Summer Containers For Shade: My Year Of Living Dangerously, But In A Boring Way
This summer I defied Impatiens downy mildew and lived to tell the tale. For two years I have avoided Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) because of a widespread and devastating blight that has received extensive publicity.
Despite the tidings of doom, my neighbor John planted Impatiens for both of those years with no problems.
You can accuse me of mad recklessness – but I don’t care! Which is not to say I’m encouraging you to do the same.
The nice thing about Impatiens is that they make nice flowery mounds in the shade, and they are comparatively cheap if you need to buy them as plants. They are pretty undemanding, requiring little more than a little moisture. To play it safe, I mixed New Guinea Impatiens (I. hawkeri – which are blight resistant) in the containers with the regular Impatiens, but I. walleriana was far more floriferous.
Some consider impatiens overused, but who cares? Just because a flower is common doesn’t make it a bad plant.
On the other hand, containers cannot get by on Impatiens alone. They need some companions for at least a bit of contrast. New Guinea Impatiens and ‘Babywing White’ begonias failed to stand out at all. Green and white Caladiums were a little better, but still not satisfying.
For a while I was excited about Flowering Tobacco ‘Only the Lonely’ (Nicotiana sylvestris). I liked the height, the big leaves, and the unique flowers.
The excitement died when the blooms sputtered out in late July, however.
Fuchsia ‘Gartenmeister’ did better, and was attractive to hummingirds. I may use more of these next year.
A happy discovery was that Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) will bloom in the back garden from May through mid-July, at least in a milder year. I am hoping they will flower again by September now that I have given them a good shearing.
In a corner of the back garden I have three containers in deep shade. There I have one plant of Fan Flower ‘Whirlwind Blue’ (Scaevola hybrid). I really like it,and I would plant more of it if I didn’t remember the Great Fan Flower Massacre of 2013. Rabbits, I thought, were the perpetrators, but now I am told it was likely Goldfinches. Either way, a large number of Fan Flowers planted in the wheelbarrow and other containers were absolutely torn to shreds. I am reluctant to go through that horrifying experience again.
On the other hand, Oxalis ‘Molten Lava’, if placed on the edge of a tightly packed container, will spill nicely. That’s another one I may try more of next summer.
What are your favorite plants for containers in shade?
gardeninacity 
Love the variety in your pots. I haven’t gone back to impatiens, and the New Guinea are not as floriferous (great word) and more expensive. Might try again next year I do like them for their reliable color in the shade. I have two mixed coleus pots in the shade that always do great.
I tend to stay away from Coleus because I don’t like most of the colors for shade.
Great shade pots. I’ve missed impatiens and will get some next year. The New Guineas are more floriferous in the sun than shade for me. I like to throw in tuberous begonias for their big flowers and fuchsias of all sorts for the hummingbirds.
Judy is not a big fan of begonias, though she seems OK with the Dragonwings.
I love your pots and good for you living dangerously! Impatients really put on a solid show each year and I’m sad downy mildew came along but I guess it really depends on the weather and growing conditions. I have a few doing fine this year as well but also hedged my bets with the new guineas… And also didn’t get as much bloom.
I’m liking begonias for shade, not so much the wax ones but the (more expensive if course) fancy leaved and cane begonias. Come to think of it now might be a good time to had to the nursery and see if there are any marked down ones which I can get for cheap and overwinter!
I think I’m going to stick with impatiens until I see signs of the blight nearby. Not sure I know what a cane begonia looks like, sounds like I should investigate.
Love your living dangerously with impatiens. They were my “old reliables” in the shady parts of my garden every year and provide such welcome bursts of color. Since the blight was reported I’ve done without, but you may have persuaded me to rethink next summer! (I have white nicotiana this year!)
How do you like the Nicotiana? Have you been able to keep it blooming through the summer?
