What is different between the 2 areas besides trees, "the raised bed". A raised bed will never hold water quite as well as the soil but usually it is not a problem. Many times raised beds are amended with things that we "think" are good for plants and the finished product "looks" and "feels" right but can not well support plants.

BTW, clay soil is wonderful soil, in fact the best.

I guess it is water in the raised bed. And the water must be consistent, when they get to dry they stop growing. They may start growing again but this is a problem and starting and stopping is a problem.

If you would like a method to help with the water, let me know.

for hosta to thrive.. one must drown them .... in soil that has drainage ....

NO hosta will thrive in dry arid conditions... under super competitive trees that wick all moisture from the soil ...

unless you are willing to basically insure.. that they NEVER dry out .... your hosta will continue to decline...

whether or not.. as the juniper gets larger ... the hosta will thrive or decline.. remains to be seen ...

good luck
ken

When our development was built it was graded with a slope, parallel to the back fence, that directs water to a storm sewer. A few years later a different developer built the house behind us with a higher soil level. This meant any time it rained the water came flooding down this small hill toward the storm sewer. The trees were fine but we couldnÂt get anything else with shallower roots to grow there. We had a ditch full of water or silt all the time, not to mention all that good dirt (ours and the neighborÂs) going into the storm sewer. ItÂs not a large yard; we wanted to do something with this eyesore. We terraced the slope into 2 levels with landscape timbers and filled them with soil. We add rotted leaves every year plus compost. ItÂs still lower than the neighborÂs yard so gets their runoff, but at least we donÂt have a swamp below it now.

I planted bulbs and the hostas initially and since have been trying to find things that will work here. The bulbs do better here than they do in the rest of my garden, which tends to retain too much water. If anyone has suggestions for shrubs or perennials that will tolerate these conditions, let me know.

Esther, IÂd like to hear your watering suggestions.

EO and Ken,

How do we know when hosta are planted too deep?

"Esther, IÂd like to hear your watering suggestions."
linnea

Dig one plant, set it aside.
Below the hole the plant just came out of dig down deep enough to put 4 gal milk jugs cut off about 3/4's from the top of the jug, now you have 4ea 3/4 gal containers with no holes.
Fill the milk mugs without holes with the dirt just removed then put the plant back on top of these milk jugs and water as usual.
Anytime it rains or you water the jugs that are now about 8-10 inches below the bottom the hosta roots will hold water.

Give me a report?

Linnea
various lamiums will love dry shade and many have great foliage to go with it, spread well and so are ephimediums.
Many sedums will take shade well, tall ones will sprawl but shorter ones will do fine.
Hakonechloa will do fine, take its sweet time to grow but it usually does. I have couple of variegated bamboos that will take over anything if you let them- wll do fine in dry shade.
Lilies species such as martagons grow well in shade and many asiatics will tolerate part shade.
I would think heucheras will do well with some additional watering- they not as thirsty as hosta leaves are.
For sloping areas - ornamental grasses might do well to prevent soil erosion, wetter areas might take sedges.
Well behaved lysimachia will take dry shade and grow well.
For plants to be well seen from distance you just have to go with bigger group of plants.
Also you might want to do search under natives for dry shade- it is always much easier to grow plants that love your conditions.

Also you might want to do search under natives for dry shade- it is always much easier to grow plants that love your conditions."
lindalana

Thank you, the simple best advice I've seen on this forum!

Epimediums like dry shade, but they are subtle and best up close. A wonderful early spring display.

Jack in the pulpits like dry shade, and so do a lot of other woodland flowers like trout lily, dutchman's breeches, monkshood, trillium, etc. All of these form little colonies after 3 years or so. You should have no problem finding stuff to plant there. Woodland gingers do well in this environment too.

Lainey

Thanks for the suggestions! IÂve made a list. Some of these plants I donÂt know but will go look them up. I know I love Hakonechloa and monkshood. I did not know they could take dry shade. I have a few sedums: all mine are in full sun, I did not know they could take shade (all of them? I have plenty of Autumn Joy I could move in there). IÂm hoping to try winter sowing this year and was planning to do some heuchera if I can find the seed. I do have some silver leaved lamium there but it has spread in such an uneven spotty way. Plus IÂd like things not quite so short. I have been meaning to try martagons. Is there any way to tell which asiatic lilies, or is it a "try it and see" kind of thing!

I appreciate all the help!

dont forget Mayapples!!

paul

Annabelle hydrangea does well in dry shade (I have it under the canopy of a Manitoba Maple), Hosta Undulata Albomarginata seems to do well anywhere.

June

I could share some of my heuchera seeds if you like.
Most of lilies will do fine in dappled shade with some added watering and fertilizing. Orientals usually do not last long anyway.
Your flower count might be less than in full sun but it is worth taking chances and growing lilies. If you interested in lilies Wi-IL Lily society has series of lectures during winter time at Botanical Garden.
Lily species are great for dappled shade gardens.
when it comes to sedums I would rather go with something shorter than Autumn Joy, like Berthram Anderson or such. AJ will need to be staked via tomato cage to look good.