Plant for trouble spot

10 years ago

Hi guys! I haven't posted since last year, but I even so busy getting our new yard under control. Funny how that to-do list never seems to get shorter :-/

Thanks to you guys though we had an amazingly productive veggie garden (better even than my VA ones!) and my bird/bee/butterfly garden is established and thriving. The nickname for that patch is the Timberline Memorial Wildlife Bed, since almost all of 40 something plants in there were obtained during their going out of business sale (I did some serious damage to the $1 tables!)

So anyway, I've been working my way around the house, and I've got a trouble spot right in the front that I need to tackle. It's a narrow bed, probably 2'x8', with the short side facing north and the long side facing east. Which would be acceptable but for the fact that the long east side borders the driveway and we have cars parked there blocking most of the morning sun. The south and west sides of the bed are brick walls (house and front staircase respectively).

So, narrow bed by the driveway, gets at most 3-4 hours of sun a day, bordered by a brick wall that I'd dearly like to enhance with some green. I was thinking about a climber of some sort-- a climbing hydrangea came to mind. Conifers and hollies were suggested, but I'd like to avoid those if possible (I don't want to contend with a holly that close to the car and I think a conifer would be too bushy and eventually break out of the bed borders.)

Good news is that some was growing there once upon a time-- the stump is thereto prove it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

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Comments (5)

popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
10 years ago
I can't help but want to say hostas. You can plant them with companions such as heuchera, coral bells, ferns, astillbe and impatiens in the Summer.

I also have daylillies that do well in that same environment. They probably aren't as prolific as other full-sun counterparts, but they grow and bloom.

Also Iris grow just about anywhere.
inbetweendays thanked popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
inbetweendays
Original Author
10 years ago
I love all of those plants popmama, and have had good luck with all of them except astilbe. I was hoping for some height against that brick corner (it's about 8' tall-- I'll try and post a photo), but your list is perfect for filling in the bed!
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digit (ID/WA, border)
10 years ago
Popmama, You have described the plants at the northeast corner of my house. I will except two and add one: astillbe used to grow nicely near the north wall of another home but, for some reason, I have never planted it here, and impatient blooms shrivel and dry up no matter where I've planted them.

I also have bleeding heart. I can point out that mountain bluet sneaks in there as a volunteer.

Now for the iris - Siberian. That does fine year after year, with no attention. I have some dwarf bearded around the corner. They are okay but my regular bearded iris most places in the yard flop over from lack of sunlight. That shaded northeast location would just add to my frustrations with the plants, about my favorite flowers.

Inbetweendays, you might be looking for something like an azalea but I better stop with sharing any of my notions ... I'm really not very knowledgeable about perennials.

Steve
inbetweendays thanked digit (ID/WA, border)
ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
10 years ago
I would have to agree with Steve that Siberian iris is a better choice than bearded iris, at least in my opinion and experience. Not only does mine bloom faaaaaaar better, but the foliage stays nice all summer, almost acting like an ornamental grass, while the leaves of the bearded iris start to look pretty ragged and worn out shortly after the flowers have faded. However, I believe Siberian's also like quite a bit more water than bearded's, so there's that.

Speaking of ornamental grasses, I always recommend those as often as possible. After all, the Front Range was, once upon a time, a prairie landscape. They are also nearly year-round interest and are reliable in our climate. 3-4 hours of sun might be limiting though.

Monarda, coneflower (echinacea) and liatris are some "color" that I think can work in part shade too.

Also echoing Steve though, I had better stop, I am not well versed in perennials myself.
inbetweendays thanked ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
treebarb Z5 Denver
10 years ago
You've gotten some good suggestions for shorter plants. If you're looking to trellis the brick wall, clematis or silver lace vine, polygonum aubertii, or the climbing hydrangea you mentioned come to mind.

For free standing, how about a viburnum? I have 3 or 4 on the north side of my yard and they seem to do just fine in a half day sun.
inbetweendays thanked treebarb Z5 Denver