Got Shade, Need Groundcover? 6 Groundcovers For Woodland Gardens and Closed Canopy Food Forests

[@inesberon7294]

I have a huge maple in my front yard, that does not let anything grow not only because the shade but also because the roots are superficial and strangle whatever i plant. I am looking for shade lovers, shallow roots ground cover. Thank you Angela for sharing your knowledge

[@18Bees]

I have a beehive under the canopy of my Maple.

[@adultpersonman4612]

@@18Beesif you can’t put plants, why not a critter that’ll like the shade and protection. We did a similar thing at our property where we rotate our chickens to all of the places it’s too shady to consistently grow stuff. They like the heat and predator cover and we get our hard to maintain spots maintained.

[@RieCherie]

My new property bears many towering oaks, great info! Thanks!

[@elizabethl6369]

The last one was beautiful

[@d.-beck7205]

Angela, you have such a wonderful way of describing the plants that I would love to watch your videos even if I would not currtently look for great tips for my new garden (my husband and I will move into a house with a very traditional lawn focussed garden in a few weeks and I can't wait to start its transformation). ❤

[@falsificationism]

Yes and YES! 🤣 I clicked so fast when I read the question in the title.

[@joannewolfe5688]

As an Oregon native, now living in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, I really loved this video! Plants I greatly enjoyed in my childhood, and many of them do well here in the Appalachians.

[@flowerpixel]

I was looking for videos about this very topic like 6 months ago and barely found any content. I planted sweet woodruff expecting it to take over my yard and it didn't. I'm guessing because too dry. I've also thought I could just plant a bunch of ferns. Geranium phaeum looks perfect. Thanks for leaving out hostas lol

[@permiebird937]

When I moved into my home, the previous owner had planted Hostas around the yard. I got chickens the following spring, and let them free range the yard. The first thing they ate out of existence, was the Hostas. Chickens love them, but not in a fashion that facilitates ground cover.

[@Foxandrabs]

This channel has quickly become such a great resource, the most local I have for permaculture! I was just looking for this information this week, I have acreage and don’t even know how to begin with tackling the shiny geranium that is the current ground cover everywhere

[@chrij1987]

I have three of these in my zone 5 and love them all. My hostas don't get a big as yours in the high desert, but still so pretty. I hope you are feeling better.

[@jameskniskern2261]

Thanks Angela, my wife wants to give a couple of those a try!

[@jeaninefowler6726]

Thank you so much for your sharing

[@yonpark6245]

This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!

[@gardenweedsgrower]

Love your garden.

[@keshiawright5631]

Thanks!

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Thank you!!! 💚💚💚

[@pnw_one_love]

Thank you so much! Great video! 🙏🏼✨💚

[@acrow1714]

Excellent choices! I am so glad you have mentioned some of my favorites for landscape design. Thanks for another great video. :D

[@18Bees]

I have a wooded backyard with lots of shade and will definitely add the creeping comfrey. I have the fringecup and it does look lovely peeking its head out alongside our chipped path.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

My favourite shade-loving groundcover plant is Galium odoratum (in the past called Asperula odorata; sweetscented bedstraw in English). Probably it isn't native in America, but it is here in western Europe.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Oh yes we have it here. It’s called sweet woodruff here. It’s listed as as invasive in many places, but it does make a lovely fast-spreading groundcover.

[@dtoomey9174]

This is a favorite of mine also. I replanted it when it died out but it isn’t growing well. I bought some more plants this spring and will put them in another shaded area, but one that gets more moisture.

[@d.-beck7205]

Great plant, especially in combination with sparkling wine and served as may punch. 😂 (Pick it before it flowers to avoid unnecessary headaches). This is a traditional drink on the last evening before May starts ("Dance into the May") in Germany.

[@zullylozano1840]

Thank you so much for this video! I struggle with dry shade in part of my garden. I would love to hear more recommendations for dry shade also slope gardens and swells.

[@tgardenchicken1780]

If I may suggest a free downloadable book "The Best Plants For 30 Tough Sites" It was put together years ago by Minnesota Master Gardeners. Zones 3 and 4, but many plants will do fine in warmer zones. (My contribution was Dry Shade, I was a MUCH younger MG at the time LOL)

[@melissamybubbles6139]

I'm in Colorado so your mileage may vary. I've got a north facing, narrow, chicken wire fenced, rocky, windy, dry, sloped yard. I'm hoping to add the blue Rocky Mountain columbine, native asters of some sort, maybe bleeding hearts, leftover heucheras that the landscaper put in full sun (bad idea) and whatever else I can come up with. In some places I have enough sun to try using daylilies and irises just in case they could live. Mostly I'm trying to use up second hand plants.

[@miabagley2202]

Perfect! I just bought a creeping comfrey start with just this in mind. I hope it does well and multiplies quickly. I would definitely be interested in more suggestions.

[@tgardenchicken1780]

My epimediums often have a wonderful fall color too.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

very true, they provide 3 seasons of interest!

[@flowerpixel]

Yes!

[@kathleensadventures]

Great video! Thanks for this!!! I’m still trying to find a good place to buy non-spreading comfrey…

[@NanaWilson-px9ij]

Hardiness zones would help me. Thank you.

[@damedesmontagnes]

What about partial to full sun low lying groundcovers that can be walked on? I'm in Vancouver, WA near a creek and evergreen and alder trees.

[@ryanstauffer6785]

What types of epimedium are native to the US? I seem to only ever come across species from Asia or Europe.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

please see my edit in the description. Thanks!

[@cathleentuck6803]

I have a wooded area which has had briars and poison ivy in it. How would I get rid of theses plants, first before planting new items? These under oak tress that dump a great deal of leaves that need to be raked in the Fall. What would you recommend to plant?

[@jam_is_jammin]

Hello Angela, I’m a novice gardener. I have a cranesbill geranium that isn’t thriving. I looked this particular variety up and it is perennial in zones 4-8. I’m zone 9. Is the plant not perennial in my zone because my zone doesn’t get cold enough? I thought I would try it because I’m coastal and my past few summers have had cool nights (upper 40s, low 50s) and I’ve been struggling to get warm weather plants to thrive in my shady backyard. I will try another variety, but I was wondering why the cut-off for some perennials is zone 8.

[@HavaWM]

I hear that hostas are edible, but I’ve never seen anyone actually eat them. Are there any varieties that are better tasting than others? Thanks for the awesome video!

[@julie-annepineau4022]

Tried the fresh shoots before they unfurled this year. Taste similar to asparagus

[@gertzadik]

You didn’t talk about the food value of these plants in your food garden

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

I didn’t because none of these are food crops Not all plants in a food forest are food crops and plants don’t need to be edible to have an important role in forest design.