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53 Favourite Perennials to Plant in Zone 3

May 23, 2019

You asked for it and you got it: a list of the most-loved perennials for Zone 3.  These perennials are the stars of the garden, blooming year after year and delighting their owners every time.  Pick these winners up at your nearest garden centre, or ask a friend with a more established garden if you can dig up a few.

A huge thank you and shout out to the gardeners in the Gardening in Saskatchewan Facebook group!  This post would not be possible without you.  If you’re in Saskatchewan and not in this group already, you need to join.  I’ve learned so much from the more experienced gardeners there who are so generous with their time and advice.

And finally, if you’re someone who prefers to watch a video, here’s a shorter video version of this post:

Best Cut Flowers

1. Asiatic Lilies

Asiatic lilies come in every colour and combination and are easy to grow.  Put them in a sunny spot and they’ll flourish year after year.

[Read more…]
Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com

71 Comments
Filed Under: Backyard Florist, Gardening, Outdoor Life Tagged: cut flowers, flower, flower arranging, Flower Beds, Garden, Gardening, ground cover, hardiness zones, perennial, shade flower, vines, zone 3

32 Flowers, Groundcover, and Shrubs that Grow Under Trees

March 26, 2019

I’m going to start this post by saying that starting a garden underneath a tree can be a challenging task. You’ll likely be battling shade, dry ground, and acidic conditions if you’re planting underneath a coniferous tree. If you’re not fully committed to this gardening challenge, I highly recommend a circle of mulch around your tree and calling it a day.

However, I understand the appeal. There’s something about blooming flowers underneath a tall tree that seems so romantic and beautiful. So in that spirit, here’s 32 plants that will work in your underneath-a-tree flower bed. I’ve chosen mostly perennials, with a few shade loving annuals thrown in for good measure.

Image by JamesDeMers from Pixabay

A quick disclaimer: I personally garden in zone 3b on the Canadian Prairies, so all of my plant suggestions are plants that will grow in this zone. If you live somewhere warmer, you will likely have a lot more plant suggestions at your disposal. However, all my picks should work for you!

Disclaimer number 2: Some of the plants I’m suggesting can be very invasive. It’s always a good idea to google [your province or state] plus the term “invasive plants” to avoid future heartache in the garden.

Coniferous or Deciduous?

Let’s go back to your elementary science class for a moment.

Coniferous trees are the types of trees that stay green all year. For example, fir, pine, and spruce. Deciduous trees are the ones that the leaves fall off every Autumn. For example, oak, elm, and any fruit tree.

Most of the plants I’m suggesting will work well for either type of tree, but there’s a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.

If your tree is coniferous, you’ll need to prune the bottom branches to allow some light to get to your plants. The soil underneath tends to be quite acidic, so you may need to make some amendments to your soil or build it up a little.

If your tree is deciduous, you might be able to plant some early flowering perennials, such as crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and other spring perennials that require more sun. The leaves on the trees won’t be fully grown when these flowers are blooming, so they should work even though underneath a tree is generally a shady area.

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The Best Ground covers for Underneath a tree

Sometimes you don’t want to spend lots of time and effort creating the perfect flowerbed–you just want a pretty hit of colour that will look good and be low maintenance. One of these perennial ground covers will be your answer.

Anemone

Anemone’s are easy to find, longer blooming, and spread out nicely, but aren’t impossible to control. In my book, they’re one of the best choices you can make for a ground cover

Bugleweed

Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay 

I love this ground cover with it’s pretty purple flowers, but be warned–it can be very invasive and almost impossible to get rid of. If you have very difficult growing conditions, this might be your answer.

JAPANESE SPURGE (PACHYSANDRA)

Japanese spurge is good for woodland areas and creates a 2 inch thick carpet when mature. Like most of the ground covers, it can get out of control in some areas. It does not like very dry conditions.

Lameum

Lily of the Valley

Technically, Lily of the Valley really isn’t considered a ground cover. However, I find that it can spread so quickly, that I would treat it like one.

SAXIFRAGE (ROCKFOIL)

SOLOMON’S SEAL

A beautiful plant for a woodland garden.  It does well as a ground cover or in a flower bed.  Beware the berries, as they are poisonous to animals and children.

Perennial Flowers

Bergenia

In my old established neighbourhood, this is the perennial flower of choice for underneath a tree.

Black Snakeroot (Black Cohosh)

Bleeding Heart

An old favourite! Get one in dark pink, light pink and white.

Columbine

Columbines come in many colours and the seeds are very easy to collect. A must-have underneath deciduous trees.

Day Lilies–with one catch

Daylilies actually prefer full sun, but them will grow in the shade. If the shade is too intense and it receives less than 3 hours of sun, it might not bloom at all. However, you’ll still have the interest of the leaves.

Ferns

For the love of all that is right and good in the world, please do not plant ostrich ferns unless you have impossible-to-grow-anything conditions. I currently own an overgrown yard that I have pulled at least 400 ferns from over the last two years. Yes, you read that right. Pick any other fern.

