North-facing walls are often exposed to ambient conditions that differ from those characterizing the southern and western sides of houses. These are less likely to be exposed to direct sun, especially if eaves cast the bordering substrates in shade. Cooler temperatures and partial to full shade conditions may prevent many shrubs and herbs from thriving all through the year. Nonetheless, many woodland plants and fruiting trees are particularly suited to northern exposure.
Generally, horticulturists select a diversity of low-maintenance shade plants to add color and texture to north-facing walls and fences. The most ideal options are those that can withstand occasional spells of excess moisture. Moreover, perennial species and hybrids with a natural resistance to fungal disorders are especially hardy in these cooler zones.
Luckily, walls with a predominantly shady state need not be accented with just ferns and shade-loving vines. Statement shrubs, flowering herbs for ground cover, and sweetly-scented perennials can brighten up these parts of a home’s exteriors. For a consistently fresh, north-facing landscape, consider cultivating a combination of the plants below.
1) Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum)
Sweet woodruff is a lovely flowering perennial with a tendency to form highly textural mats. It is well-suited to conditions along the north sides of structures due to its preferences for lightly moist substrates and shade. Well-established clumps are able to tolerate full shade, eventually expanding to create living carpets that fill out gaps between taller herbs and shrubs.
From late spring to summer, this herbaceous species becomes especially eye-catching because of its cymes of small, white blooms. In sunnier areas, frequent watering may be necessary to stimulate the production of ample blooms. In the absence of flowers, the signature sweet scent of the plant (comparable to that of vanilla) is retained by its whorls of simple, glabrous leaves. These contain an aromatic compound called coumarin, which helps protect its stands from pests. Harvesting and drying the leaves strengthens their scent.
2) Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)
This evergreen fern is named for the resemblance of its leaflets to the tough leaves of the holly tree. Each of these is slightly wavy and has toothed margins. Bright to deep green, these are distinctly shiny under partial shade. They give the plant an ornamental appearance that lasts all through the year in USDA hardiness zones 7 – 10. Healthy specimens can survive in deep shade, so they can be placed along the border of a north-facing wall. They can also be grown by a moderately sunny window indoors.
A recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, the holly fern produces rosettes of fronds measuring up to 2 feet (61 cm) tall. Its vase-like shape and arching leaves make it suitable for natural corridors, where many small, wild animals may require shelter from rain, winds, and sunlight. It naturally spreads via windborne spores, so do note that it may easily escape cultivation in forested areas.
3) Coral bells (Heuchera spp.)
Coral bells are some of the most stunning shade plants for north-facing landscapes. They are set apart by their mounds of low-growing and colorful leaves. These come in a wide range of forms and color combinations, so there’s a specific hybrid to suit just about any type of garden or theme. Some cultivars are more likely to thrive in partly to fully shaded conditions than others, but, generally speaking, all of them are best grown in protected areas.
Most of the Heuchera varieties found in landscaping stores or plant nurseries are hybrids of H. americana, H. micrantha, or H. villosa. These members of the Saxifragaceae family tend to have palmate or semi-palmate fronds with irregular margins. In summer, these are complemented by delicate inflorescences emerging through the gaps in between leaves. These panicles have blooms in the most charming shades of white, pink, and red.
4) Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Also known as five-leaved ivy or five-finger, the Virginia creeper is distinguished by its palmately compound leaves – each of which is comprised of 3 – 7 (typically 5) leaflets. The leaflets are neatly veined and have serrated margins. As they contain significant concentrations of raphides, which are needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate, their sap may cause injury to herbivores and unsuspecting gardeners.
A member of the Vitaceae family, the Virginia creeper is actually a versatile climber. Its prolific shoots function as vines do – they produce tendrils that anchor the plant to both smooth and rough surfaces, allowing it to grow to heights of about 100 feet (30.5 meters) in productive forests! Due to its ability to grow over walls and its tolerance for shady conditions, it is ideal for the north-facing sides of buildings. As this species can spread via its extensive root system, you may wish to restrict it to pots or containers.
5) Japanese sweet flag (Acorus gramineus)
Japanese sweet flag isn’t a true grass, but its fronds closely resemble those of the Poaceae family. Unlike many true grasses, it can be grown close to north-facing walls because of its preference for moist conditions and partial shade. It should thrive best when it is cultivated as a border or emergent plant around partly shaded water features. Its root system is able to quickly self-propagate under full submersion. For best results, the leaves should remain exposed.
The ‘Ogon’ cultivar of A. gramineus can be used to create bright tufts of texture in shady borders. This herbaceous perennial produces leaves with golden-yellow and bright green stripes. Gracefully arching, they seldom grow to heights of more than 6 – 12 inches (15 – 30.5 cm). Low-maintenance, this cultivar can be grown as the perfect ground cover, rain garden, or container plant for effortless naturalization.
6) Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris)
Adored by horticulturists for its delicate clusters of both fertile and sterile blooms, the climbing hydrangea is a fine choice for borders with northern exposure. Its stands should effectively naturalize plain walls and help hide any imperfections along your home’s foundations. With shoots that can creep to heights of up to 30 – 40 feet (9 – 12 meters), it can form sprawling stands that climb over fences, arbors, trellises, and other vertical structures in the garden.
