plants for dry half shade

I am having a problem finding the right plants for the east side of my house. It is very dry there, and it gets part to full sun until about noon. From then on it's shade. I'm not quite ready to give up and resort to shrubs. Anybody got any ideas? I'd prefer something that blooms and won't get horribly tippy leaning toward the sun.

naturepatch

All of my plants fitting that location description tip towards the sun, even the hostas that like part sun.

I don't necessarliy mind tipping, I just don't want them lying flat on the ground! Lol! I'm looking for something that won't tip more than 45 degrees. My lilies do ok, and so do the iris. Just want a bit more color during the season.

naturepatch

Goldenrod is pretty tolerant of the conditions you describe. The best dry shade plant I have is epimedium, but it flowers early, and the blossoms are petite. The leaves are nice, though. Have you considered something with bright foliage, like the chartreuse lamiums or lysimachia? Hosta "Gold Standard" is also nice. Japanese anemone would work too.

Hey Lupi, try comfrey-in a pot please and tall sedum. I have the exact same conditions on one end of my house and those two are outstanding! Perennial sweet pea does great too but it's a bit spready. Other things that did well-soapwort, St. John's wort (H. perforatum), ummm, would have to look. My neighbor decided to sprinkle a lot for me last year and I lost a bunch. Sigh.

I have same conditions on my east side. When I moved in Phlox thrived, but you have to cut back early before bloom to have a shorter plant, or perhaps stake. I also had yarrow, which also can be cut back to have shorter plant. Lily of the valley was there and you can't seem to get rid of that.

LimeyLisa Kay

ajuga is a great ground cover for dry shade, although mine also survives in quite a bit of sun in some places. I love the glossy green and purple leaves and they put up a spike of blue flowers in the spring.
I have some I could send you next year if you remind me.

This is my first nite on Dave's Garden. A friend gave me a subscription for a housewarming gift. We just built in the timber, and I'm going to really enjoy this forum. Good to read all your posts!

Welcome to Dave's Garden LuLu. You'll want to read the forums and check the Plants Database often. We also get together in several areas of the country for Round-ups, where we meet and exchange plants, cuttings, bulbs, seeds, etc. There is a Round-up forum. Usually a place is chosen with camping, cabins and motels nearby so everyone can have accomdodations to suit them and/or their pocketbook.You will have fun here. I joined when there was about 2,000 of us, now there's 72,000!! Amazing.

If you have a lot of shade, LuLu, you should also check out the hosta forum. They are a shade loving plant with a lot of different looking cultivars, from Green to Gold to White to Blue.

;~D

LimeyLisa Kay

LuLu, the next Iowa Roundup will probably be at my house again next spring. Will keep you informed. Glad to see you here.

Shirley

Natures Path,

I planted Nasturtians in an area similar to the conditions you mentioned and they did very well. However, mine were in a raised bed about 3 feet high, so they cascaded over and down to the ground. It was quite lovely. I was surprised they did as well as they did with only morning sun.

Karrie

Recently read this article about this very subject in the gardening column of the SG Gate:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2003/11/05/greeng.DTL#dry