placing sun-loving perennials in shade

by Laurie
(Cincinnati, Ohio)

A friend bought these wonderful flowers for me. I have no idea where best to put them. The 3 areas where I have flower-beds are mostly shaded with a few hours of sun each. The one pictured (I have not been successful in uploading it) has the most sun, the others are on hillsides. Thanks so much for your suggestions.

2- Centaurea Dealbata -bachelor button Rosea 24”h 18-24” sp full sun

Grenadin Mix -hardy carnaition- 14”h 12” sp -sun, part shade

2 -Jacobs ladder -15-20”h 15”sp sun, part shade


2- Indian Summer - gloriosa daisy 30-36”h 15-18”sp sun-part shade


2- Blanket Flower Galliaridia x grnadiflora 2-3’h1’sp full sun


2- Fuji Mix platycodon -24”h, 12”sp full sun


Cantebury Bells mix Campanula medium 36” h, 18”sp sun shade

McKana’s Giant Columbine Aquilegia hybridia 30”h, 18”sp sun, part shade

2- Suray coreyopsis grandiflora 10”h, 12”sp, full sun

Doug says that if you try to put a full sun plant into a shady area, that plant is going to get tall and lanky. It also won't survive more than a year or two before it gets killed off in a winter (being weak going into the winter). So all the full sun lovers won't fit into your gardens.

The part shade plants are the issues for me because I don't know how much sun you really have. And there are many other variables with these plants.

But - Campanula medium - in your sunniest spot.
Carnations - sunniest spot.
Any daisy member - sunny spot or watch them fall over

Others can go in your less sun spots but again, plants such as that gaillardia or coroepsis are decidedly unhappy in anything less than good sunlight.

If you have a sunny spot, try growing the sun loving daisy types in a large container instead.

Good luck