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dottyinduncan

New Woodland Garden

20 years ago

WE have been clearing a lovely wooded area of underbrush. This area is alongside our driveway and with the huge big leaf maple, Douglas Firs, Holly, Oregon grape and other native shrubs it looks very parklike. Of course now, I'd like to add some woodland plants for colour...Just what I need, another garden area! However, I thought that if I put in plants that grow in early spring then go dormant during our dry summers such as erythronium, snowdrops, aconite that I could manage to keep it beautiful. There is vinca in places there now. There must be about 1/2 acre of land in this space. I would like to put in wood chip paths. Any other suggestions for plant materials?

Comments (6)

  • 20 years ago

    Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)
    Epimedium
    Vancouveria hexandra
    Stinking Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus)
    Trillium ovatum
    Foamflower
    Geranium macrorrhizum
    Sarcococca

  • 20 years ago

    Your list of existing plants is more or less characteristic of dryish evergreen forest conditions, whereas your list of proposed additions consisting mostly of moist deciduous woodland plants. Depending on what, exactly are the condtions involved--including upkeep--these may not take to well to what you have to offer there.

    Schenk, COMPLETE SHADE GARDENER might be of some use. Visiting other properties, walking and driving around and seeing what is growing in similar situations nearby might contain some hints as well. Soil conditions, light exposure, pests and diseases present all vary from one place to another, can have serious impacts on what is possible. Talking to someone who has already made a display like you want to have, kept it going for some years could be very informative.

  • 20 years ago

    The growing conditions present (dry shade) in most PNW woodlands are indeed some of the most challenging, & the list of plants that will grow here with zero care is quite limited. The plants I listed above are a few,(though not all are ideally suited to these conditions) which have survived for me with a minimum of care over the last 5 years or so.
    I think you may want to consider the amount of time, care and dilligence you're wiling to devote to the plants being selected for additions to this garden. Sometimes, just a few well chosen plants which you are willing to care for is all that is needed. An additional strategy you might want to try is simply editing what is already there - removing undesirables, adding or moving other plants to more effective locations. This can be a low cost, low effort solution that can be quite rewarding in the long run. Good luck & happy gardening.

  • 20 years ago

    A given site here can be dry, moist or wet despite the summer drought. In local lowlands often the most gardenesque effect arises on low, damp sites where vine maples and bleeding hearts may be among the most conspicuous indicators of moisture and fertility. Some places near me you can tell where there is a damp hollow because the vine maples occur in these, but not much on the somewhat higher ground between.

  • 20 years ago

    Thanks for your input. I truly appreciate it. The land is a slight slope so pockets of damp are non-existent in the summer drought. There is a lot of moss which is great ground cover but I like the idea of pockets of colour. We have donkeys providing manure which holds the moisture well. I thought I would add this to the planting hole and pop in some early flowering plants. I've been following the thread on arborists wood chips and am going to try to make a few paths through the area with chips. I will try and take a picture of the sun-dappled area today and post.
    I do have to have one big fire to get rid of the last of the daphne and weeds.

  • 20 years ago

    Hort. Centre of the Pacific has a woodland garden you might like to check out.

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