I've got this north-facing bed at the back of my house that gets zero direct sunlight but a good amount of indirect light. I'm considering building a rack to grow some mushroom logs here, but I also want to add some plants. Are there any flowering plants that could survive in complete shade? And maybe something more visually interesting than my current ferns? I'm located in NE Georgia, zone 8a. By the way, there's a row of azaleas in front of the bed that thrive without light and surprisingly the deer don't seem to nibble on them. We have these fearless deer that walk right by us, so I'd love suggestions on plants that they might avoid as well. Thanks!
5 Answers
You can’t go wrong with moss! It’s lovely and beneficial. If you're trying to encourage more moss to grow, that would really fill in your bed well!
Hostas are really a great choice, especially since they come in many varieties and can flower even without sunlight. They’d look fantastic in your garden!
Certain varieties of camellias also do well in the shade. If you're interested in adding some color, these might be worth considering!
There's a camellia just out of frame and we already have several along the front and side of the house.
Moss is fantastic! It thrives in shaded areas, plus it adds a beautiful green carpet effect.
You might want to try planting some hostas, astilbe, or foamflower. They thrive in shady spots and add nice texture to your garden!
Oh, those look nice! I'll definitely consider them. I'd never heard of astilbe or foamflower before. Thanks a lot!

Good suggestion. I absolutely love moss, much more than grass! I'm trying to encourage it to fill in the whole strip behind the house.