Shady shrubs
No, these shrubs and vines aren’t suspicious or menacing in anyway, but they are a cute colorful cast to put in your shady spot of your garden when you need something a little bigger than a perennial (and not a morally grey character in your garden’s story.)
Pink flowering Azaleas Adobe Photo Stock
Mountain Laurel Adobe Photo Stock
Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia
A broadleaf evergreen shrub found mountainous and wood line regions of the Eastern United States (from Ohio and Tennessee eastwards). Exquisite in mass plantings with a beautifully defined white flower with speckles of rose or pink.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Color varieties: Rose, pink, and white
Sun exposure: Full Sun to Deep Shade
Soil needs: Cool, rich, moist well drained acidic soil.
Deer Resistant
Kerria Adobe Photo Stock
Kerria Rose Kerria japonica
A deciduous shrub with upright, arching branches and can tolerate full to part shade. The flowers are a burst of yellow sunshine. Blooms on previous year’s wood, so prune in spring after flowering.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Color varieties: Yellow
Sun exposure: Full to Partial Shade
Soil needs: Loamy
Deer Resistant
Climbing Hydrangea Adobe Photo Stock
Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris
A magnificent vine that fills a space with long lasting white blooms and a gorgeous peeling, exfoliating cinnamon color bark. The vine is a true clinging vine and climbs with root like holds. It grows up and out creating depth and height.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-7 (maybe 8)
Sun exposure: Partial Sun to Partial Shade
Soil needs: Well drained, acidic soil
NOT Deer Resistant!!!
Euonymus Adobe Photo Stock
Emerald and Gold Euonymus Euoynmus fortuneii
A colorful chartreuse, emerald evergreen shrub that acts like vine by wrapping around objects or a ground cover.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-8
Sun exposure: Partial sun to full shade
Soil needs: Moist, well drained soil.
NOT Deer Resistant!!!!
Andromeda Adobe Photo Stock
Andromeda Pieris japonica
According to Dirr (why I want to call him Sir Michael Dirr I don’t know- rhyme maybe?) says its mistakenly called Andromeda as a common name, but all the same cause who really calls it Japanese Pieris? (I guess a few, but not widely). A beautiful broadleaf evergreen shrub with arching flowers.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-8
Color varieties: White, pink, or deep rose
Sun exposure: full sun to part shade
Soil needs: Moist, well drained acidic soil.
Somewhat Deer Resistant
Rhododendron Adobe Photo Stock
Azalea & Rhododendron Rhododendron
When it comes to shade plantings, these are usually the first people think of. The differences between Azaleas and Rhododendrons is that Azaleas are usually but not always deciduous and Rhododendrons are an evergreen. Also Michael Dirr points out that “True rhododendrons have 10 or more stamens and leaves are often scaly or with small dots on under surface. Azalea flowers have mostly 5 stamens, leaves never dotted with scales and are frequently pubescent.” (Manual of Wood Landscape Plants, 2009 edition)
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 (variety depending)
Color varieties: white, pink, yellow, purple, red
Sun exposure: partial shade
Soil needs: Moist, well drained soil.
NOT Deer Resistant!!!
Serviceberry Adobe Photo Stock
Serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis
The adage, once the Serviceberry blooms, the ground is thawed and the Shadblow fish will be traveling is a true sign of spring with its delicate white blossoms. A great understory shrub that does well in boggy, wet soils.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-7
Color varieties: white
Sun exposure: Partial sun/shade
Soil needs: Moist soil
Deer Resistant
Fothergilla Adobe Photo Stock
Fothergilla Fothergilla gardenii
A shrub that keeps giving with a deep blue green leaf that mimics its family leaf, the Witchazel and in autumn turns a spectactular display of yellow, orange, and scarlet. Flowers are small bottle bush looking, somewhat fragrant. They are easy to care for and are a good low maintenance shrub.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Color varieties: white
Sun exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Soil needs: Acidic, sandy loam, well drained soil.
Deer Resistant
