What to plant in dry shade is often a question for gardeners in mediterranean climates. Our preconceived ideas of a shady garden usually includes moist soil and a mossy, ferny, damp effect - not always possible in our arid zone. But there are many plants that have adapted to the shade of taller species, that are not only required to deal with summer drought but also competition from the extensive root systems of their larger couterparts. Here is a list of good choices - let us know if you'd like to suggest more!

Echeveria elegans

Galvezia speciosa

Lunaria annua 'Variegata'

Pericallis ×hybrida

Symphoricarpus sp.

Anemone hupehensis

Clivia miniata

Epimedium radicans

Homalocladium platycladum

Kerria japonica - Japanese rose

Phaiophelps nigricans

Viola riviniana 'Purpurea'

Acanthus mollis - bear's breech

A. spinosissimus

Aechmea sp.

Anemone hupehensis var. japonica - Japanese anemone

Anomatheca cruenta) - see Freesia laxa

Artemisia stellerana - beach wormwood, dusty miller

Arum italicum - lords and ladies, cookoo pint

Asparagus asparagoides - see Myrsiphyllum asparagoides

Asparagus densiflorus - see Protoasparagus densiflorus

Aspidistra elatior - cast iron plant

Aucuba japonica

Begonia evansii

Bergenia (various)

Billbergia nutans - queen's tears

Calycanthus occidentalis - western spice buch

Camellia japonica - camellia

Cantua buxifolia

Carex tumulicola

Carpenteria californica - bush anemone, carpenteria

Cheilanthus hirta - South African lip fern

Chlorophytum comosum - spider plant, South African hens and chicks

C. c. 'Golden Glow' (subtly variegated)

C. c. 'Variegatum' - (margined in cream)

C. c. 'Vittatum' - (central white stripe)

Clivia miniata - bush lily, fire lily, clivia

C. nobilis

Collinsia heterophylla (bicolor) - Chinese houses

Coprosma kirkii

C. repens - mirror bush

Cordyline banksii - forest cabbage tree

C. indivisa - blue dracaena

C. stricta

Crassula multicava - fairy crassula

Crinum moorei - crinum lily

Cyclamen hederifolium

Danae racemosa - Alexandrian laurel, poet's laurel

Daphne ordora

Dianella sp.

Diplacus species & hybrids - California monkeyflower

Dizygotheca elegantissima - thread-leaf false aralia

Echeveria (various) - hens & chicks

Echium pininana - tower of jewels

Endymion hispanicus - see Hyacinthoides hispanica

Epidendrum radicans - reed-stemmed orchids

Euonymus fortunei (E. radicans acuta) (various forms)

Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae - wood spurge

×Fatshedera lizei - (Hedera × Fatsia)

Fatsia Japonica - Japanese aralia

Ficus pumila (repens) - creeping fig

Francoa ramosa - maiden's wreath

Freesia laxa

Galium odoratum - sweet woodruff

Galvezia speciosa - Catalina Island bush snapdragon

Garrya elliptica - coast silktassel

Gasteria (various)

Geranium canariense

G. macrorrhizum

G. maderense

G. palmatum

Gladiolus laxa - see Freesia laxa

Griselinia littoralis

G. lucida

Gnaphalium lanatum - see Helichrysum petiolare

Hedera helix (various) - English ivy

Helichrysum petiolare

Helleborus (various) - Christmas rose

Heuchera (various) - coral bells

Holodiscus discolor - cream bush, ocean spray

Homalocladium platycladum - ribbon bush, tapeworm plant, centipede plant

Hyacinthoides hispanica - wood hyacinth, Spanish bluebell

Hydrangea quercifolia - oakleaf hydrangea

Iris foetidissima - gladwin iris

I. japonica

I. - Pacific coast hybrids

Kerria Japonica - Japanese rose

Lapeirousia cruenta - see Freesia laxa

Lamiastrum galeobdolan 'Variegatum' - yellow archangel

Laurus nobilis - bay tree

Ledebouria socialis (Scilla violacea) - silver squill

Leymus condensatus 'Canyon Prince'

Liriope (various) - lily turf

Lithocarpus densiflorus - tanbark oak

Lunaria annua - honesty, money plant

L. a. albiflora

L. a. albiflora 'Variegata'

L. a. 'Variegata'

Mahonia (various) - oregon grape

Melissa officinalis - lemon balm, sweet balm

Myrsiphyllum asparagoides - Cape smilax, baby smilax

Myrtus communis - true myrtle

Nandina domestica - heavenly bamboo, nandina

Nephrolepis cordifolia - southern sword fern

Ochna serrulata - bird's-eye bush, mickey mouse plant

Ophiopogon (various) - lily turf

Osmanthus delavayi

Oxalis oregana - wood sorrel

Pelargonium tomentosum - peppermint-scented geranium

Pellaea calomelanos - South African blue rock fern

Pericallis ×hybrida - cineraria

Phaiophelps nigricans

Philodendron selloum

Plectranthus sp.

Protoasparagus densiflorus - asparagus fern, emerald fern

P. d. 'Meyersii' - foxtail Fern, cat-tail asparagus

P. plumosus - asparagus fern

Ribes viburnifolium - Catalina perfume, evergreen currant

Roldana petasitis - California geranium

Rumohra adiantiformis - leatherleaf fern

Ruscus aculeatus - butcher's broom

R. hypoglossum - butcher's broom

Sarcococca ruscifolia

Scilla campanulata - see Hyacinthoides hispanica

S. hispanica - see Hyacinthoides hispanica

S. socialis - see Ledebouria socialis

S. violacea - see Ledebouria socialis

Siphonosmanthus delavayi - see Osmanthus delavayi

Sisyrinchium striatum - see Phaiophelps nigricans

Sparrmannia africana - Cape stock-rose, African linden

Strelitzia nicolai - bird-of-paradise Tree

Symphoricarpos (various) - snowberry

Symphytum grandiflorum - creeping comfrey

Tiarella (various) - foam flower

Tolmiea menziesii - piggy-back plant

Trillium (various)

Umbellularia californica - California bay tree

Viola riviniana - dog violet

V. labradorica (Hort.) - see V. riviniana

V. ordorata - sweet violet

Zantedeschia aethiopica - calla lily