Plant for North facing porch

[Noirin]

My front door faces North and never gets any sun. It is set into an arched alcove and I recently got an outside door so I now have a cold, North facing porch. Any ideas what plants would be suitable for it? I would like something that flowered but I think that might be difficult to get.

[Nicos]

Hi there Noirin ( welcome to the Vine!)
I'm not very up to date with house plants ...ie- I'm pretty good at killing them off!)

I found this list of plants for a cold porch...

Poyntzfield Herb Nursery - Suitable for cold greenhouse/conservatory or porch.

We used to grow pelergoniums in ours and brought them into the house for winter.
Also lemon scented verbena.

Might be worth considering growing for scent instead/or colour- you're bound to brush against the plants when coming in/out. Nice welcoming scent ( ...unless it's geraniums)

[Noirin]

That's great. Thank you. I thought about pelargoniums but I hate the smell. Some of those lemon scented ones sound good. I will probably have to wait until the spring to get them in the garden centre.

[Nicos]

Why not plant some bulbs now for spring colour???You might find a few old ones at a reduced price at some garden centres!

[Flummery]

I thought about pelargoniums too - I've got one that's rose scented. The flowers aren't at all showy - just small and pink and petitie, but it smells rather nice - like rose geranium essential oil (which I suppose is derived from it).

[Nicos]

I bet there are some plants with interestingly coloured leaves rather than flowers???

[Two_Sheds]

I've got Graveolens lemon scented geranium, it's lovely. I keep it indoors over winter or in a cool conservatory, pretty dry (it's tender) and put it outside May-September.
It takes really easily from cuttings
More varieties here: Scented Leaf Geraniums

[chengjing]

I got a north facing porch just like you. I have been experimental with various plants. The best ones for me are those succulent plants like Aloe Vera and cactus. Like TS says, scented geraniums also are good choices. I got a few varieties like fruity, cat mint and lemon scented as well. I just leave them in there in the winter they are doing fine. Last year, I started to grow Streptocarpus (Cape primrose), the north facing porch is ideal for them, but you need to watch out frost in the winter, that might kill them.

I find the key is to keep them really dry in the winter and let them get a bit sun in the summer that will help them to survive in the winter.

[Flummery]

I bet there are some plants with interestingly coloured leaves rather than flowers???

Like croton - Joseph's Coat? My husband's grandad had one in a very cold flat and it did brilliantly. Flat was only cold because they were the 'put on another jumper' generation.

[nick the grief]

I got a north facing porch just like you. I have been experimental with various plants. The best ones for me are those succulent plants like Aloe Vera and cactus. Like TS says, scented geraniums also are good choices. I got a few varieties like fruity, cat mint and lemon scented as well. I just leave them in there in the winter they are doing fine. Last year, I started to grow Streptocarpus (Cape primrose), the north facing porch is ideal for them, but you need to watch out frost in the winter, that might kill them.

I find the key is to keep them really dry in the winter and let them get a bit sun in the summer that will help them to survive in the winter.

nooooooooooooo, cacti and Succulents generally like sun either full or partial but not full shade. All you'll end up doing is etoilating (sp) them - basically they'll stretch and won't look at all natural.

you could try ferns, they like it and there are plenty that like dry shade, if you want coloured leaves then go to Dibleys website and have a look at their Begonia rex - there are some absolutely superb ones.

[chengjing]

Unfortunately it is true any plant without sun will get leggier. Most plants wont look as good as the ones grow on the south facing windows. It is not perfect. That is just one compromise you have to make when you have a north facing porch.

[Mcbee]

what about woodland plants? they often grow in the shade of trees sothey night tolerate a lack of sun. Cyclamens? What about Lavenders in containers - start them off in the sun, when its cooler so they don't suffer too much and then move them to where you wnat them when its warmed up. You'll get the lovely flower spikes and the waft of lavender when you brush it. Try Lavender - Downderry Nursery

[Two_Sheds]

Lavender is a hot dry mediterranean plant

[Two_Sheds]

Have you tried the BBC's plant finder? You type in your conditions (shade) and requirements (scent, flowers etc) and up pop a list of suitables.
BBC - Gardening - Plant finder

Hellebores and foxgloves do well in shade.

[Mcbee]

Lavender is a hot dry mediterranean plant

Absolutely - but i wasn't advocating planting it permanently in the north aspect. My logic was that if you keep lavender in pots, you can keep it in the warmth during the winter and spring. Then when the flower spikes develope you can move it to the location you like.

It was just a thought.

I keep lavender in pots and move lavender around all year, putting it where i want it. That way i can get the full benefit of it.