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Plants for Japanese Garden?

I'm doing 2 small Japanese gardens, on either side of a gate. One side gets partial sun, the other side very little, if any sun. I'll be using crushed rock as the ground cover. What are the most suitable plants/shrubs to use please, hopefully with some colour . I live in a Bayside suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, about 1 km from the beach and Bay. The side that doesn't get the sun is quite well sheltered. Thanks

Public Comments

1. Try some Japanese Forest Grass. It's one of the few grasses that will grow in shade. There are green and varigated varieties, and varieties that will turn red in the fall as well. There are loads of bamboos that will grow in part shade or shade. Hundreds of varieties, with some very cold hardy, and mature heights from 18 inches to 60 feet. If you plant the "running" kind, rather than "clumping", consider putting efoort into containment - either a sunken large pot, a hole dug, lined with pond liner (a few holes in the bottom), refilled with dirt and planted - so it doesn't "get away from you". Crimson Queen Japanese Maples (red leafed, lacy leaves, weeping habit) do well in shady gardens. That might be a nice focal point.
2. Black bamboo is a very striking plant, as is black mondo grass.The black bamboo is great as a screen or to hide a wall or other things and the mondo is great as a border or planted at random around rocks e.t.c. another little grass worth checking out is (Zoysia matrella) No-mow grass which is a fantastic little grass but i'm unaware of how it grows down your way! ENJOY!!!