Climbing hydrangea favors partial to full shade and rich substrates with ample moisture. Proper drainage should help its roots become well-established, leading to vigorously spreading branches covered in dense, heart-shaped leaves. Though pruning is not necessary for maintaining the health of its shoots, trimming overgrown stems should help create a bushier appearance.
7) Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
Related to the Virginia creeper, the Boston ivy is another creeping plant that can perform quite well on the north-facing side of a house. This deciduous, flowering vine is often grown as an ornamental plant due to its tri-lobed, palmate leaves and its clusters of tiny, purple grapes. Its leaves are borne on branching tendrils with adhesive disks. These allow it to remain attached to smooth and flat surfaces. Keep in mind that, due to the stickiness of its disks, removing this plant from walls may damage the surface.
Boston ivy is great for naturalizing brick walls and unsightly structures. When densely packed, its clusters of winding stems can help regulate indoor temperatures in summer. In optimal conditions, its stems can cover entire buildings to create a natural and memorable façade in urban locations. The lustrous green leaves, which can tolerate strong winds and exposure to pollutants, turn burgundy in fall.
8) Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)
As suggested by its common name, the autumn fern boasts fronds with eye-catching shades of deep orange, bronze, and copper. It must be noted, however, that these colors don’t necessarily appear in fall as they are the natural hues of this species’ new fronds. Over time, the leaflets begin to turn bright green and then eventually darken as the frond matures. The changing colors make this fern remarkably appealing as an ornamental feature of woodland gardens.
A recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this fern can tolerate both dry and moist shade. Nonetheless, consistently moistened substrates should make for higher-quality leaves and roots. Well-established specimens can usually thrive in full shade, making them ideal for growth beneath the eaves of north-facing walls and for underplanting larger shrubs and trees.
9) Everlasting sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius)
The everlasting or perennial sweet pea is a lovely flowering plant for the slightly sunnier sides of a north-facing wall. Patches situated closer to east or west-facing corners, for example, should effectively be enlivened by a few clumps of this climbing species. When provided with supporting structures, its stems can effortlessly climb and work their way up to heights of about 6 – 9 feet (1.8 – 2.7 meters). The stems may grow around corners and make their way to increasingly sunnier borders.
Able to self-seed and spread via a network of underground rhizomes, the everlasting sweet pea is great for naturalizing vertical features. Though it can quickly colonize bare areas, it is not necessarily known for being aggressive. In the absence of vertical structures, its stems also ramble over bottom substrates to create patches of highly textured ground cover. In summer, well-established specimens should produce racemes of vibrant pink to white flowers.
10) Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla spp.)
The bush honeysuckle comes in three deciduous shrubs hailing from a wide range of habitats in the US and Canada. Low-maintenance, they can tolerate low light levels and are generally able to thrive in mixed soils. In the wild, these plants are used as vital food sources by moths and butterflies that share their native range. In gardens, they are frequently cultivated as drought-tolerant ornamentals for mass plantings.
If the northern border of your home could use some erosion control, the bush honeysuckle should be a fine choice as its roots are great for stabilizing loose soils. Valuable as a landscape plant, it grows to about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall in optimal conditions. Once it is well-established, it should provide seasonal interest to your north-facing walls. Its green foliage turns yellow, orange, or purple in fall. These are replaced by emerging, dark red leaves in the succeeding spring.
11) Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
Though lady’s mantle is often situated under full sun, its highly adaptable shoots and roots can become well-established in partial shade. The outer zones of a north-facing border would look quite eye-catching when they are covered in A. mollis leaves. Notable for their palmate and distinctly scalloped shape, these have once fascinated alchemists with their “dewetting” properties. Rainwater gathers to form bright beads of moisture on their delicate surfaces.
Lady’s mantle grows to about 18 inches (46 cm) tall in optimal conditions. A single specimen may gradually spread to form a bush that measures up to 2 feet (61 cm) wide. In late spring to summer, mature clumps of leaves are accented by emerging floral stalks. These bear bright-green to yellow sprays of clustered blooms.
12) Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica)
In the wild, the Japanese laurel is found in woodland thickets, valleys, and forested habitats with natural water features. As it has evolved to thrive beneath taller trees and shrubs, it is best cultivated in partial to full shade. That means that the poorly lit, northern sides of houses are often perfect for this plant’s shade-loving, speckled foliage. When exposed to direct sun, young leaves may unfortunately develop chlorosis or become scorched.
This evergreen shrub is usually grown as a specimen plant or as a lively accent in shrub borders. Due to its tolerance for pollutants and short-lived droughts, it makes for a fine ornamental in urban settings. If you live in an apartment with a north-facing balcony or porch, for example, consider growing this perennial as a potted or container plant!
Keep in mind that, if you intend for this species to produce its seasonal, bright red berries, you’ll need to have both male and female specimens. They would also need to be accessible to their natural pollinators, which are mostly bees.
