When planting under trees, keep in mind that tree roots suck up much of the available water and give a fair amount of shade once the leaves fill in. Meanwhile, house eaves often shelter plants from rain, and not in a good way.
Fixes for Dry, Shady Plantings
Tolerating dry shade is not the same as thriving in it. The fact is that most plants that are suitable for dry shade will grow better if supplied with average amounts of moisture. Some will flower better in at least partial shade than in full shade. Before planting in dry-shade areas, you can improve your chances by mixing organic matter (for example, compost) into the soil, thereby increasing the soil’s water retention. Sandy soils are like sieves and are notorious for quickly losing whatever water may come their way. Mixing compost into such soil is rather like adding pieces of sponge to it. Ajuga reptans is 6 to 8 inches tall and wide and can be grown in zones 3 to 10. Cultivars like ‘Black Scallop’ offer pretty (dark) leaves in addition to blooms. Along with some of the other North American native perennials for shade, this is truly one of your better choices if your priority is to grow plants that you can put in the ground and forget. Being adapted to your region, native plants are very capable of taking care of themselves.
