need help selecting shrubs for shade

My property is pretty shaded but especially so in front of my house with lots of trees all around. I need some shrubs, preferably evergreen for the front of my house. My yard in front is quite tiny, with the driveway coming quite close to the door. In other words, I live on steep property in the Appalachians. I have no lawn, just some terraces and an area in front about 3-1/2 - 4 feet high. The only thing I have thoght of is nandina.

As for evergreen, I just did a ton of research on shade tolerant, native conifers that attrack birds and my favorite that I came up with was Tsuga canadensis (Eastern hemlock). There are probably more shade tolerant conifers, but my specs were "native and attracts birds" in addition to shade tolerant.

As for others - Lindera benzoin (spicebush - a native for Chicago, probably you, too), some viburnums, Amelanchier stolonifera (Juneberry - native), Aesculus species (native but quite poisonous), rhodies and azaleas, if you can handle their diva nature : ) , and NOT hydrangea - take it from me . . . do not believe sources that say hydrangea arborescens and paniculata are shade tolerant. They're not. Perhaps some of the other hydrangeas (quercifolia, macrophylla, etc.) are. Not sure about them.

Hope this helps!

Eastern Hemlock is tree, right? I have seen it pruned to make hedges. However, they have been invaded by the wooley aldergid and dying everywhere. They are disappearing from our National Forests, too. If you have the $$$, and treat the trees 3 times over about 3 years, that is supposed to get rid of them permanently but I have my doubts.
I will look up the others, but doubt the azaleas will work, still too much shade. I have a mini one out there now and it looks worse every year.
Thanks for the help.

About the only evergreen for shade, other than hemlock, is the yew. There are many cultivars, but they are pretty much all shade-tolerant.
Birds love the berries.

I don't know much about your soil type, but some evergreens I have here in New England in Zone 6a are Pieris, Mountain Laurel, Bamboo (I have mine in a large pot partially in the ground to keep the roots contained, but there are also clumping types.) and Daphne (partially evergreen--maybe more so in your zone). I have a tiny front yard, too! I can sympathize. At least it keeps the cost under control! =)

I have a Cameo quince in full bloom, many blooms now underneath a clump of water oaks. I LOVE quince and they are very shade tolerant. Although the more sun the more bloom, I think. I am perfectly satisfied with their bloom performance in shade.

Is the quince evergreen?

No. They aren't evergreen. But they do have a nice branch structure for winter interest, IMO.
I know you said 'preferably evergreen' but I think everyone listed all those. For me Rhododendrons are the #1 evergreen for shade.

edit to add:

Janet Blair is my best rhododendron. It's been through 3 winters now and never has a blemish on it from winter's ravages. Big beautiful leaves too.

This message was edited Apr 1, 2011 1:49 PM

I am surpised you have water oaks in TN. I remember them in Savannah, much further south. I love rhododendrons, but this is a lot of shade, perhaps only 1/2 to an hour of sunshine and the rest of the time shaded by my house. I wonder if a rhody would bloom there. I have a miniature azalea there but it has never bloomed and is dying. I fertilize it in the spring, but to no avail.

I have seen a couple of Water oaks here and there. I planted mine over 20 years ago.
Rhoodendrons and azaleas will bloom in shade. The more shade the less bloom. But still blooms like they would have in the wild.
I don't care to have a rhodie covered with bloom anyway. Sparse bloom looks more natural.
If you decide to plant rhodies or azaleas just make sure to plant them on top of the ground.

This message was edited Apr 3, 2011 9:00 PM

uh, define top of the ground

The way I plant mine is I make up a large enough quantity of soil just blended for rhodies, azaleas and other ericaceous plants. Then I loosen the rootball really well. Sometimes it takes a really good massacre.
Then I put down some of the new soil on top of the ground and set the plant on it and put the rest of the soil and mound it up to the place where roots meet trunk. I make a broad mound, not a volcano.
Pic attached of Janet Blair in front of my house. It's been planted for 3 years now and grows like a weed.
I also mulch all my rhodies with pine needles. I use this method for many other plants also, adjusting the soil mixture to suit the plant's needs.
This might seem very elaborate but my soil will only grow trees and some shrubs. It's worthless for most plants.

And a Jean Marie de Montague I planted last spring.

There are some rhodies that don't get realy big, aren't there? I have some wild ones out back, surrounding the deck and they are over 20 feet high! How large do the 2 you mentioned above get?

I can only give you their height in 10 years. I suppose no one really knows how big they ultimately get.
I think Janet gets about 5' in 10 years and Jean Marie about 4'.

sounds good. Thanks.

My favorite shade evergreen is sweet box (Sarcococca)--fragrant early spring flowers, too! But I don't think it will grown in your area.

I planted Sarcococca hookeriana v. humilis here in zone 6b last fall. It looks great and is umblemished. Not sure if it will survive all subsequent winters from here on in.
Below is a pic of Rhododendron Solidarity. My pic taking skills aren't the best. Yet. :-p

I planted a couple small sarcococcus in a shady location here in 6a.
It's done fine; in fact, it's spreading nicely.
They were really small plants to begin with, so still not very spectacular.
If it would ever stop raining, I could get a picture.
I have been pleasantly surprised there hasn't been any winter dieback.
So far, so good.