| I have a 6'x4' and a 9'x2.5' areas in the front of the house which face north and don't get any direct bright sunlight for there's an awning. I'd love to have colorful flowers but I believe my choices are limited due to the low light. What recommendations can you give me to make a nice flower garden? I'm in South Florida and have no previous experience. |
| There are tons of perennials that thrive in the shade. Here's a short list: Acanthus mollis (bear's breech); Aechmea distichantha (Brazilian vaseplant); Ajuga reptans (carpet bugleweed); Alocasia macrorrhiza (giant taro); Alpinia zerumbet (variegated shell ginger ); Alstroemeria psittacina (parrotlily); Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine); Aristea ecklonii (blue flies); Aspidistra elatior (iron plant); Asplenium nidus (bird's nest fern); Caladium bicolor (caladium ); Canna X generalis (canna); Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant); Coleus x hybridus (Flame Nettle); Crinum asiaticum (grand crinum lily); Cycas revoluta (sago palm); Cyrtomium falcatum (holly fern); Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom); Farfugium japonicum (leopard plant); Globba winitii (dancing ladies ginger); Hedychium coronarium (ginger lily); Helleborus orientalis (lenten rose); Hosta spp. (hosta); Kaempferia laotica (peacock ginger); Liriope muscari (liriope); Lycoris squamigera (surprise lily); Mitchella repens (partridge berry); Monstera deliciosa (windowleaf); Muscari spp. (grape hyacinth); Nephrolepis exaltata (sword fern); Ophiopogon japonicus (mondo grass); Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern); Osmunda regalis (royal fern); Oxalis latifolia (broadleaf woodsorrel); Pentas lanceolata (pentas); Peperomia obtusifolia (blunt-leaved peperomia); Phaius tankervilliae (nun rchid); Philodendron bipinnatifidum (cut-leaf philodendron); Platycerium spp. (staghorn fern); Polymnia sonchifolia (yac?n ); Polystichum polyblepharum (Japanese tassel fern); Primula vulgaris (primrose); Protasparagus densiflorus (asparagus fern); Pteridium aquilinum (bracken); Spigelia marilandica (Indian pink); Strelitzia reginae (bird-of-paradise); Tillandsia recurvata (ball moss); Tradescantia fluminensis (green wandering Jew); Tradescantia spathacea (oysterplant); Tradescantia zebrina (wandering Jew); Tradescantia Andersoniana (spiderwort); Trillium underwoodii (purple toadshade); Vinca minor common (periwinkle); Zamia pumila (coontie); Zephyranthes grandiflora (rain lily); Zingiber zerumbet (pinecone ginger). You can fill in with some colorful annuals. |
