What plants grow well in shade (balcony of apartment)?

Our HUGE balcony is in need of some foliage, but it faces the north so there is no sunlight (a building is in front of us); it is great for the cross-breeze! What types of plants/flowers would grow in such conditions? Low maintenance would be best (I am not too savvy with growing plants); however, I want to add some pizazz and "life" to such a beautifully large space! We can hang plants as well..


websites and directions/books are great! Thank you!

FlowersBirthday FlowersSympathy FlowersHere is an excellent link to check out for color combinations and plants that look good together:





http://www.fernlea.com/awesomeaccents/re...


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My hubby and I do lots of container gardening.....even vegetables. Here is our method (USA). There are many beautiful books with pictures that you can buy at book stores or on the internet:





Make sure your balcony can hold the heaviness of wet potting soil.





Plastic pots 14 inches across the top.





Holds 25 pounds potting soil-we use Miracle-Gro Potting Soil with Plant Food for flowers.





Mix water crystals into the top six inches of potting soil-these hold water so you do not have to water more than once per week when the temperatures hit 100 degrees.


Water well and leave it alone for a few days so the crystals can absorb the water. Do not plant or the swelling crystals will push your flowers up and out of the potting soil.





After a few days, mix 4 tablespoons Osmocote flower fertilizer into the top four inches of potting soil. Water in well and wait a day or so. There is also a vegetable Osmocote fertilizer. (Read and follow the directions.)





Now you can plant. Water well.





Let your flowers go to sleep after the first frost or take them indoors and place in a south facing window (sunny window). Or throw them away and start fresh next spring/summer.





Lightly water through the winter months, but do not fertilize.





Do not put back outside until all frost has past. We usually wait till the nights have reached 68 or 70 degrees.





Add the Osmocote fertilizer again each spring (or other good flowering fertilizer).





When flowers start failing, change the potting soil's top 1/3 or 1/2, mix in well, add new water crystals, add fertilizer. Buy new plants. This is usually done every third spring.





Hint: Always water till it runs out the bottom. Wait a few minutes and then water again. This only need to be done about once per week to ten days when using the water crystals.








Happy gardening to you.
Reply:Hosta is a fabulous shade plant, and it comes in lots of different types and colors.
Reply:Great! Try begonias and coleus. In the hanging pots, grow swedish ivy and impatiens.
Reply:Snake plants %26amp; some English Ivy would be a good choice,very easy to care for...look them up!yahoo finance