What plants

[Kayleigh]

I have a large berberis that shades the lawn. We have in the past put down grass seed for shade but now its just a bare patch. I was thinking of growing something like a couple of shrubs or plants that like shade. We have a pyracantha at the back so something not to big to go in front of it. I want something that likes dry shade and flowers and is good for wildlife. And is dog proof. I like seedums but will they grow in shade. The space is about 3ft long and 1ft wide it does get afternoon sun and the pyracanthas seem happy. There are also wallflowers nearby so if they grow maybe anything will. All I am doing is widening the border and taking away a bit of the lawn that wont grow. Any ideas as to what to plant.

[aeshna5]

You could try various woodland plants- ferns, Bugle is good nectar source, Vincas (though can be a little invasive), Wood Spurge, Geranium macrorhizum, Daphnes, various spring bulbs, Violas, Primulas + many others.

[goosey]

What about a Mahonia Aquifolium, they do well in shady areas, mine is in shade all day but gets early evening sun and thrives. In the autmn/winter it has lovely red-bronze foliage and yellow nectar bearing flowers in April /May for the insects. Followed by bluish berries for the birds.
Another favourite of day and night moths, bees and hoverflies is Monarda (bergamont) seeing as you get afternoon sun should be fine - but it ia a perenial rather than a shrub.
I can't say if these are dog proof though.

[nightshade]

Pachysandra a low growing woody ground cover, white flowers
Vinca Minor either dark green leaves blue flowers or varigated
or of course Ivy(which in my garden usually comes free)

[brainfarmer]

i like fatsia japonica does seem to grow just about anywhere and has a slightly 'tropical' appearance- looks very similar to the castor oil plant. im not sure about how wild life friendly it is. it does flower and i think some times berries.

[nightshade]

Re. Fatsia Japonic,I often see small birds searching its leaves and stems
I have some small birds which seem to make a point of visiting it(still not
Really sure what they are though)

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by brainfarmer

i like fatsia japonica does seem to grow just about anywhere and has a slightly 'tropical' appearance- looks very similar to the castor oil plant. im not sure about how wild life friendly it is. it does flower and i think some times berries.

I like these too as I have three already. I have one at the back and thought about putting a hebe or sedum in front of it. Then filling gaps at the back with vinca. I have seen wrens on my Fatsias I don't know what they find on there. I found some Lupin seed from last year I will plant them to see if they will grow there. Its trial and error with plants a lot of the time. I also have a Mahonia the one with the yellow flowers in winter planted elsewhere but they are a bit tall as I want something to go in front of the pyracanthas and the fatsia. We had a few bulbs but the dog trod on them.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I like these too as I have three already. I have one at the back and thought about putting a hebe or sedum in front of it. Then filling gaps at the back with vinca. I have seen wrens on my Fatsias I don't know what they find on there. I found some Lupin seed from last year I will plant them to see if they will grow there. Its trial and error with plants a lot of the time. I also have a Mahonia the one with the yellow flowers in winter planted elsewhere but they are a bit tall as I want something to go in front of the pyracanthas and the fatsia. We had a few bulbs but the dog trod on them.

Fatsias are related to Ivy; infact you can get intergeneric hybrids- x Fatshedera- between them in cultivation- so you may get some of the species that use Ivy. Certainly the late flowers of Fatsia seem to attract quite a few insects.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Fatsias are related to Ivy; infact you can get intergeneric hybrids- x Fatshedera- between them in cultivation- so you may get some of the species that use Ivy. Certainly the late flowers of Fatsia seem to attract quite a few insects.

I have got verigated ivy growing up the fence and there is also none verigated but they have been planted about 4 years now and are still not half way up the fence yet. How long do they take to grow, admitted it was bits I pulled from elsewhere in the garden and planted next to the fence. Not the huge things you get from garden centres. We have a small wall that's covered in verigated ivy and lots of things live in it. We even get mice in it.