A north facing wall can be a challenging place to grow plants. With less direct sunlight and colder temperatures, many plants simply won’t thrive. But don’t let a north facing wall deter you from creating a beautiful garden! With the right plant selections, you can cultivate a stunning display.
We’ll look at 12 of the best plants for a north-facing wall in this article. These plants, which range from thick evergreens to hanging vines, can handle cold weather and do well in shady spots.
Why North Facing Walls are Challenging for Plants
Before getting to the plant choices, let’s take a look at why walls and fences that face north are hard to work with:
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Less Direct Sunlight – With no southern exposure north facing walls only receive indirect sunlight. This limits the plants that can survive and thrive.
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Colder Temperatures: Walls that face north don’t get warm from the sun. This makes the air along a north wall noticeably cooler.
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Dry Soil: The eaves of a house often keep rain from reaching the ground along a north-facing wall. Dry soil is another challenge for plants to overcome.
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Limited Plant Choices – Due to the shade, colder temperatures, and potential for dry soil, plant options are more limited compared to other exposures.
By choosing plants well adapted to these growing conditions, it is possible to have a beautiful and lush garden – even along a north facing wall.
12 Best Plants for a North Facing Wall
1. Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis)
This low-growing evergreen groundcover thrives in shade and handles dry soil quite well. Japanese spurge grows 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads readily, making it a great option for blanketing the ground along a north facing wall. The subtle white flowers in spring are a nice bonus.
2. Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Available in a diverse range of leaf colors and textures, coral bells offer versatility. These mounding perennials reach 1 to 2 feet tall. Varieties with yellow, chartreuse, or purple foliage brighten up shady spots. Red blooms appear on tall stems in late spring.
3. Hosta
No list of plants for a north facing wall would be complete without hostas. With Hundreds of varieties to choose from, hostas provide diverse textures, shapes, and colors. Plant height ranges from 5 inches to 5 feet. Just beware of slugs!
4. Astilbe
Astilbe produces airy plumes of flowers in white, pink, red, or purple. These moisture-loving perennials thrive in part to full shade. They grow 1 to 3 feet tall depending on variety. Astilbe looks particularly striking planted en masse along a wall or fence.
5. Ferns
Delicate-looking yet hardy, ferns are ideal for a north facing wall. They thrive in cool, damp shade. Choose from a wide array of ferns in varying sizes, shapes, and textures. Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum) and autumn ferns (Dryopteris erythrosora) are two fine options.
6. Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
A garden classic, bleeding heart produces dangling pink and white heart-shaped blooms in late spring. After flowering, the foliage fades away, making bleeding heart perfect for pairing with hostas or astilbes. Give this perennial rich, evenly moist soil.
7. Kirengeshoma (Kirengeshoma palmata)
Also called yellow waxbells, kirengeshoma is a clump-forming perennial that reaches 3 to 4 feet tall. Arching stems bear maple-shaped leaves and pretty bell-shaped yellow flowers in late summer. This plant thrives in moist, organic soil.
8. Lenten Rose (Helleborus)
Early spring bloomers, Lenten roses flower for weeks before most plants even wake up. The leathery evergreen leaves remain attractive all year. Give Lenten roses a spot with dappled sunlight and well-drained yet moist soil. They grow 15 to 18 inches tall.
9. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
A lovely groundcover for dry, shady spots, sweet woodruff grows 6 to 12 inches tall. The whorls of narrow leaves remain attractive all season long. In spring, small white star-shaped flowers appear. When crushed, the foliage releases a sweet hay-like fragrance.
10. Deadnettle (Lamium)
Available in a range of leaf colors like silver, yellow, and purple, deadnettle thrives in shade and dry soil. Blooming in spring and early summer, deadnettle grows just 6 to 8 inches tall but spreads readily. Use it as an attractive groundcover along walkways or walls.
11. Lenten Rose (Helleborus)
Typically the earliest perennials to bloom, Lenten roses provide a welcome burst of color in late winter and early spring. The leathery, evergreen foliage remains attractive year round. Give Lenten roses moist yet well-drained soil and dappled sunlight. They grow 12 to 18 inches tall.
12. Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei)
An evergreen vine, euonymus can be grown as a groundcover or trained to climb a wall. Varieties like ‘Emerald Gaiety’ offer colorful silver and green variegated foliage. Euonymus thrives in shade and handles a range of soil conditions. It’s even tolerant of urban pollution.
Final Thoughts
While a north facing wall presents unique challenges, with the right plant choices you can create a lush garden display. Focus on shade-loving plants that tolerate cool temperatures. Evergreen shrubs, hardy perennials, and spreading groundcovers are all excellent options. With a variety of textures, colors, and forms, these plants for north facing walls will create stunning interest and beauty.
