I recently moved into a new home and I'm eager to get my garden looking nice. I'm not the best with plants, so I'm looking for something low maintenance. I have a garden bed that's about 4m x 1.5m against an east-facing wall, and I'm hoping to fill it with some evergreen shrubs or any hardy shrubs that can handle the conditions. The soil is clay and the garden is quite sheltered and shady. It's also important that the plants I choose are non-toxic to my two cats who love to munch on everything! Any recommendations would really help me out.
4 Answers
You might want to improve your soil a bit by mixing in some organic matter like compost. After that, you can go for some shade-loving plants! I'd recommend looking into Skimmia, ferns, camellia, viburnum, or sarcacocca—most of these are evergreen and will add some beauty to your garden. Hostas can be a great option too for their lovely foliage every year!
You could consider Garrya elliptica, also known as the silk tassel shrub. It's a sturdy option that can handle shady areas and looks great!
Laurel and euonymus could work well in your situation! Just be sure to check their toxicity levels for cats if you're concerned about that. I’m not completely certain about their safety for pets, but they're pretty hardy.
How about Hebe? They thrived in my north-facing garden despite terrible soil. They’re evergreen and come in many attractive leaf colors too. Plus, according to Cats Protection, they are safe for cats as long as they don't eat too much. I love the 'Pink Elephant' variety!