In Need Of Some Shadey Planting Ideas!!

[MIDDLE AGED BEGINNER]

I Have Recently Cleared An Area Of Garden Behind The Garage That Used To Be Just Used For Storage And As I Hate Wasting Any Space I Want To Use It For A Container Garden [it Is Concreted Over].
The Only Problem Is Thinking What Would Flourish There- It Is A Triangular Space About 12ft By 8 Ft At Its Max Between A West-facing Wall And A Southeast-facing Fence. Open To The South And Apex Of Triangle To The North.
It Is Very Sheltered, And Due To The West-facing Wall Shady For A Good Proportion Of The Day. However, When It Does Get The Sun, It Is Really Warm Due To The Shelterered Location.
Sorry For The Thread Being So Wordy But I Would Really Appreciate All Ideas..

[Birdie Wife]

Hi MAG,

Are you wanting shade-loving veg or just shade-loving plants in general? THe latter is much easier than the former!!

[Cutecumber]

I have a shady, north facing garden at the back of my house and a hot dry garden to the front (paved). I manage to grow all kinds of veg despite the orientation - Ok, it's not in vast quantity and it might not win awards, but it shows that it is possible.

just thinking of some easy care-for-itself veg - how do you feel about swiss chard or leaf beet? If you can give it a good media to grow in - mixed compost and manure, say, and keep it damp, it could be very productive. Mine crops in containers under apple trees - it's shaded until mid afternoon then it gets full sun. It survives through the winter and we get more leaves before it flowers the following spring.

Beetroot also doesn't seem to mind a shade/ sun situation (it's the same family, of course).

[MIDDLE AGED BEGINNER]

It Is Mainly Veg [or Fruit] I Am Looking To Grow...i Wouldnt Mind Some Flower Ideas To Give A Bit Of Winter Colour Though.

Am I Right In Thinking Swiss Chard Is Like A Cabbage Type Veg ?

[Cutecumber]

No, Swiss Chard and Leaf Beet are like a big spinach - they are not in the brassica family at all. Easier to grow than cabbages or cauliflowers and highly productive.

[MIDDLE AGED BEGINNER]

well i must say i am a bit partial to spinach, so is chard and leaf beet equallly tasty???

[heebiejeebie]

I can't tell the difference between leaf beet and spinach, and leaf beet I think is easier to grow. Lasts well into winter too in my (limited) experience.

[Cutecumber]

Of them all, I prefer leaf beet - it is milder than spinach but has the body of Swiss Chard. Highly recommended.

[Flummery]

Many salad crops like a bit of shade I find.

[SarzWix]

Most leafy veg don't mind being in part-shade, it's the fruiting types that want a lot of sun. So you should be able to grow cabbage/kale/lettuce as well as the spinach/leaf beet/swiss chard. Also, blackcurrants and blackberries will both grow in part shade, although they take longer to ripen. They need a quite substantial pot though, if you can't get them in the ground.

I've managed to grow a lot of these things in my back garden which only gets the sun for about 4 hours in a morning, and an hour or so in the late afternoon.
Good luck