problem wall

[BUFFS]

I have revamped the back yard and now want to put two pots of perennial plants against the north facing wall, plants with some colour and about 12-18ins tall, or a small climber up to about 4ft, and able to be left there as my mobility is getting worse so they will have to largely look after themselves, I am open to all ideas as I have never tried to handle shady areas before..

[Scarlet]

I have geraniums in shade...the perennial ones. May not be for you but geranium silverwood nodosum has been lovely this year. I also have a purple one. Mines in open ground but they do fine in pots. There are several varieties that suit shade, they flower all summer.

Here's the white one - it's growing in an area shaded by a huge hawthorn tree.

[roitelet]

How about a climbing hydrangea? Not very small but you can keep it trimmed and train it laterally. Can’t think of much that will give you colour. However Hellébore Orentalis will give you some colour in the winter.

[Jungle Jane]

You could do some layered bulb planting with miniature daffodils,crocus,iris & tulips that come back every year. Ive got camellia on my north facing fence in the front garden,it’s really shaded because of the house but still flowers,it’s stayed small for about four years,grows really slowly & it’s evergreen,always looks good. Would be good in a pot with ericaceous compost,mines in the ground but I dug in half a bag of the compost,this is a flower from 28th March -

[mothhawk]

Astilbes are quite colourful and bright, and are happy in shade. They are tough plants so they should be OK in a pot if you can keep it well watered. The same goes for bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis).

(Don't you hate it when "they" change the names we've known and loved for years?)

[Babru]

I've grown brunnera Jack Frost in my garden for the first time and I really love it. Beautiful silver leaves and bright blue airy sprays of flowers above it for quite a few weeks in spring. It really brightens up a shady bit of my garden.

[chillithyme]

I second the hydrangea. i've got a bush hydrangea which grows tall but not too tall and is easy to look after. The size can be controlled by growing it in a pot if this is a concern. This would mean having to water more , vs in ground. The colours contrasts nicely with darker north facing spaces.

[mcdood]

Will you be able to water occasionally as most plants will suffer in containers if you can't, Hydrangeas definitely will. Mahonias are tough as old boots and can survive in dry shade. Decent evergreen foliage and yellow flowers in spring.

[BUFFS]

I can water any plants there in pots but, but I have no balance so cannot be as agile as I once was, now this is the west of Scotland, so they usually get more than they need, but we want something to brighten that wall, I grew a hydrangea petularis some years ago, and it was a thug.i think that an Acer and a clematis are looking possibilities, many thanks to all of you..