help with new shade garden!

I have a completely bare spot of ground in my backyard I want to landscape. It's mostly shaded by two large pecan trees--the ground receives only indirect light. We're planning on putting in an arbor on which I'd like to grow clematis--looking for some ideas of other flowers that would do well there. I have quite a lot of space to work with, about 20'X25'. I'd like maybe some Lily of the Valley, maybe some Winter Daphne, seems like maybe rhododendrons would do well. I'd like any suggestions for plants for my romantic shade garden, please, of you have any experience with specific plants. I've done a lot of research, but any input is appreciated.

I don't know about there, but here rhodies get HUGE so keep that in mind when planting around them.
Did you find a clematis that does well in the shade?

Hosta, aquilegia, ajuga,astilbe, brunnera, foxglove, hardy geranium, hellebore, heuchera, hydrangea, viola, tiarella

I found a few suggestions for clematis--but haven't heard of anybody who's actually had success with them in the shade yet. Still hoping. I'll keep these suggestions in mind. Have you actually had opportunity to grow these successfully in shade yourself?

I have Sweet Autumn clematis that does well in part shade, they say it's good for shade.

Hostas, climbing or regular (bush) hydrangeas, bleeding hearts, japanese roof iris, august lily.

I found this darling little new plant at a local nursery (Full Bloom Nursery in Clermont, Ga.) and it's an asiatic jasmine called Snow-N-Summer. I love it and it's used as a shade ground cover and we put it next to our rod iron garden decoration in case it wanted to crawl up it. It's so pretty!!!

A more close-up on the flowers.....they're so charming, I LOVE this plant!!!

Bleeding hearts are great in the shade, when planting rhodos remember that they need an acid soil - they work great under pines where there is a lot of needle buildup. So if the trees that were cut down were pine trees, rhododendrons would do very well.

I'm not sure pine needles would turn an alkaline soil acid. Better research this. I think you might grow rhodies on a raised mound of acid soil though.

Don't forget ferns, too.

There have been some good suggestions so far...but my favorite is hellebores. They can tolerate dry shade especially where trees can drain alot of the moisture you will have in a shady area. Considering the area you're from, you need to consider how dry or wet your shade is. Some plants may not do well for your area such as Rhododendrons....you can probably substitute them with azaleas which can tolerate warmer weather and dry shade. When buying plants...keep in mind if they can tolerate being under trees which zap alot of moisture unless you plan on keeping the area moist.

Good info, littlelamb, thanks! I have that issue, too. I have ferns planted at the foot of a hill under the trees, but water drains into that area so they're moist. Not so much at the top of that hill, though. Never had hellebores before, sounds perfect for that area!

How could we have gone this long without mentioning epimediums---one of the best!

Hellebores are beautiful and care free evergreen plants. They will bloom around Jan/Feb time frame and the flowers hang around until May. The only thing that needs to be done to them once they're established is to cut the old leaves away when the flowers come up, cut the flower stalks down once they look worn (which won't be for awhile later) and water if there is a severe drought. The foliage looks great the rest of the time as well...you should give them a try... ;)

I'd definitely contain any Lily of the Valley plants. They are vigorous spreaders and spending time removing them is a job.

The various colors of hostas do fill a gap when heat waves roll along...like this summer. They go well with caladiums and/or coleus. I'll add a photo.

Love that Asiatic Jasmine, Dirt_Lover! How big does it get?

pirl, we wish to have problem with lily of the valley spreading here in the south.

I have some ground spreading gardenia in my shade garden. The variegated one did not bloom this year but the solid ones did.

See that! I never even thought there was an area where Lily of the Valley wasn't aggressive.

I just looked up "epimedium". I can't believe I never heard of them before--lovely little plants, thanks, killdawabbit!
Here's the link, if anyone else wants to see them:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/search.php?q=epimedium&Search=Search+PlantFiles

You're welcome, kywoods. Glad I could help.

Epimediums are lovely, well behaved and haven't been aggressive for me.

Euphorbia 'Chameleon' (no relation to what is known as the "Chameleon Plant" - Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'), at the top left, goes quite well with hostas, ferns, heucheras. Please see warnings on Plant Files regarding the sap though it has never bothered me.

Coleus 'Felix' is another one that goes well with greenery. It's upper right here - dark leaves with serrated green edging.

Beautiful, pirl. Is that creeping jenny?

Thanks.

This photo shows the golden moneywort/creeping Jenny much better:

Pirl, excellent color combo. I have some creeping jenny planted with Ajuga Chocolate Chip.

yikes. scared of those creeping jenny. I might plant them in a container but not on the ground. invasive!!!

I have early blooming tulips and iris in my shade garden. They start blooming right as the leaves pop out on the trees. I don't get as many blooms as the ones in more sun on the iris but sometimes they last longer because if we get a sudden heat spell they have shade to keep them cool. I have caladiums in pots scattered about the hostas. I found some low flat trays and the caladiums look like they are growing from the ground.

Thanks, Chip. They are part of my favorite little garden that only gets morning sun.

Funny, Lili! For us the Lily of the Valley is more problematic and more difficult to dig and eradicate and for you the creeping Jenny is a major problem.

Happ - that's a good idea with the caladiums. I also have iris in the garden here and they do last longer when a sudden heat snap arrives.

I would be careful with autumn clemetis, it never spread on me until this year and it is everywhere. It was beautiful last year, looks like a giant waterfall, but I am paying a big price this year. The other clemetis I have in part shade doesn't do much of anything. The trees suck all the water away from the plant.

Love your garden pirl, hardscape is a good thing also, statues like your beautiful girl, I have a big granite rock

happy, I agree about putting some sun-loving perennials in some shade. For me it's not so much about quantity of blooms but quality. I have daylilies in shade and they don't fade out near as badly as the ones in sun. I even think they look more graceful when they aren't loaded down with masses of blooms and they are easier to deadhead when they are sparser.

Happ - that's one very impressive clematis! Mine is two (maybe three) years old, in the shade, and hasn't yet flowered or even grown much. Maybe it's in a bit too much shade!

I fully agree, Chip. About 99% of my dark daylilies are in shade so even the heat doesn't fade out their blooms and I also agree about too many flowers making deadheading a chore. This one, Forbidden Dreams, only gets very late afternoon sun and blooms beautifully.

I've been warned ab out SAC.

That big old clematis gets sun until about 1 in the afternoon, then the house blocks it. It is extremely dry where it is planted because there is a maple tree on the other side that sucks up all the water. Under that clematis is a climbing rose, that did live but this year that clematis must of put out a billion seeds that I think all took off.

I agree on the daylilies, I even have some lilies I planted before the trees got big. You have to be careful on the lilies cause they could start leaning, this one doesn't because it is in the center of the shade and I guess can't figure out where the sun is....LOL

WHOA, look at that sweet autumn clem!!!! Awesome!