By Lubeelu
Hertfordshire,
United Kingdom 
Worst spot in the garden, all day shade & clay! What could I plant here? It's visible from the house from both sets of patio windows so I'd like something for year round interest and I'm thinking maybe shrubs that I can just stick in and let get on with it, but all suggestions gratefully received. It is in front of the shed (which is painted a pretty grey-green colour, so something to contrast with that might work well -white or pale pink flowers?).
Gosh, that's quite a long checklist!
2 May, 2011
Answers
As per Bamboos good selection only adding Fatsia Japonica, but only if it is not very dry clay soil. Japanese Maples will also tolerate those conditions.
2 May, 2011
Japanese maples wont tolerate clay or deep shade.
2 May, 2011
Actually I disagree Moon Growe - Acers will tolerate clay soil, perhaps not well in heavy clay but they do fine with most clay. The key is to add organic matter into the soil - clay tends to keep moisture that Acers enjoy. I bought Acers because I have clay. They will not like deep shade (am taking that to mean no direct sun light).
2 May, 2011
Lubeelu states 'all day shade' which to me indicates no sun at all. All my experience and all I have read indicates that Japanese acers need acidic to neutral soil and can not cope with alkaline soil. You would need to dig a large amount of grit and humus rich material into clay to encourage an Acer to grow.
2 May, 2011
Maybe use woodland plants, foxglove, pulmonaria, ferns, aquilegia, epimedium, some geraniums dont mind a bit of shade, winter jasmine give colour late autumn thru Nov and Dec. Add some compost/grit for drainage. All these will give some colour at different times.
2 May, 2011
I like Pam's suggestion - how about planting these round the mahonia? You's win both ways.
2 May, 2011
MG, on the subject of clay and acers - we grow acers here in my part of London on solid London clay without any problem - the Ph here is just on the acid side of neutral, so clay isn't always completely alkaline.
3 May, 2011
Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm liking Pam's idea a lot, an acer at the back would be ideal for height but not sure if it might be a bit too shady. Think the mahonia might be a bit large for the space but I do like them...stuff to think about, thank you very much!
3 May, 2011
Mahonia aquifolium is slow growing, being only 3 x 2 feet after five years, ultimately (after 10 years) a maximum of about 5 feet with a wider spread. Can be pruned, and isn't like the other Mahonias one commonly sees, such as Mahonia japonica.
3 May, 2011
Depends how tall you want - if something taller, Prunus laurocerasus (gets 25 feet if you let it), Aucuba japonica (8 feet). Smaller ones (up to 4 feet) Prunus 'Otto Luyken', Mahonia aquifolium. I'd go for the last one - evergreen, yellow mimosa like flowers in Spring.
2 May, 2011