send for a newbie seed pack. keep your eyes on ws basil, vines, and cosmos. they germinate early, but can be killed by a late frost. might be better to late winter or spring sow those.

check out my post for seeds. perennials and hardy annuals are fine winter sown right now.

Hi Amy,

Welcome. I have a very similar area, it's mostly shaded and stays very moist all year. It took me two years to get it right but I did.

I actually watched the sun in the late spring and summer to see where it hit the bed the longest to plant the ones that like more sun. It's my favorite bed!

I have a variegated willow,hosta,obedient plant,pulmonaria,persicaria,crested iris,trillium,jack in the pulpit,perennial geraniums,perennial lobelias and a bunch of heuchera (i dug sand in the soil for these so it drains quickly). I added in a few dianthus last year, well see how they do come spring.

Good luck

Lisa

Lisa (ishareflowers),
Do you have a photo of your shaded bed? Sounds lovely. I'd love to see it.

I have a similar damp spot in the shade near my fence. I've been happy with ferns, lilies and irises. They have all done well and make me smile when I look at that spot and see all the blooms. I don't have anything fancy just stuff I get out of my grandmother's yard.

Bakemom - thanks so much for the advice! I will definitely hold back on the basil, vines and cosmos, better safe than sorry!

ishareflowers - that sounds absolutely spectacular! Wow, that is such a great list of really great plants - I am going to steal that list and use it to help build up my damp corner. Hooray! I agree with homeblessings - I would love to see a picture!

Psalmist40 - I hadn't thought to put lilies and irises in that spot, in fact, I hadn't really thought to put any blooming flowers there at all! But it makes sense that they would be happy there, I will definitely add that to my list!

THESE ARE OLD and not very pretty, they were my first attempt at making the area look good but maybe can give you the idea. The arborvites and heliotrope are gone....added a variegated willow to the middle and lots of heucheras and the other plants that I mentioned earlier....I forgot about the ferns,daylilies,astlbes,trillium and iris I have in there too...oh, persicaria and pulmonaria also and crested iris, ligularia and perennial geraniums too. I will try to rmember to take pics this year.

{{gwi:357543}}

{{gwi:357544}}

{{gwi:357543}}

{{gwi:357546}}

{{gwi:357548}}
{{gwi:357550}}
{{gwi:357551}}

another area....same conditions

{{gwi:28442}}

I don't have pics of the area against the fence from last season when it was beautiful! I will take some this year.

If I remember in the morning I will go out and see what else is tagged out there.

I will have seeds of all to share if you remind me this summer ;>

Have a good night!

Lisa

I found this one from 2010, still not great but improved!

{{gwi:357552}}

{{gwi:357553}}

Please excuse the mess of plants outside the fence....I was potting things up to give away!

Lisa

Those look so beautiful! And you have such a great range of plants, color, texture, too. It's funny, it looks like we really have the EXACT same area in our backyards, this damp back corner that's shady. It's really helpful for me to see just how well yours turned out, it gives me hope that I will get something accomplished back there!

Hi Amy,

My area is actually in the front left corner of my lot looking out my front door. My back yard is full blazing sun and I have yet to plant the back fence. I'm trying to talk my husband into getting rid of his horse shoe pits,it's the only thing between me and a full sun garden back there!

Have a great Day

Lisa

This is a pic of my town owned land garden. I live on a street alone and they let me make it pretty! Of course, I mean to the right! My husband builds me that little holding area at the end of the street for me to hold plants that are waiting to be potted,planted or given away.

{{gwi:357554}}

This area is on the back left fence in mostly full sun, 90% of the plants were winter sown!!!!!

{{gwi:357555}}

{{gwi:357556}}

This is my biggest garden, right front side looking out my front door. I would say that at least half of the plants were winter sown! I need a wide angle camera, I can't get a pic of the whole gardes!

{{gwi:357557}}

This is standing in the middle of the biggest section of the garden.

{{gwi:357558}}

{{gwi:357559}}

{{gwi:357560}}

Don't be afrai to wonter sow those seeds!!!!

Wow! Gorgeous gardens!

Lisa...your gardens are absolutely beautiful! What an inspiration! I'll be clipping this post for reference. Any chance you can give the names of some of the plants in there. I recognize a few but not everything!

Thank you Msmashy!

Amom, I would be happy to tell you what a specific plant is IF I can remember....lol You ask if I can't remember I will check tags for you...

Lisa

Lisa, those pictures are so cheerful to see in February! Thanks so much for sharing them. What is the variegated plant between the Polemonium behind the marker for your pet? I believe the same plant is also in the last picture posted. I need that one. :)

Jeanne

Nice selection of plants you have there..Obviously by the looks of all the hostas you have, you don't have any Bambi visitors..I can send you some if you want! LOL! They love hostas..makes a good salad for them. Chomp!

Nice selection of plants you have there..Obviously by the looks of all the hostas you have, you don't have any Bambi visitors..I can send you some if you want! LOL! They love hostas..makes a good salad for them. Chomp!

Hi Jeanne!

That is a variegated lace cap hydrangea. I can't remember the name in my pet garden off the top of my head but the other one is mariesii. I picked both of those up at Lowes off the clearance rack for $1, they were just very thirsty. I love when stores don't know how to care for plants...lol I brought them home,put them in an upside down bucket cover filled with water and they flourished!

I rooted a few cuttings of that for my nephew this fall. I was very surprised how easy it was. I'm hoping that with our mild winter it survived.

Have a great day

Lisa