Ideas for outdoor potted plant that doesn't need much sunlight?

[gt33]

Hi, I'm trying to find a plant that will do well in a pot (~14" diameter, 12" deep) that is located between my house and a larger shrub. The house overhand means the plant wouldn't get a lot of rain, so we'll have to hand water. And the house and shrub will block a good amount of the direct sunlight. So the plant would get ~2hrs sunlight/day (on sunny days).

I'm in Long Island, NY.

Any ideas on plants that would fare well in these circumstances?

 

[oneeye]

Lady Fern
Shaggy Shield Fern
Dallas Fern
Kimberley Queen Fern
Holly Fern
Royal Fern

 

[gt33]

Thanks for the suggestions @oneeye

Embarrassingly newbish question. When I get the plant from Home Depot, it will come in a smaller pot than the larger pot I described in the OP. When transferring, should I mostly fill the large pot with potting soil and then transfer the plant+soil from the store pot?

Separately, are there any year-round options the situation described in the OP? Something that can get by on only a couple of hours of direct sunlight/day and is hardy enough to survive northeast winter?

 

[oneeye]

If you shoot a photo of the plant in the container when you get it home I can tell you. Containers outside in the Summer can be hard to take care of, because of the heat and dry conditions. If the Winters are harsh too, then that doubles the problems with a container plant. Shoot a photo of the area you want filled so I help better.

 

[gt33]

Here are pics of the location. This is the front of the house, which gets sunlight after noon. But as the pot is sandwiched between a euonymus and the brick (with a roof overhang two floors above), it will only get ~2hrs of direct sunlight in early afternoon. I probably need to trim that euonymus, which will help a little in terms of sunlight.

Tried to take pics from a few different angles, so you can get a sense of how the plant would be shaded by surroundings.

The pot is 12" deep and ~14" diameter at the top.

Speaking of euonymus, that's a hardy plant, seems to grow everywhere in these parts. But probably too big for a pot in this location (I don't want it all over the brick), unless it will take well to regular trimming that keeps it from growing out much beyond the pot in girth.

 

[gt33]

Would a dwarf boxwood work in this pot in this location? I like the idea of something green year-round.

 

[Arden Sage]

Hostas love the shade but are not evergreen.
In my shade garden I have container which has snowdrops for late winter interest (and the pretty white flowers); a hosta with white edges to the leaves, which has pretty summer purple flowers; but for year round evergreen element I have a vinca major which drapes down the side of the container. It has a white flower, but the most usual colour for a vinca flower is on the purple scale.

Have you considered Azalea? It is an acid loving plant and would need ericaceous compost and is just coming into flower around now but the leaves/plant is evergreen. I have two at the moment, a delicate pink one and a white one, both in full bud and the first flower has appeared on my pink one.

You could go the fern route to add a different textured leaf.

Another option (but not evergreen) could be a "Bleeding Heart" (dicentra - although I think it has been reclassified as something else). Very pretty but not evergreen nor fragrant.

Personally, I would be looking at a hosta for Spring - Autumn interest with its lush leaves, under-planted with snowdrops for late Winter interest, with a vinca to trail over the edge and give year round interest. All are happy shielded from the heat of a drying sun.