It is usually associated with a sunny location. In fact, it is often recommended to place rock gardens in bright places. However, there are a large number of shade-tolerant plants that also feel very comfortable in the rock garden.
Which rock garden plants are suitable for shade?
Shade-tolerant plants such as Himalayan man's shield, Carpathian cress, dwarf goat's beard, brown striped fern, dwarf sparrow, gold droplet, yellow larkspur, wall cinnamon, forest poppy, dwarf Solomon's seal, Pyrenees are suitable for shady rock gardens -Rock plate and moss saxifrage. These plants grow well in a variety of shade areas and soil conditions.
Not all shadows are the same
However, shade is by no means the same as shade, because here too there are different gradations from “bright, but not directly sunny” to “often sunny, only shaded at certain times of the day” to “shady” - the latter often applies northern locations in front of a taller building. Not every shade-tolerant plant feels comfortable in every type of shady location, which is why you can find relevant information in the table below.
The most beautiful rock garden plants for the shade
Of course, the following table can only present you with a selection of suitable plants for the shady rock garden. In fact, the list is much longer: In addition to various ferns, cranesbills, blackberries (Gaultheria), bergenias (Bergenias), heart flowers, porcelain flowers and various splendors are also very suitable.
| Plant type | Latin name | Location | Floor | Growth | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amur Adonis florets | Adonis amurensis hort | off-sunny | cool, rather moist, chalky | up to 30 cm high | early, golden yellow |
| Himalayan man shield | Androsace sarmentosa | sunny or sunny | permeable | cushion-forming, up to 10 cm high | May to June, light purple |
| Carpathian cress | Arabis procurrens | sunny or light shade | permeable, rather dry | cushion-forming, up to 15 cm high | April to May, white |
| Dwarf Goatbeard | Aruncus aethusifolius | off-sunny | not too dry | up to 30 cm high | May to July, white |
| Brown Striped Fern | Asplenium trichomanes | sunny or sunny | humous, rather moist | up to 20 cm high | none |
| Dwarf Sparrow | Astilbe glaberrima | partially shaded to shady | humos | up to 30 cm high | July to August, light pink |
| Gold Cushion Bellflower | Campanula garganica | partly shaded | humos | small cushions, up to 10 cm high | June to August, light blue |
| White bird's-foot sedge | Carex ornithopoda | shady | loose, rich in limestone | not clumpy, up to 25 cm high | April to June, yellow-green |
| Golddroplets | Chiastophyllum oppositifolium | off-sunny | humic, permeable | up to 20 cm high | June to July, yellow |
| Yellow Larkspur | Corydalis lutea | shady | grows almost everywhere | up to 35 cm high | May to October, yellow |
| Cambelwort | Cymbalaria muralis | sunny to partially shaded | permeable, humic, low in lime | mat-forming, up to 15 cm high | June to September, white |
| Forest Poppy | Meconopsis cambrica | out of the sun to partial shade | permeable, not too moist | up to 30 cm high | June to September, yellow |
| Dwarf Solomon's Seal | Polygonatum humile | shady | calcareous | up to 15 cm high | May to June, greenish-white |
| Pyrenean rock plate | Ramonda myconi | off-sunny | humous, slightly sour | Rosettes, up to 10 cm | May to July, light purple |
| Moss Saxifrage | Saxifraga arendsii | partially shaded to shady | permeable, humic | cushion-like, up to 15 cm high | April to May, dark pink |
Tip
In addition to their preference for different levels of brightness, rock garden plants also differ in the type of soil they prefer. Some of the plants listed thrive on dry substrates, others on moist ones.