Deep shade trough

I am pleased to report that I have repurposed an old trough! It took me a while to figure out where to put it, but I got there in the end. It didn't seem like it was going to fit anywhere "ideal". The only space was in deep shade, which seemed daunting. Then I remembered that I have already done lots of research for plants for shade when I was trying to fill space near the pond. 

Because most of the plants that are happy in the shade are naturally from forest floors, I thought composted bark might be a good idea. I bought some to mulch the border with last year and really liked it. Then I started thinking that maybe just buying normal landscape bark would be better, as it could serve as drainage in the bottom, and it will eventually break down over time like it would naturally on a forest floor. Trying to replicate nature, so to speak. I don't know whether it's as genius an idea as I think it is, but I've gone with it, so time will tell!😂

I made a lasagne of substrate with bark, peat-free multipurpose compost, peat-free Ericaceous compost, and some waste I've actually collected off the floor from someone else's trees.🌲Then I gave it a bit of a mix.

I wanted plants with different textures, heights, and tones. I HAD to include ferns as I've become very fond of them. I also wanted to ensure I included multiple evergreens, so it doesn't just look like an empty trough in winter.

So, in the trough I have:

Ivy - rescued from a basket of flowers I was sent for my birthday back in Feb - evergreen.

Three hardy evergreen ferns; Blechnum spicant, Asplenium scolopendrium, Cyrtomium fortunei.

Two hostas; Hosta undulata, and a miscellenaiious donation.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Sea Heart'.

Hellebore seedlings I've sown myself and didn't know what to do with.

I can't wait to see it fill out and change over the next few years! 🥰