Torenias and anglewing begonias are the only flowering annuals I’m using this year and both are doing well, though the torenias are not as floriferous as I hoped they would be. The blight is rampant here, so no more I. walleriana for me, and the New Guineas want more sun than I have to offer. Your circle patio makes such a happy spot in the garden. I’m imagining a cool breeze and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
I’m just not attracted to Torenias, they leave me cold. When drinking on the porch it’s usually either beer or these days I’ve developed a taste for hard cider.
Aren’t you the dangerous one for daring downy mildew to enter your garden! I love the wheelbarrow!! I have never had a problem with impatiens here. Maybe it’s too hot and dry. I did switch one bed to begonias-a locally grown one that likes heat and a little sun and they always look good. I haven’t tried fuchsias and I’m not sure why not. I have hummingbirds galore and I bet they would love the change.
The Wild Ones don’t hang around here for nothing. I would love to have hummingbirds galore, we just get an occasional appearance.
Ditto on the impatiens. I too added them back this year with no problems. Right now my best bloomers are the impatiens — both kinds — while almost everything else is looking bedraggled. Summer Wave Torenia, usually reliable for me, pooped out along with Isotoma, which was awesome earlier. Perhaps it will revive in fall. Another big success which I will likely repeat is a large tropical fern. Can’t find the name right now but you see them now everywhere including grocery store impulse sales in spring. I admit to be addicted to container gardening, a great deal of fun it is.
Not familiar with Isotoma – not sure I’ve ever seen it in a garden center.
Well…now that you have braved using Impatiens, I may plunge back in next season because I love them, simple or not. It’s kind of like geraniums. I like them and make no excuses. 🙂 I like the color of Coleus in my shady pots but they need a lot of water or they wilt which gets kind of old trying to keep them moist if it is really hot and requires watering more than once a day. I’ve also had good luck this year with Begonias. Have a good weekend surrounded by your beautiful garden. 🙂
I am an Impatiens trail blazer.
White impatients make a nice jolt of light in the shade garden. I used a perennial ‘Snow Cap’ which is a creeping broad-leaved sedge that gave much the same affect. I really liked how it spread. I will plant it in the ground this fall hoping it lives. My other favorite of the potted summer is Begonia ‘Golden Lime’. It is a bright, chartreuse angel-winged begonia that is striking. I planted it with Gartenmeister Fuchsia with it’s dark leaves and delicious blooms I didn’t miss any blooms the Golden Lime didn’t deliver. A good combo. I didn’t plant many pots this year because I knew I wouldn’t be home for long stretches.
Pots do need pretty constant attention, especially during a hot summer.
Lovely containers indeed which make me wonder why I never have Impatiens in my pots. Don’t know, lack of shade perhaps. In the shady part I have a fuchsia which I’m very fond of.
Fuchsias are beautiful, and Impatiens will not do well in sun unless it is the ‘Sunpatiens’ variety.
My favorites were impatiens, RIP (I had the blight for several years, before I even knew what it was. Didn’t matter if the plants were in the ground or in containers.) This year I have one basket of sunpatiens in shade; will see how they do. Meanwhile, I’ve learned to enjoy begonias. But, there is nothing like impatiens. Nothing.
I wonder why the blight seems to hit different areas with such varying intensity. We have been lucky, but that luck may not last.
We gardeners are pruned to such folly, aren’t we? I’m really enjoying Angel Earrings Fuchsia in part-shade spots and I’m really getting hooked on caladiums of late.
Hi Patrick! Haven’t heard of Angel Earrings, sounds intriguing.
Containers can and often are a bit of a hit or miss for me and I’ve cut right back on them this year. Which is a shame really as they’d have looked after themselves since the weather has been so bad. I have shade loving Begonias in full sun – ha! Full Sun!! I am holding the summer in contempt this year!
I’ve not seem many impatiens for sale lately, due to the issues with blight, it’s publicised widely here too Jason.
I may plant more begonias next year, but mainly I think the dragon wings.
I use a lot of impatiens but I also like to experiment with different coleus, heliotrope, rex begonias, or whatever else grabs me that spring. The plant breeders are doing some crazy things with coleus!
I’ve never had a problem with any disease on impatiens.
