What Plants Can I Put Under a Deck So Water Is Not Standing in Spots After a Rain?

Evergreens for Full Shade

• Fully shaded sites receive little or no direct sun. Rather, they receive only indirect or reflected light. Many under-deck planting sites are fully shaded, especially when they're on the north side of a building or under a low deck. Only a few evergreens, or plants that keep their foliage year-round, can grow in these low light conditions. Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) tolerates shade and spreads quickly. This 12- to 18-inch tall evergreen tolerates range of soils and blooms with yellow blossoms in late spring. Ajuga (Ajuga reptans) also thrives in full shade. It grows to 3 or 4 inches tall and spreads into a mat of lustrous, green, rosette-like foliage. It blooms with blue flowers and tolerates clay, sand and moist soils.

Deciduous for Full Shade

• Deciduous ground covers lose their leaves in winter, but their roots remain to absorb water and prevent erosion. Many deciduous species offer attractive flowers, fall foliage or berries. Bishop's or gout weed (Aegopodium podograria) grows quickly to 12 inches tall and tolerates poor, sandy and compact soils. Bishop's weed has aromatic foliage and produces white spring flowers. Hostas (Hostas spp.) thrive in shade and have variegated, multicolored foliage. They grow in clumps from 6 to 36 inches tall, depending on cultivar.

Evergreens for Partial Shade

• Partially shaded sites receive only a few hours of direct sun each day. Sites under higher or south-facing decks or under dense evergreen canopies are often partially shaded. Blue fescue (Festuca ovina var. glauca), an ornamental grass, tolerates partial shade and grows well in dry soil. It grows in clumps of fine, blue-green foliage and produces yellow seed heads in sumer. Periwinkle (Vinca minor) grows to 6 inches tall and forms a carpet of dark, glossy foliage. Periwinkle blooms with tiny, light blue blossoms in spring.

Deciduous for Partial Shade

• Deciduous vines can grow as ground covers under decks. Species that tolerate partial shade and occasional drought include Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). This fast-growing vine grows to 50 feet long and 1 foot tall when prostrate. The Virginia creeper produces blue-black berries and has serrated foliage that turns red in fall. Other deciduous options include dwarf Soloman's seal (Polygonatum humile), which grows from 6 to 9 inches tall. This slow-grower has round foliage and blooms with white, pendulous, spring flowers.