Foam Flowers

Image by Jan Haerer from Pixabay

Goutweed

Goutweed is another be-careful-what-you-wish-for perennial that has a bad spreading habit. In my post, the 28 perennials you’ll regret planting, it is by far the most-hated.

Hens and Chicks

Hostas

Hostas are easy to grow and come in a variety of leaf patterns. Get 3-5 different varieties for a stunning display.

Lungwort

Image by Beate Felten-Leidel from Pixabay

Lungwort is another one of my favourite picks for a shade-loving ground cover in the garden. I love the pretty purple and pink blooms!

Milkweed

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Look for a variety that grows no taller than 2 feet. The varieties that grow 6 feet will look ridiculous. This one can also be invasive in some areas.

Sedum

There are so many colourful and gorgeous varieties of sedum that you could easily do you whole under-the-tree flower bed with just sedum. Hmm. . . I have a spot in my front yard. . . .

Siberian Bugloss (Jack Frost)

This plant has the most beautiful blue blooms and is an unusual addition to any flowerbed.

Siberian Irises

Image by Capri23auto from Pixabay

Irises are a great choice for underneath a deciduous tree, because they bloom earlier in the season and the roots should not be planted deeply. Perfect for when you’re trying to avoid damaging existing tree roots.

Yarrow

Yarrow is actually best suited to full sun, but if the tree in question is smaller and your bed would receive at least 6 hours of sun a day, plant on. Yarrow is a great choice in this situation because it can thrive in some of the poorest of soils.

Annual Flowers

BEGONIA

New to gardening in the shade? Make sure you get a begonia or two (or more!) They come in many different sizes and colours. My personal favourite are the large double ones pictured below, but in a yellow with pink edges.

COLEUS

Coleus is widely available in a rainbow of colours at your local garden centre or big box store. Plus, you can take cuttings indoors before the first frost and enjoy as a houseplant over the winter.

IMPATIENS

Impatiens are another practically-no-fail-flower for the beginner gardener. They also come in many colours and varieties. I personally love the double impatiens. The ones pictured here are the most typical ones you’ll find at the garden centre.

LYSIMACHIA (CREEPING JENNY)

Lysimachia is hardy from zones 2-10 and is a great plant to grow in a shady area where nothing else will grow. However, because of it’s invasive nature, you need to check if this plant is banned in your area or not before planting it.

Shrubs and Bushes

Alpine Currant

Have a spot that’s impossible to grow anything in? An alpine currant might be the solution. They’re typically used as a hedge, and can handle full sun, shade, poor soil, a hard pruning, or almost any tricky growing situation.

Junipers

Look for low growing varieties for a nice hit of green all year long.

Ninebark

Ninebarks are very hardy shrubs and add a unique pop of colour to an otherwise green tableau.

Snowberry

The ornamental berries add some nice texture to your landscape.

Spirea

Spireas are better suited to sun, so don’t plant them in a flowerbed that will get no sun whatsoever.

Whatever you Plant, Don’t Do this!!

You’ve picked your ground cover, flowers, or shrubs, but there’s three things you need to avoid.

First, don’t build up your soil in a raised bed directly against the trunk of the tree. You could damage the tree and it may even die. You can add 2-3 inches of soil at most without compromising your tree.

This is why I recommend surrounding the three feet directly around your tree with mulch and no plants. That way, the tree has a buffer and your plants won’t have to directly compete with the tree trunk for growing space. The mulch ensures that you won’t have a weedy mess.

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Second, you’ll also want to avoid planting any shrubs that grow more than three feet, as anything taller may start growing in-between the lower branches of the tree. In this case, the shorter the plant, the better.

Finally, don’t rototill the ground directly around an established tree to try and make a flower bed. You’ll destroy the roots and damage the tree. Dig small holes for each individual plant instead.

How to Grow More Successfully Beneath a Tree

The first step to growing successfully beneath a tree is to trim the lower branches of the tree. Even shade-loving plants need some light to grow.

Next, when you plant your flower bed, make sure that each plant has its own hole that’s larger than the plant. Fill the extra space with more soil. This ensures that the new plants don’t have to compete with established roots and compact ground for their root space. Take special care not to damage the roots of the existing tree.

Finally, in a perfect world you would plant the flower bed under the tree at the same time as you’re planting the tree in question. Lots of trees have roots close to the surface, and it’s easy to damage them years later as you’re trying to add plants to a new flower bed.

Any suggestions you’d add? Is there a plant that needs to be on this list?

Not sure what to plant when you're landscaping under a tree?  Here's 32 shade friendly perennial flowers, ground cover, annuals, and shrubs that would be beautiful in your front yard or backyard. #landscaping #tree #shade #flowers
Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com

20 Comments
Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged: ground cover, landscaping, perennials, shade, Shrubs, tree

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

Recent Posts

  • 26 Best Flowers to Grow for Dried Flower Arrangements
  • 17 Perennial Flowers That Love Shade
  • How to Design a Cut Flower Garden in Raised Beds
  • How to Start a Cut Flower Garden
  • How to Make Watercolour Decorated Sugar Cookies

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Connect with Shifting Roots On. . .

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Find What You’re Looking For. . .

