There’s a dark secret about a section of my garden. It’s a spot with a very shady past that I’ve tried very hard to hide. It’s the sort of situation a lot of home gardeners face, something that almost literally drives you up a wall – a north-facing wall that never gets any sun.

In my case it was a garage, my neighbor’s garage, actually. I referred to it as an eyesore, but it was just an old, weathered, but sturdy garage, about 20 feet long and high enough that it needed a real climber to cover it.

I knew Clematis could climb a wall that high in just a few years. Several Clematis thrived elsewhere in my garden. But could they cope with that much shade? I did some investigation and discovered that a few are actually recommended for dark, north-facing walls.

One of these (‘Nelly Moser’) was already growing (well) in another part of my garden. It was four years ago that I started some ‘Nelly Moser’ in the dreaded shady spot. Now most of that wall is looking much prettier in pink. Two other Clematis were planted two years ago, then two more last year. The prospects look very good for bright Summers and Springs for years to come on the (formerly) ugly wall.

So why keep this information a secret? The Clematis varieties with a shady reputation might be just the solution for other gardeners facing the north-facing wall problem. It’s time to expose the Clematis that can be used for northern exposure. I’ve come up with a list of seven – the Seven Shady Secrets. I’ve had personal experience with five and I’ve seen the other two blooming in virtually sunless spots.

Secrets of Successful Clematis Cultivation

But before we get to the list, some hopefully helpful tips about growing Clematis in shade against a north wall. If possible, paint the wall white or, at least, light. This will allow what little sun it gets to bounce off the wall onto the plant. Clematis like cool, rich, moist soil and the shade-friendly varieties are no exception. Most experts recommend covering the root area with a flat rock to help keep the root cool. I much prefer the look of companion plants to shade the roots and cover the less attractive lower areas of the plants. I use hellebores, tiarella and hardy geraniums below the north wall of the garage.

I give Clematis plenty of water, especially in the first year, and particularly where they’re located close to a masonry wall that’s going to suck a lot of the moisture away. I feed them twice a season with a slow release 5-10-10 fertilizer, in addition to adding compost and manure in the Spring. I’ve read on more than a few occasions that Clematis like lime but my soil is slightly acidic and the plants look as big and as happy as anywhere I’ve seen them.

Unlike ivy and other self-suckering vines that attach themselves to walls, Clematis need some support. The ideal solution is a flat trellis built against the wall. But that’s not always practical. Much easier is green netting. Fishing line or even chicken wire can also do the job without detracting from the look of your garden. Some varieties of Clematis, such as the montanas, can climb as high as 40 ft. But most of our Shady Seven are in the 6 to 12-ft range.

It’s difficult to be definite about the hardiness of every Clematis variety. Most experimentation has been done in England where the climate is quite different. But I’ve had no hardiness problems with any in my garden in Toronto, Canada (USDAZone 5). The general recommendation (including our Shady Seven) is Zones 3 to 9.

Our obvious first choice for a maid in the shade Clematis is no real secret at all. ‘Nelly Moser’ is undoubtedly the most commonly seen Clematis hybrid. She’s gracing garden walls everywhere. Grown in a very sunny position, the coloring of the blooms fades far too quickly; so it’s better in the shade. For anyone inexperienced at growing Clematis, Nelly is an ideal choice. The pale rosy-mauve flowers are large and flat with distinctive gleaming lilac bars on each petal. It blooms mainly in Spring, but in many cases, you’ll get flowering throughout the Summer.

A few years ago, while vacationing in England, I visited the lovely gardens of a lady I know there. I noticed the bread and butter plate sized, lavender-blue blossoms of what was obviously a Clematis, growing in a rather sunless spot. This was ‘Mrs. Cholmondeley’ (the plant, not the lady I was visiting). The first time I saw it, it was late Spring. On another visit there, much later in the Summer, it was still in bloom. ‘Mrs. Cholmondeley’ (it’s pronounced chum-lee), a taller Clematis (up to 16 feet) is, in fact, one of the best hybrids for flowering almost continuously all Summer.

We’re cheating a little by including all the Clematis alpina varieties in our select seven. But this gives us (and you) some color variety. Everyone agrees they are tough plants that are particularly suited to north-facing, cool and shady positions. Perhaps best of all, they’re among the first Clematis to brighten your garden in Spring. There are lots to choose from within the alpina group. All feature relatively small but delightful, nodding blooms 1 to 1-1/2" in diameter. Recommended are: alpina ‘Rosy Pagoda’ (pink), alpina ‘Columbine’ (pale blue), alpina ‘Helsingborg’ (purple), alpina ‘Pamela Jackman’ (blue/purple), alpina ‘Ruby’ (actually purple/pink), and alpina ‘Willy’ (pinkish-mauve).

Her real name is ‘Wadas Primrose’ but she’s also known (mistakenly) as ‘Moonlight’ and sometimes sold as ‘Yellow Queen’. She’s the closest you’ll ever come to a yellow Clematis for shady situations. Actually the color’s closer to cream, with a deeper shaded bar and yellow stamens. ‘Wadas Primrose’ blooms in late Spring and, for some people (but not me), again in Autumn.

Most gardeners have seen Clematis macropetala varieties, especially the popular ‘Markham’s Pink’. But did you know how well-suited macropetalas are to shade and how much color variation you can get with them? The standard macropetala is actually a dark, almost purple/blue. Other blue varieties include a lavender (‘Bluebird’). There’s also a rosier pink (‘Rosy O’Grady’). Even a white (‘Snowbird’). All of the macropetalas bring an abundance of much-needed color to your garden some time between late April and early June. They’re very similar to Clematis alpina except they’re slightly larger, with more petals on each bloom.

I haven’t personally grown the ‘John Warren’ hybrid, but I’ve seen it blooming in shade. It’s not among the well-known varieties, but one of the leading English nurseries, specializing in Clematis, tells us that ‘John Warren’ is "exceptional" for a northern aspect. If you’re looking for something with large (6 to 8-inch) flowers, this could be it. Another plus is its later blooming time – in the Summer when some of those early bloomers are gone. It’s grey with pink shading and deep pink centers and veins.

It gets its name, ‘Snow Queen’, from its whiteness, rather than any ability to bloom while snow might be on the ground. It actually blooms in late Spring/early Summer and again in the Fall. A hit in England but still rare in North America, the remarkable feature of this variety is its very distinctive crinkled edges. ‘Snow Queen’ is a warmly welcome summer shade of white with a hint of blue/mauve at the edges and a darker center.

Now that the secret’s out about Clematis varieties that seem made for shade, it’s time for you to participate in a cover-up campaign – a covering up of any unsightly north-facing walls on your property with these colorful climbers.

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