Can't give you any recommendations on plants, however if I were to ever move and start a garden from scratch again I would HOPE I would do it smart and not plant a thing for at least a year.

That first year would be devoted to observing what I have, figuring out a good, long-term-plan, laying out the beds and amending soil like it's never been amended before. I mean cart-loads of organic matter, carefully worked into the soil, not just a couple of bags of peat moss.

If one were to do this, imagine all the fun the second year when you could start planting with a real plan in place, a good garden design and wonderful soil in place.

Just dreaming. Disregard if you wish.

Kevin

Would I be able to amend the soil enough to change its basic makeup? I.E. could I amend the dry soil enough to have a 'wetland' woodland garden?

It is a much better (and much easier) plan to work with what you've got :-) That's not to say don't bother to amend the soil - a bit of additional organic matter never hurt anything - but don't try and create something entirely different. Trying to make a wetland out of something that is not is just an exercise in futility and an ongoing source of frustration, not to mention an expense.

Many woodlands do tend to be dry - it's the nature of the territory with all those thirsty tree roots and spreading canopies that repel rainwater. Moist woodlands typically are moist because of a water source such as a steam, pond or spring, unless one lives in a temperate rainforest like much of the Olympic peninsula of WA state.

For that reason, a lot of great shade/woodland plants will tolerate somewhat drier conditions, especially once established. And some are very tolerant of dry shade. To accommodate the largest selection of plants, group those that would be happiest with more regular watering together and close to a water source. Using a soaker hose and a good layer of organic mulch after planting will reduce water frequency needs as well.

No.

And doing heavy amending of soil around mature trees is pretty much a no-no. Piling a new layer of soil on top hurts the trees. Digging up the soil hurts the trees. There isn't an easy solution.

I'd recommend taking some time to see what can be done in the conditions you actually have. Arboretums, historic estate grounds - things like that may give examples you can imitate. You may also want to wait a year to see how things are different in your new home. For example, you may find out that leaving the house in July and August isn't something people do, so a big garden that blooms then isn't ideal.

What you can/should do also depends on the type of tree you'll be gardening under - maples, for example, have shallow roots, while the feeder roots of an oak tree are usually down a couple of feet. Do you know what kind of trees you've got?

You might want to contact your local Master Gardener group (mission is community service) and try to find a local person who can give you info. I would want both colorful hybrids and good, tough, native plants that bloom in dry shade. If you ever get extra time, you might take the local Master Gardener class, where you will probably meet many experienced local gardeners. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Clickable map of Master Gardener websites

So, the trees are mainly mature oak and tall pine/fir trees, and right now there are holly bushes and some kind of shrub roses planted underneath.

I will definitely check into the local Master Gardeners!

Some suggestions from one who understands your situation. Sounds as though you have purchased in the section of SC known as the Sand Hills. Looking around your area you should see numerous farm pond installations. There is a great deal of water just below that sandy surface. If so, get serious about digging a well or pond for irrigation. Less expensive than irrigating with municipal water.

Dry, shady conditions demand study on your part. Read and reread the following on-line nursery catalogs, Woodlanders Nursery, Nurseries Caroliniana and and Plants Delights Nursery.

Begin posting your questions here on GW on the Carolinas Forum. Some very helpful and experienced gardeners writing there.

Irrigate your planting beds first. Fighting the combination of summer high heat and dry shade without moisture will be both frustrating and costly to you. Sure there are natives that will struggle to survive dry drought. Given a bit of moisture they zing. And, there is always the Southern method...spread pine straw on the barrens beneath trees and call it landscaped. Old timey and acceptable with the addition of big, colorful pots of color.

Thanks for the advice! I believe the soil is clay and not sandy, but I'm not sure. I'm in Anderson, SC. I tried to access a gov't soil data map but I can't get it to load right now! I had clay soil in Indiana and would love to plant some of my old favorites: hydrangeas, roses, lilacs, columbines, etc.

Gothcha pin pointed, just a quick trip down the road to Clemson U. and all its show gardens and resources, courses, Master Gardening Courses, greenhouses, agricultural trials. A dream situation in your back yard for anyone wishing to study Southern gardening!

Irrigation under mature trees is a bad idea, and can encourage the trees to grow more surface roots, robbing your smaller plants of more water. This is not a healthy way for tree roots to grow.

The advice to work with what you have, the way it is, is good. And much easier than fighting with mature trees, you'll lose or injure the trees. I've helped my Mom do this, we started it a few years ago. Under her live oaks it was just dry sand. We outlined the desired "bed" area under them with bricks and put a layer or mulch, just a few inches thick. Then let the leaves stay, and add the leaves from the lawn section, that's been the mulch since the first load of store-bought. The difference in the soil is amazing, and it's much easier to dig a hole (where there are no roots) to add new things.

Shrubs and perennials eventually do better, need less coddling, if planted fairly small in unamended holes, let the large tree roots dictate where they can/can't go. This is why you see so many Hydrangeas, Azaleas, Callicarpa, dogwoods, Trilliums, other natives under trees, that's their milieu. Hostas and ferns are just the tip of the iceberg for smaller shade plants. There are many perennials and bulbs happy under trees. The local nurseries should get you going in the right direction in the spring.

There are plenty of flowers that bloom in shade, but shade gardening isn't about riots of colorful flowers, as it seems you already know from the Hosta/fern comment. Look for interesting foliage that pleases you, and lighter-color flowers that can glow in the shadows. This is also a great place to create a haven for house plants, if you're into those too. The dappled light is really what a lot of them want/need to be the best they can be. And don't forget a comfortable seat or two, the shade garden is where you'll probably want to sit when outside.

To extend what is included above re native perennials that grow under trees:

At least here, they bloom in spring before that trees leaf and the forest canopy closes over. That means flowering then, but not later.

Same with many other (semi)shade garden perennials, you can get (flower) colour in spring, but not later.

Also re perennials under/near to trees (e.g. pines with lower branches removed and silver maples). At least here, more watering may well be required to combat the soil drying effect of tree roots.

My 1.25 acre parcel is upland savannah and the soil is well-drained sandy loam. Many trees have been removed over the past 10 years, or thinned, but there are still numerous large canopy trees and they're spaced out in such a way that there is hardly any full sun, but lots of partial sun.

There are a lot of perennials that do pretty well with partial shade with medium moisture - including wetland plants with some supplemental water during dry spells. If there's really a drought though, I can't keep up on watering everything, and the wetland plants tend to suffer and sometimes go dormant or experience a bit of dieback.

I add organic matter like compost, leaf mold, etc. to all the gardens about once a year, to improve moisture retention and it helps with both sandy or clay soil. I've hand dug many garden beds, and pulled out tons of roots, rocks etc., but in more recent years also use the lasagne or sheet composting technique which is much less labor although it's slower to build a bed.

The biggest challenge under these conditions is growing veggies and the heat/sun-loving annuals like Sunflowers, because they really perform best under full sun. I would love to have great big veggie and butterfly garden, and daylily and cutting gardens too, LOL, and I suffer from a terrible case of sun envy.

You're right...I'm right down the street from Clemson, in northern Anderson! I was planning on volunteering at the botanical gardens to learn more about plant propagation - maybe I'll learn more there!

Color isn't too important...because I've got 2 side areas with nice amounts of sun and I'll get my color there. But for those patches under the trees...I'll definitely consult the Master Gardener. I would like to take the course myself! :)