Privacy Policy

Are you gardening in containers this year? When y Are you gardening in containers this year?  When you're shopping for vegetable seeds, look for varieties that have names with words like patio, tiny, small, etc.  While lots of vegetable varieties will do fine in a container, you'll have an easier time with ones that are specifically bred for that situation.⁠
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📸 by @blushbrandphotography
I'm living the pepper dream in this photo. While I'm living the pepper dream in this photo.  While these ones are a bit on the small side, who doesn't want ripe peppers in July in zone 3?!?! ⁠
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Over the years I've gotten better at growing peppers, and I promise I'll spill my secrets in February when it's actually time to start them.  Until then, get yourself all or one of my four favourite varieties: ⁠
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🌶️Carmen⁠
🌶️Escamillo⁠
🌶️Candy Stripe⁠
🌶️Hungarian Hot Wax⁠
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Do you have a favourite pepper variety?⁠
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Have you flipped open a seed catalogue lately? It Have you flipped open a seed catalogue lately?  It's so easy to get completely overwhelmed, especially if you're new to gardening.  Why are there so many varieties of everything and which ones do I choose?⁠
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Here's how I try to narrow it down.⁠
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🌤️ Short growing season like me?  Try and prioritize varieties that have short dates to maturity.⁠
🥗 What do you or your family actually eat?  While I think you should always try a couple of new things, there's no sense in planting a giant garden filled with vegetables that you're not going to cook with. ⁠
🥒 Do you care whether your vegetables are heirlooms or hybrids?  Heirlooms are the kind that have been around for 50+ years and you can save seeds from.  Believe it or not, this year we're prioritizing hybrids for some of our garden.  The Hermit @mgsraney is obsessed with production this year, so anything that's going in "his" greenhouse better be able to produce a lot.  I'm using more heirlooms in my "glamour garden" as we call it, because I want things that are pretty and I can save seeds from.⁠
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What do you prioritize when you're picking out seeds?⁠
Last week we started thinking about our plans for Last week we started thinking about our plans for cut flower gardening, now this week we start thinking about plans for our vegetable gardens.  Unlike cut flowers, there's not as many vegetables that need to be started ridiculously early.  However, it's still fun to plan and dream and get your thoughts sorted.⁠
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I'm curious--what size of garden do you have to work with?  Are you on an acreage or farm, city backyard, or do you have a couple of pots on an apartment patio?⁠
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As for me, I have quite a mix.  I have my container garden on my backyard deck, the small cut flower garden in my yard, then vegetables in raised beds.  We also garden at my Mother-in-law's acreage, so there's a giant garden over there where we're figuring out how to grow food on a larger scale.  Then finally, sometimes my Mom grows things for me in her garden if I'm nervous that I'll ruin them in my own garden--call it a backup garden if you will.⁠
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📸 by @blushbrandphotography
I hope you've enjoyed this week of chatting about I hope you've enjoyed this week of chatting about the best flowers to plant in a cut flower garden.  There's so many options, these 5 that I talked about all week don't even come close.  If you need more help creating a small cut flower garden, I created this plan intended for a raised bed (but you can plant it in-ground too.⁠
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Head over to my insta links page on my profile, and you'll see the button to click on that will take you directly to it.⁠
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#cutflowergarden #cutflowers #raisedbedgarden #raisedbedgardening  #growyourown #greenthumb #raisedbeds #urbangarden #urbanfarm #squarefootgardening #slowflowers
Hey friends! There's a lot of new faces in this l Hey friends!  There's a lot of new faces in this little corner of IG, so I wanted to introduce myself.  My name is Kristen and I'm the gardener & content creator behind Shifting Roots.  I'm wife to @mgsraney and mom to 3 kids, ages 8, 23 months and 7 months.  Needless to say, our house is BUSY.  I garden in zone 3 in Saskatoon, SK, so if I can grow it in my short growing season and cold temperatures, you probably can too.⁠
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Here's a few fun facts, can you relate to any of these?⁠
🍅I don't like raw tomatoes, but I grow a ton of them because I like tomato sauce.⁠
💐I probably sound like every flower is my favourite flower, but my two favourites are peonies and zinnias.⁠
🌈I can't pick a favourite colour--I love so many of them in different circumstances.  If you force me to choose, I think I've got it narrowed down to coral and turquoise, but even then I still want to throw in yellow, emerald green, fuchsia. . . ⁠
🖤Even though I love colour to the moon and back, you'll often find me wearing black and white in real life, because it's just easier and I don't have to think about it going together.
When you think of rudbeckia, do you think of those When you think of rudbeckia, do you think of those maybe-slightly-boring flowers with yellow petals and a brown centre? (Please don't come at me with your pitchforks if that's your favourite flower!!)⁠
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Rudbeckias, like these orange and burgundy ones, can be so much more!  Pair them with sunflowers & amaranth for an especially striking late summer bouquet.⁠
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🤞I'll have amaranth and sunflowers this year to play around with.⁠
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Need help planning the cut flower garden of your dreams?  It doesn't have to be complicated.  Grab your copy of Cut Flowers Made Simple and have pails of flowers like this one at your fingertips.⁠
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See my link in bio and click on the ebooks button.
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