Without annuals, many summer gardens would be dull and colorless. This versatile group of plants supplies us with abundant bloom over a long period, and practically all are easy to grow. But the great majority needs sunshine.
Consequently, many gardeners who have shady areas are often at a loss to select annuals that will succeed in subdued light. Yet, some will provide considerable bloom if the shade is not too dense. However, even these annuals need sun for part of the clay.
Shady Places’ Requirements in Growing Annuals
When it comes to growing annuals, as well as other plants, in so-called shady places, certain requirements must be met to ensure success.
One is soil preparation, especially where trees are involved. Satisfactory results can hardly be expected where the soil is hard and lacking in humus.
Moisture is Important
Moisture is also important, particularly beneath and around trees that are robbers of both food and water. One of the best flowering annuals for shade is impatiens, called also patience plant, patient Lucy or sultana.
We know this as a house plant, with neat, dark green leaves and five-petaled blooms, an inch across, in various shades of rose, pink, salmon, orange, white, and others.
Start New Plants From Cuttings in Early Spring
New plants may be started from cuttings in the early spring or they can be grown easily from seed. The bushy plants grow 12” to 18” inches tall in most garden soils.
Make certain they have a steady supply of moisture. Garden shops and florists usually have a supply of young plants in late spring.
Vinca Rosea
Madagascar periwinkle, known better to some gardeners as Vinca rosea, is a perennial in tropical areas, but if seed is started early enough plants make ideal annuals.
Glossy leaves that are disease and insect-free make an ideal background for the starry flowers in white, white with a pink eye, pink and soft pink with red eye.
Oddly enough, it is perfect for extremely hot, dry places and will luxuriate where other plants give up. Specialists who sell annuals usually offer this desirable annual.
Coleus: Brightly Colored Leaves
Coleus which derives its effect from brightly colored leaves rather than blooms is one of the best in this group. Most of us think of it as a house plant, yet it makes an excellent garden subject where color is desired in shady areas.
Coleus plants may be obtained from cuttings, or seeds may be started indoors using some of the newly developed strains noted for their unusual and dramatic colorings.
In contrast to the rich red, pink, and salmon foliage, terminal spikes of lavender flowers appear in late summer. Another proverbial house plant qualifies in this group and it is the wax or semperflorens begonia.
Plants Grow in Sunless Area
There are many varieties with varying flowers and leaves, but all are an answer of what to grow in sunless areas. These begonias prefer rich humusy soil and should not be allowed to go dry in hot weather.
From your own plants you can take cuttings or young plants may be purchased from garden shops.
Begonia Grows in Full Sun
This begonia will also grow in full sun, where its leaves become deeply colored, but they are fresher looking in the cool of shade with their small flowers in red, rose, pink and white. Those with bronzy-red foliage are particularly attractive.
Flowering tobacco or nicotiana stands near the top of the list. Easily grown from seed indoors or outdoors, its fragrant, tubular flowers, in white, lavender-pink, or maroon-red start in late June and continue through frost time.
Hardy Annuals Come Up Year After Year
This is also one of the hardy annuals which will come up year after year almost like a weed. The various nicotiana hybrids are particularly recommended. Crimson Bedder, compact in habit, a foot and a half tall, bears rich maroon flowers. Crimson King is similar but taller.
The white varieties are more fragrant and stand out like stars at dusk and during the night. Yet they have the annoying habit of closing during the day and opening at night, but Daylight is a white that is always open.
Plants Grow Easily in All Kinds of Soil in Shade or Sun.
Wishbone flower or torenia is a gem, little known, but a good performer in partial shade. Small snapdragon-like flowers, violet-blue, with a purple lip and yellow throat, appear on bushy 12” inch plants.
Seed may be sown indoors or out of doors after danger of frost is past. Germination is slow, but once plants get started, they grow quickly and bloom until frost. Of the annuals, it is generally considered the most suitable for shade.
Blue Lobelia
Torenia can be used for edging and the same is true for the low, dainty lobelia. This also is one plant that comes in clear blue, as for example the variety Cambridge Blue, but purple, violet, and blue and white are also available.
Lobelia flowers are tiny but are produced abundantly. The seed is very fine and must be handled carefully, but many gardeners prefer to buy the young plants already in bloom in the spring.
For edging, try pansies. Although generally treated as biennials, they fit into the category of the annuals.
Pansies Planted in Full Sun
Pansies are often planted in full sun for spring flowering, but they will continue to flower and grow better in the part shade during the summer because they dislike heat.
When they become too leggy, cut them back to promote new growth from the base and feed with liquid fertilizer at the same time. Violas are short-lived perennials but can be handled as annuals, requiring the same growing conditions as pansies.
Other annuals that do well where some sun will reach them include cleome or spider flower, tall, coarse plants for the background of borders where bold masses are needed.
The two common colors are white and magenta pink, but there are varieties that are clear pink, like Pink Queen.
Balsam, an Ideal Plant
Balsam, called also touch-me-not, an old-fashioned plant, is also well adapted to the shade. Plants have thick, juicy stems and become covered with single or double flowers in delicate salmon, flesh-pink, rose-pink, purple, violet, and white.
Eligible is also snapdragons, which are very showy and when planted in masses, they will continue to flower late in the season, even after frosts have killed many other plants.
Red-flowering salvia or scarlet sage is one of the easiest of the annuals, but it is easier to purchase plants unless facilities for an early start are available.
Two dwarf varieties, Fireball, 10″ inches tall and early flowering, and St. John’s Fire, 12″ inches high and uniformly compact.
44659 by George Taloumis