Shade Loving Container Plants
Container gardening, whether on the deck or patio, or under a tree in the garden, is a smart way to grow and combine many plants. When planting in containers, you will need to water more frequently, but the plants remain relatively free of weeds and you can easily control their nutrients. There are a wide variety of plants for containers that will thrive in partial to full shade. Does this Spark an idea?
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Dragon Wing Red Begonia
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The Dragon Wing Red begonia is an 18- to 24-inch shrub that makes a vibrant addition to a container. Since it will get taller than most of the plants you will grow, it would be best suited to either the back or the middle of the container. Its stunning red flowers bloom in late spring and will continue until frost. Dragon Wing Red can be given some sun in northern regions but will thrive in the shade. Keep the soil moist and feed monthly with a diluted (half strength) water soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer. Dragon Wing Red begonias are winter hardy to USDA zones 10a to 11.
Coleus
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Coleus makes a strong foliage accent plant for your containers. Coleus comes in more than 600 varieties, with leaves in variegated shades of magenta, purple, yellow and green. Good shade varieties include Wizards, Carefree and Rainbow. Coleus is a very easy plant to care for and even easier to propagate by rooting stem cuttings in water. It prefers moist, well-drained soil. Pinch back the leaves to make it bushier. Coleus is hardy to USDA zones 9a to 11.
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Coral Bells
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If you want to invite butterflies and hummingbirds into your shade garden, plant coral bells. The leaves are attractive on their own but the pretty, bell-shaped flowers that bloom in the spring and summer add soft color to your container. Coral bells are drought-tolerant, easy to care for plants. They will grow in most soils and full to partial shade. Astilbe, iris and hosta would be good companion plants for coral bells, which are hardy to USDA zones 4 to 9.
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