended, because they develop a closed plant cover all year round and provide green color accents. Choose ground covers for the shade that are hardy. Shady locations ensure that the plants keep their foliage even in the harsh winter months.

Water requirement

Since most shade plants develop large leaf areas in order to make optimal use of the low light, they lose a lot of water through evaporation. A high level of humidity supports the growth of many ground cover. The optimal water supply is important so that the water balance does not collapse. If the perennials grow under trees, water entry is limited even on rainy days. The dense crowns of the deciduous trees shield the area around the trunk base. There are some specialists that are adapted to shady and at the same time dry locations and require less water.

How to pour properly:

• Regularly provide moisture-loving plants with water
• water in the evening after dry and hot days
• Check soil moisture even on rainy days
• Water drought tolerant plants moderately

The right water supply is necessary so that the plants grow in well and compact themselves quickly. Water ground cover every few days for the first year to encourage root growth. Use a hose or watering can for watering. You should avoid sprinklers, as the irrigation increases the humidity too much and could cause fungal infestation.

When the shade is too dry

Most forest plants benefit from the increased humidity. The water balance in the herb layer is largely constant. However, such areas are difficult to imitate in the garden, so that a dry and dark location often emerges under eaves and dense trees.

There are also ground cover for the shade, who like it dry. Varieties like that Elven flower 'Frohnleiten', reading from the BalkansCranesbill or the almond flakes Milkweed are considered starvation artists and hardly need to be watered. However, good soil preparation before planting is also necessary for these specialists.

Nutrient supply

Blossoming ground cover in the shade is one of the foliage swallowers that are covered by falling leaves in autumn and push their shoots through the rotting layer in spring. This creates a humus layer and the plants are optimally supplied with nutrients in their natural habitats.

In order to promote healthy growth, you should orientate the site conditions to the natural conditions. If your shade plants do not grow under deciduous trees and no humus layer is created by falling leaves, you should provide them with a basic fertilization of compost in the spring.

Cutting and design measures

Elven flowers are good for a trim in spring

Ground cover in the shade, which are evergreen, just like wintergreen or deciduous species, do not need to be pruned. You can clean out perennials such as elf flower, cranesbill or Waldsteinie in spring if you are bothered by the wild character. However, this measure is not necessary because it interrupts the natural nutrient cycle. If weeds spread between the plants, they should be removed by manual weeding.

• Chopping is taboo with ground cover
• sharp metal blades damage the shallow roots
• Measure leaves gaps
• The growing together of the plants is delayed

Winter protection necessary?

Usually, ground cover does not need winter protection. While deciduous species retreat into the ground and survive there, winter and evergreen plants remain above ground. The humic soil stores moisture and ensures that evergreen species such as the little periwinkle are not damaged even on frost-free and sunny days in winter. If there is no humus layer, the soil can dry out even during the cold season. Winter sun and cold frosts are the enemy of evergreen ground cover. Make sure that the water supply is ensured.

Propagate ground cover

The good thing about ground cover is that they reproduce via runners. These can be developed on the substrate surface or in the soil. Once the plants have grown in well, you can cut off the runners above ground in autumn and place them in a glass of water. After a few weeks, roots will have formed and the cuttings can be planted out. Species with subterranean runners are reproduced and rejuvenated by division. The individual sub-plants can be planted directly at the new location.

Interesting facts about shade ground cover

There are no bare soils in nature

In natural habitats there is no soil that remains permanently ungrown. The vegetation is a natural development that occurs depending on the subsoil and environmental conditions. At the same time, the plants take on important tasks and ensure that the ecosystems function optimally.

Advantages of ground cover:

• protect the soil from erosion
• mitigate temperature fluctuations
• reduce water loss from the soil through evaporation
• Roots loosen the substrate
• suppress unwanted weeds
• to produce humus and support soil life

origin

Many shade plants come from the tropics, because the floors in the rainforests create naturally shaded areas. Plants that do not require high levels of light have established themselves in the undergrowth. Shade plants are typical of forests and are therefore common all over the world.

A life in the shadows

The lack of light is clearly compensated for by the increased humidity in the herb layer. Shade plants thrive despite the darkness, as the high humidity increases their productivity.

Such species, which also thrive in sunny conditions, are often pushed into full shade by competition. They cannot prove themselves against more vigorous species and have to cope with the conditions that prevail in the dense undergrowth.

But even if these plants grow better under increased amounts of light, real forest species are not suitable for sunny locations. Damage quickly occurs when exposed to direct sunlight:

• Breakdown of chlorophyll
• Drought stress
• Leaf burns

Digression

Types of shade plants

frequently asked Questions

Which ground covers bloom in the shade?

Plants depend on light to carry out photosynthesis. This metabolic process supplies the perennial with vital energy. However, shade plants only need a tiny proportion of the usual amount of light and can still carry out their maximum photosynthesis.

Numerous shade plants grow in the herbaceous layer of the tropical rainforests. These include ferns and mosses but also flowering plants such as bromeliads. In our latitudes, forest plants are considered shade plants. Typical examples are Wood sorrel and balsam, which require no more than one percent sunlight for healthy growth.

Why can shade plants survive without light?

Shade-tolerant plants usually have large and particularly thin leaf areas. Many large-leaved shade plants are moisture-loving because evaporation is very high. The leaf tissue is loosely structured and rich in chlorophyll, which means that the plants can use the low level of light radiation more effectively. Due to the higher chlorophyll content, shadow leaves appear darker green than sun leaves. These special adaptations allow shade plants to grow optimally even in low light:

• low light saturation point: Photosynthetic output cannot increase further even with more light
• low light compensation point: Illuminance at which fixed CO2 equals exhaled CO2
• reduced ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b: better utilization of infrared radiation

Which ground cover are better suited for the shade - evergreen or evergreen?

Both growth forms are in demand because they cover the ground with more or less fresh green leaves all year round. A positive side effect is the natural suppression of weeds. Evergreen species such as little evergreen or fat man only renew individual overaged leaves when necessary. They adorn the shady area all year round with a uniform green carpet of leaves and are always fully leafy.

In contrast, evergreen ground cover completely renew their foliage in spring, so that the bed appears briefly gaps or balding. Some species such as foam blossom and Balkan cranesbill lose their leaves in particularly cold winter months or in unprotected areas. However, evergreen ground cover flowers are usually more attractive than evergreen species.

Are there edible ground covers for the shade?

There are many native plants that thrive in shady conditions and provide edible leaves, flowers, or fruit. A well-known example is the blueberry, which is preferred to be planted under trees. If you like it a bit bitter, you can put the lingonberry in the garden. It has similar demands as the blueberry.

The forest strawberry, whose small fruits are tastier than those of the cultivated strawberry, offers a special aromatic pleasure. Chickweed is often dismissed as a weed, but works wonders as a ground cover. If the plant spreads too much, you can leave it in bunches and eat it raw or steamed.

Which types of shade-tolerant ground cover are particularly suitable for beginners?

Most of the plants that grow in such locations turn out to be easy to care for. But sometimes it depends on the details and so not every attempt at greening shady areas is successful. Some shade plants are unproblematic and not very sensitive, so that they are also suitable for beginners. These include dead nettles with their purple flowers, ivy, species of the genus Allium, cushion bellflowers and the Japanese forest poppy.