My friend moved into a unit with a garden underneath steps.

My friend moved into a unit with a garden underneath steps that lead to the top unit.

It does not get ANY sun at all.

But there is a garden there but not with plants in it.

Could somebody suggest plants that will be very nice in colour but that will survive with no sun???

Thank you, my friends,

Debi
P.S. Next time I am over there I will take a photo of it so it is easyier to see what I am explaining.

Debi, does it get any indirect light even if it's not sun?

Depending on the quality of the soil, you could try some ferns. My shade garden gets indirect light. There are ferns and Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum) which grows without provocation. There are at least a dozen other plants in that garden. I grow Heuchera in the shade but in an area that gets morning sun.

A photo would really help.

Debi -- it really depends how dark the shade is

I'm next to an apartment building so there is a strip in my yard that only gets an hour of direct sun for two months out of the year, however the rest of the time it's what I call a bright shade -- ie I can read a book if I sat there -- hostas, ditch lilies, and astilbes grow there without a problem

I have to get a photo for you next time I visit, Susan.

Thanks my friends. oxox

What is your weather like there debi?. I can make some suggestions but I'm in zone 9 so I'm not sure that they would be relevant.

Here are plants that can fruit in deep shade and like the cold. They prefer well drained acidic soils.

Thimbleberry
Salal
False Spikenard
Salmonberry
Evergreen Huckleberry

Good luck!

Hello my fellow gardener's,

I did get some photo's but if you can imagine they were taken at night.

It shows a very bright light in the garden that stays on all night.

I will try to get one in daylight but Sue is hard to get ahold of in the day.

Thanks Friends,

Debi

PIC # 1,

Hi Friends,

I managed to grab a couple of day shot's of "the" garden.

They were taken at Midday on a lovely sunny day. It was a beautiful day today.

I hope you can get the idea.

I appreciate your thought's and effort.

Thanks, Debi.

PIC#2


Doss, I forgot to answer your question about my Zone. I believe I am in a Zone 3 - just - by the map. lol

Thks,
Debi

This message was edited Jul 4, 2011 3:32 PM

I'm guessing you identified your zone by the average temperatures on your coldest days if you're going by the USDA map.

It appears from your photo that she's got about a 12-18 inch border that gets some natural light, so there are options. However, would your friend consider (or be allowed) to hang baskets/pots? If they are not winter hardy, they can be brought indoors and placed in windows. I grow coleus, caladium and begonias (rex from bulbs) in lower light, and they thrive. These are strictly warm weather plants. My nicest full shade, winter hardy plant is an epimedium, and the heart-shaped leaves have a red border in fall.

I;m sure zone challenged for zone 3. I was hoping that sword ferns would work but they are only hardy to zone 5.