On 30 Apr, 21:54, jd wrote:
On 29 Apr, 12:15, (Gregoire Kretz) wrote:

jd wrote:
Could someone suggest a selection of plants that thrive in shaded
areas? I'm looking for something to plant at the base of a couple of
trees that would spread over an area of about 9 sq metres.

What sort of trees? Some are notorious for not liking smaller
neighbours.

Greg

They are two mature apple trees....

The following perennials work well in a shady part of my garden under
mature elders and a damson tree, growing in alkaline clay.
- Vinca minor 'Variegata' - it's taken three years to get going, but
now it's making good ground-cover.
- Tellima grandiflora. That and the variegated Vinca have also hung
on grimly to life on a shady, rubble-filled bank under some overgrown
shrubs. T grandiflora 'Purpurteppich' has maroon-stained leaves that
turn red in winter.
- Bergenia, although they won't have such good foliage colour in
shade.
- Brunnera macrophylla. e.g. 'Jack Frost'. It's recommended for
shade, but I have one growing successfully in an area that gets quite
a bit of sun and has to cope with dry soil in summer.
- Arum italicum ssp italicum - beautifully marbled leaves and is said
to put up with dry shade, although I've only grown it in areas that
don't dry out completely
- Cyclamen hederifolium - after a couple of years it's seeded around
and makes a nice colony.
- Ferns: e.g. Asplenium scolopendrium, which will often grow in
crevices on old walls, and Polypodium vulgare which will grow in
alkaline soil and doesn't need lots of moisture.