Introduction

Brighten up a shady spot with a foliage-packed container display! We’ve picked a mix of shade-loving plants with different leaf shapes and colors, planted in a shiny brass container that will reflect light and make the green leaves pop.

Plant Selection

• Dryopteris dilitata Lepidota Cristata: A fern with lacy leaves that stay green all year round.
• Epimedium x youngianum Niveum: A groundcover with heart-shaped leaves that turn bronze in the fall and produce white flowers in the spring.
• Muehlenbeckia complexa: A vine with small, round leaves that’s perfect for trailing over the edge of the container.

Planting and Care

1. Make sure your container has holes in the bottom for drainage.
2. Fill the container with potting mix.
3. Plant your shade-loving plants, spacing them evenly apart.
4. Water the plants deeply and allow the excess water to drain away.
5. Place the container in a shady spot in your garden.
6. Water the plants when the top few inches of soil feel dry to the touch.
7. Fertilize the plants every few weeks with a liquid seaweed feed.
8. Deadhead the epimedium flowers as they fade and remove any yellowing leaves.
9. Cut back the Muehlenbeckia if it starts to grow too much.

Tips

• Other shade-loving plants you can use for your container display include the common polypody fern, holly fern, ivy, small ferns, and dwarf hostas.
• To keep your container looking its best, replant the plants in fresh potting mix every year.

With a little care, your shade-loving container display will thrive and add beauty to your garden all season long!