I love impatiens – and was devastated when the blight arrived in Australia. I tried them last summer, but sadly without any real summer warmth (most nights are around 50 and most days are less then 75F) they really didn’t grow for me…it’s not going to stop me from trying again though!
Give them a try, next summer could be better!
I’m starting to get into begonias, but my most successful shade container, so far, was black mondo grass with golden baby tears. I get impatient with the idea that there are “overused”, and thus “bad” plants. I say go for those Impatiens.
I’m reluctant to use plants with dark foliage in shade. You don’t find the mondo grass a little too dark?
Not against the golden baby tears.
I have used a lot of impatiens, but the heat, even in shade, can overwhelm them. Annual vinca has done fairly well, but again I have to water in this heat.
‘Overused’ Whatever. I adore impatiens — especially the white ones. They are perfect for shady areas. I am really annoyed by the elitism that has crept into gardening. Buy this but not that. Go to this expensive public garden but shun your local park … blah It takes a pretty insecure person to need permission from a style guide to tell them what to love.
There is definitely a kind of elitism – although some of it is just wanting to try new and different plants, which I like to do myself. I just don’t think plants should be dismissed because they are too common or easy.
LOVE your wheelbarrel with the impatients! My neighbor gave me his from under his porch a few years ago. It is an old one and I have been pondering what to do + I love they way you have displayed yours:-) I grow the old-fashioned Balsam which is similar but taller. I am trying to figure out how to work her in to my scheme. They have a shorter one known as tom thumb that is like the impatients. Your tobacco is a stunner! I have tried to grow some but mine always get lost in my wild garden:-) I need a tall one like yours!
Thanks – I just wish I had something in the wheelbarrow that provided some contrast. I think the tall tobacco works pretty well when it is displayed by itself in a container.
I like using impatiens. I never turn my nose up at common plants. If they succeed in my garden, they are welcome! I love your arrangement around your patio, and the wheelbarrow is quite charming. I have wanted a wheelbarrow full of flowers for a long time. My hubby’s wheelbarrow is not ready for such a use; I guess I will have to buy an old one. As for companions for impatiens in containers. I planted some variegated hostas and ivy in containers with red impatiens, and it looks very nice. The hostas and ivy are permanent, so I just have to tuck in the impatiens each year.
I have a prejudice against hostas that I cannot explain, but perhaps I need to get passsed it. I can see that hostas could work well as a companion for impatiens.
Love your pots of white impatiens – stylish and calming. I have pots of red geraniums dotted about our sunny back garden – cheap, cheery and easy to maintain, plus they remind me of Mediterranean holidays!
I love bright red geraniums on a sunny day!
Your busy Lizzie’s as I call them look great in your barrow. For me, shade loving ferns and hostas are lovely perhaps with some variegated box for year round form.
I also grow a lot of ferns, though not hostas.
Lovely pots. I love Impatiens too although I haven’ t grown any this year. I specially like the white one growing in the the shade of my silver weeping pear. This year I forgot. I wouldn’ t let talk of blight put me off either. I don’ believe I can’ t grow anything until I have personally killed it. These blight scaremongerers don’ t scare me.
Exactly. After all, this so-called blight is just a theory.
Good to see the variety in your pots….my fingers are crossed you don’t get the dreaded blight! I have Impatiens in pots that are from cuttings taken last year, I didn’t expect them to grow but they have done really well.xxx
Glad to hear you also have avoided the blight.
I hope your impatiens do well and don’t get the mildew. Our whole street was planted with impatiens the entire I lived here. All the Norway Maples lining the street were why. Neighbors relied on the annuals until a few years ago when the plants all wilted and died. The neighbors tried the next year and the same thing happened. Then nurseries stopped selling them. I have torenia with hydrangea, painted fern and blue hosta in one of my shade containers.
I might try a hosta in a corner of that wheelbarrow.
I use torenia and coleus in the shade with begonias…they do best here and I love the foliage and unique flowers.
I have not been a big fan of Torenia but I saw some blue ones recently that I really liked.