Shade increasing, Lithodora dying - Replacement Suggestions?

[KDC99]

Hi All,

For years we have had a wonderful 5 foot by 12 foot patch of Lithodora growing up the side of a path in our yard. Over the past three+ years this plant has struggled as shade from the surrounding trees has increased. I would now classify this area as mostly shade, with 2-3 hours of filtered sun in the afternoon. (I live north of Seattle so "sun" is a relative term...grin.) We love the lithodora but it is time to move on.

Any suggestions for a nice low growing/ground cover, evergreen, low maintenance type plant that flowers as long as possible during the year and tolerates substantial shade? Is there a lithodora variant that thrives in shade?

Thank you in advance!
KC

 

[lifegardener]

Have you considered geraniums? A neighbor grows over 30-varieties, all under a tree, where it's very shady.

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

How about some native woodland groundcovers such as Vancouveria planipetala, V. hexandra, Achlys triphylla, and/or Asarum caudatum. I would plant a mixed tapestry of all those species, interspersed with a few specimens of Polystichum munitum, Mahonia nervosa, or similar.