Scatter seeds for shaded area

Hi.

With Christmas out of the way it's time to start thinking about the spring - and a new garden at a new house.

There's a large shaded area in one corner, which we can't do much with or cut back, because we're renting.

I was wondering if there are any seeds someone could suggest that I can scatter in there, that will take off and do their own thing, perhaps a little bit of colour? Need to be happy in partial and full shade (in the UK climate), and non-toxic to cats.

Thanks folks.

 

Shade planting: annuals, bulbs and perennials / RHS Gardening

Might be of help.

 

Hi,

We would suggest you buy small plants in spring rather than seeds as in such shady position they will probably not give much of a display this year and if you have little else in the garden the slugs and birds etc will enjoy tender young seedling emerging !

Certain varieties of Fuchsias, Geraniums, Begonias and Snapdrgons etc etc should grow ok in shade and give a bright display, some being perennials as well so plenty for future years.

 

Yes I've seen some articles about plants for shaded areas, it's just a pain to have to cross-reference each for toxicity.

We'll most likely take the advice and aim for some cheap, ground covering plants in spring. We don't know how long we'll be here so they need only be annuals.

Thanks.

 

Looking at this Cat poisonous plant list, think it would be easier to give a list of which plants are safe !
Plants Poisonous to Cats – Our Guide | Cats Protection

If cats were so susceptible to poisoning themselves by eating plants why so may around / seldom hear of any real case of them doing so , never had any problem with our cats, plus as cats roam it seem a fruitless task trying to keep just your garden free of so many such plants.

Be interesting to hear others opinions on this point ..

 

I have to agree with @ricky101 especially about plants in the garden . Cats don't usually eat plants, the ones visiting my garden either use it as a toilet, any soft dry soil and the leaf litter under the bamboo being fair game; or in sunny weather they sunbathe in the same spots; grooming must be tasty.
I would be more concerned about young humans with their tendency to try and get anything and everything into their mouths.
Indoors I would be more careful with plants and cats.

 

We have had cats ... or they have had us ... for 52 years and never lost one to plant poisoning. Currently just about all the plants and shrubs in my garden are poisonous (my "houseplants" are also grown outside) and none of my cats eat them. The only thing they chew on are the grasses ... don't even bother with the Catmint and I have three pots of it. Also none have wanted to eat cat grass!

I have not had luck aimlessly scattering all sorts of seeds in my shady border but it is also bone dry there. I am just going to put grasses there.

 

Have to agree ,as a child growing up we had many pets that were 'free rangers ' in my parents garden, including cats ,dogs and rabbits and none met an untimely death from being poisoned. It's truly amazing as to how many plants are in fact poisonous. Animals will detect for themselves what is suitable for eating. It was always my children that I was more concerned about!!
We now have cats roaming through our garden on a daily basis.....never seen any affected by any of our plantings.

 

I agree with @ricky101... I would be tempted to buy viola plants (pansies are also good, but less likely to continually flower when stressed) and plant them in the shady areas. I find that violas will flower, sporadically at times, all year round, and will also self-seed. If you buy spring bulbs to have indoors, remember to keep the plants after they have finished flowering, and plant them fairly deep in between. Both will naturalise quite happily, and will reward you (or the next tenants) next spring....