Hi all, I have a raised garden bed in the front of my house (south facing). It is set a few feet back under a roof overhang, so it gets basically no rain or sun.
Any ideas for things I can plant there that wouldn’t require me to remember to water them more than once or twice a month?
I’ve gotten a couple suggestions for hostas, but something a bit flashier would be nice.
EDIT: I am in the USA, and referring to USDA zone 7.
Coleus might be a good group to look into, there’s a lot of gorgeous varieties out there. Pulmonaria is another genus that appreciates shade and is an old world medicinal group if you’re into that sort of thing. They do kind of appreciate moister soils, though. Maybe a weekly watering reminder, just to broaden what’s available to you?
Funny you should say that, we did actually try to grow coleus in this bed, but unfortunately our winters kill them off and I’d prefer something that I don’t have to replace every year. Weekly watering is probably doable if the plant is a real looker.
Pulmonaria seems viable although the moist soil requirement might be a bit challenging to maintain. Maybe mulching the bed will help trap moisture in better?
Mulch is usually a good addition to garden beds. Mulch color can affect the overall temperatures the plants experience and while that might not be a huge swing in this particular shady garden, it’s probably worth thinking about if you have other gardens and you’re looking for something to tie the whole outdoor room together.
Not sure why this did lnt come to mind before but perhaps members of Crassulaceae or Echeveria would work in those conditions as foliage. It might not be enough sun for them to flower but many are understory plants, and we have several growing where we are in Maine that come back each spring.
