When seeking advice on plants suitable for growing in shade the first suggestion is likely to be Hostas. While these are perfectly good flowers for these conditions and so are grown almost everywhere, there is one man who thinks this is boring and that we should look for alternatives. That man is Benjamin Vogt who is a passionate advocate for native plants. In his article which I found over on the Houzz website he describes several native plants that can be substituted for exotics some of which are invasive and harmful.

When we drive through most towns in America, past businesses and through housing subdivisions, we?re likely to see similar plants from landscape to landscape. I?m not sure if contractors just love their trusted standbys, or if homeowners like the look and ease of plants they often see. I?m talking about hosta, barberry, Bradford pear and others I?ll explore in a moment. Some of these are certainly tough, low-care plants that make gardening easier, but what?s the fun in using the same plant over and over? And what happens when we find out that some of these plants are also invasive?
If we all like the look of these exotic plants, why can?t we use similar-performing natives that support a greater diversity of insects, birds and more? Without native plants, we lose all kinds of butterflies and bees that have adapted and co-evolved to need the natives. Are you ready for easy-care and attractive alternatives that just might enliven your landscape with new wildlife?

Go to the next page to discover the native plants you can grow instead
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