hedge for shady area

Any suggestions for a 6' hedge that possibly blooms? A friend of mine wants to plant something that would look nice as a hedge and that would possibly bloom instead of putting up a fence. He said he gets very little sun there, he may get just a little bit in the early morning.
thanks
dawn

I'd suggest camellias. I've found that sasanqua camellias are easier to grow in difficult environments but all camellias are certainly shade loving and will grow almost in the dark. Many of them are supposed to get very tall but if trimmed after bloom can be kept in line quite easily. You can find shorter cultivars too.

Thanks doss, I've been reading the shade garden forum and it looks like camellias are really about the only choice for deep shade and blooming and a hedge.
dawn

They are good choices anyway. I adore my camellias. Just don't buy any that get 20 feet tall!

I like them too. I do not have deep shade and didn't even think about them doing good in it. I will make this suggestion to my friend.

Camellias would be the most spectacular, I think,
if they'll grow vigorously in your climate to form a decent hedge.
If not, there are lots of other less spectacular choices.
Neviusia, neillia and itea all sucker and therefore form denser hedges.
They all grow quickly, aren't fussy and do well in shade.
I've seen spectacular shade hedges of bottle-brush buckeye.
Lots of viburnums are good options for shade also.
And how can you forget rhodies and mountain laurels?
Of course, all the above options bloom also.
Just thought I'd throw out some more options.




This message was edited Jul 18, 2008 4:50 PM

Thanks for the choices, I'll look those up

I'm going to suggest Kerria japonica as a good choice for deep shade. Ours is almost 6' tall so maybe that would work and has pretty yellow flowers. Just beware, I'm having real problems with the suckering habit. After 10+ years it's swallowing the other plants in the area, but if your friend wants a fast growing, vigorous shrub, Kerria would work!

Kerria japonica http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/157/

Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54605/

Thanks rcn! Such great suggestions! I really had no idea there would be so many choices.

Those are wonderful suggestions, however, camellias are fairly slow growing. If they don't mind a plant that will definitely sucker everywhere it touches and will form a quick hedge, try forsythia. It is evergreen in this zone and may be in your's as well. Mine gets very little sun and does have the yellow blooms early spring.

Thanks bugme, fosythia does lose it's leaves in the winter here.

pdoyle, don't know what I was thinking when I said it was evergreen here............senior moment?? Our's loses leaves too.

Pdoyle: May I suggest Japanese Cleyera ? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1469/

It's evergreen and supposedly hardy to zone 7A. Mine are against a north-facing wall and have grown very fast.
Flowers are basically invisible, but the red-tip foliage is very pretty.

Otherwise, my first thought was camellia, too, though they are a little slow to grow.

There is also a non-invasive ligustrum that gets about 6' high, that meets all of your criteria. At the moment I can't recall the exact variety, though. Will try to come up with that for you.
Deb

Thank you Deb. I have been telling my friend of all they choices everyone has been giving me. He had no idea either.