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Zone 6 USA, alkaline soil, partial shade, but mostly sun. I have some shasta daisies in the sun, gladiolas, day lillies, iris. What else? Peonies in the mostly shade. I planted a rhododendren in the mostly shade with acid enchanced soil and it’s got new growth, but I’m looking for some others.

Many wildflowers will not grow in grass, needing disturbed soil to flourish. Poppies, cornflowers and corn marigolds are examples of these. They are mainly annuals and can be grown from seed in pots and then transplanted or sown directly from seed. Once established they will self sow and then reappear every year. A border can be devoted to them or they can be mixed into a general border.

What about woodland plants? There are a number of woodland species that make very attractive planting in shady areas, perhaps under shrubs or trees or perhaps on the sunless side of a house or fence. Most woodland flowers tend to grow in deciduous woods and put in an appearance in the early spring before the trees come into leaf.

This is so that they get enough sun and rain to grow and develop. Primroses, wood anemones and bluebells are good examples of these. It is not necessary to have a wood in order to grow them, they will be quite happy growing under deciduous shrubs and a good use of space.

Can we use water plants? These can be a bit more problematic in that many native water or bog plants can be rather rampant and tend to take over. They need good management to keep them under control. The conditions that these plants enjoy are also very conducive to weeds, so be prepared for regular weeding. They can be grown in the same way as any other water or bog loving plants.

The pretty Anemone nemorosa is an easy, non invasive plant to grow. Plant it under shrubs or under a hedgerow. Also, non invasive grasses are ideal for wildflower gardens. Chrysanthemum segetum is one of many cornfield flowers that are ideal for wildflower beds. Although normally considered a border plant, Camassia makes an excellent plant for the meadow garden. Ferns make good plants for shady areas of wildflower garden. In wetter areas the royal fern, Osmunda regalis, is ideal.

Most of us do not have the time to commit ourselves regularly to our garden, however much we wish we could. We also have conflicting demands on the garden, it is not just something beautiful to contemplate but also a place to live in and enjoy. So, we end up creating an informal garden that suits our lifestyle. It is none the worse for that.

What is an informal garden? An informal garden is everything a formal garden is not. It is a garden designed around our tastes and lifestyle. The borders are full of plants that we like but not necessarily planted with military precision. The lines are not regular but comfortable and enjoyable, a bit like a favorite chair. There are lots of different things to see, but they are not necessarily connected in such a rigid way as in a formal garden.

There is plenty of room for children to play, and no one gets too hysterical is a ball gets into the beds or the shape of a shrub is spoilt by being turned into a camp. The gardener still takes a lot of trouble over how it is planted and how it looks, but the garden carries with it an air of comfortable informality.

What about informal plants? Virtually any plant is suitable for an informal garden, which is the joy of this garden type (this is why no box containing a listing of recommended plants has been given here). It is the way in which plants are used, not the plants themselves, that is the key.

What you could do is you wish is to create different areas for different plants. For example, if you are particularly fond of plants that favor damp conditions, you could make one big area into a bog garden. Similarly, a rock garden or a gravel bed could be introduced for plants that tend to favor drier conditions.

You can also create a more mixed garden, with annuals, perennials, climbers, shrubs and even trees, combined and arranged as you please. You could also experiment with using colors and textures in various creative ways.