Annuals for Shade

It is the cri de coeur of gardeners far and near: "What grows in the shade?" Surprisingly plenty, although it requires much peering at plant labels in the garden centre to determine which annuals are candidates for shadowed installations. Unfortunately, we must give a pass to that great old standby, Impatiens. Overuse has made them almost certainly to succumb to an unpleasant and all-pervasive pathogen. Many retailers will not even stock them or else warn customers of the hazard.

Happily, there are many well-tried substitutes. Begonias in all their many forms, are a case in point. A tip on positioning tuberous begonias: their blooms will face the same direction the leaves point. Try fronting a bed with low-growing, sweet-smelling Alyssum, a member of the cabbage family (!) so hardy that it will likely bloom into late fall, even early winter. Blue Lobelia comes in two forms, bush and trailing--there is a white selection also but there are plenty of other white flowers to choose from. Blue is unusual in any flowers so Browallia is another welcome addition in this category. The glossy foliage of spreading annual Vinca contrasts with pink blooms. There are several trailing foliar forms also for planters and window boxes. Then there is that outstanding foliage plant of all, Coleus in all its many forms and colours. Giant forms are being offered--at equal increased prices--but unless for centre pieces in containers or large gardens, these are somewhat overpowering. There remain plenty of others to choose from. Completing their life-cycles in a single season, annuals maintain a health appetite. Feed a liquid fertilizer every three or four weeks. Manufactures of such elixirs urge more frequent applications. Of course, they are in the business to sell fertilizer so the more the merrier. There is a downer, however. Excess fertilizer results in lush growth that attracts pests and pathogens.

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Then there are candidates for light- or semi-shade. This may be defined as not exceeding two hours of sun per day. The dwarf Annual Phlox, Petunia and Ivy-leafed Geranium can be used successfully although the last-named probably shows its best in containers where it can trail down. Candytuft, Clarkia and Cosmos may have to be raised from seed and are lovely, if slightly old-fashioned annuals as is China Aster, outstanding in both the border and as a cut flower indoors but not always promoted by retailers. All these flowers will flourish well-drained loam rich in organic matter that is constantly moist but not wet. However, few annuals will tolerate drier conditions although not complete desiccation. The tall Cleome or 'Spider Flower' is one such. Shorter, more suited to the border front are the somewhat old-fashioned but deliciously scented Stocks and Wallflowers. Praised from back in the days before artificial irrigation became available for one and all, strictly speaking they are biennials but ready and rearing to go in garden centres. Other perhaps not always easy to find include Monkey Flowers and Texas Bluebonnet, while Thunbergia is actually a vine, choicest in containers. Unless you can't wait for early blooms, forget Pansies. They are liable to collapse at the first signs of heat and, despite claims to the contrary, rarely survive northern winters. A now-neglected designation of annuals is 'bedding plants,' hence the seasoned gardener's assertion, "When you fall through the bed I'll meet you in the spring." And summer. And Autumn.