Evergreen recommendation for part sun sitting area

5 years ago

I have an area that used to be kind of an eye sore, but I'm working on it. It's beneath 2 pine trees, but facing Southeast so it gets part- to full-sun, depending on the time of year. Behind the pine trees is full shade.

A picture's worth 1,000 words, so here's 3,000 words for you:

In this pic, I'm facing North:

This area WAS full of poison ivy, but I've been working on that for a few years and it's mostly gone now. You still see a ton of what I think is wild muscadine vine (I plan to remove 90% of it) and Anne Marie ivy (almost destroying the pine tree, so I'm about to cut it back big time).

To the left of the pic is a Roseum Elegans Rhododendron. Just to the side and behind that rhodo (with a rock border) is my first dog's grave :-(

In the bottom right of the 2nd pic you can see a small Coral Sunset Garden Peony (supposed to get 2-3' tall and wide, but I planted it last year and it's nowhere near that yet).

Farther to the right (off pic) is a full sun flower garden with callas, irises, lilies, sedum, campion, speedwell, setcreasea, phlox, and a backdrop of some kind of bush and a wild plum tree that my dad gave me (blah). I can't pretend to love the area, though; it's full and lush, but just doesn't hit like I want.

And I'm slowly working to rebuild the fence, as I can afford the wood.

Challenges include the tree roots at the surface (which you can see under the bench), and the sprinklers don't reach this far so I have to water manually if it hasn't rained.

I could really use some suggestions on how to make this area better! I'm thinking... large shade-loving evergreen shrubs to go behind the pine trees, then some kind of shrub that's 3' tall or so to go in front of them / behind the bench? Then maybe some kind of perennials to go in front of them?

Featured Answer

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I would think in two layers. First, background screening plants -- small trees or large shrubs closer to the fence. Then in front of them, much lower spreading plants.

I prefer evergreen for year-round interest, so I'd be prone to consider, for the background plants, Camellias (to 15 feet), Aucubas ('Limbata' would be great there!) (to 8 feet), Ternstroemia (Cleyera) (to ten feet), Viburnum propinquum (to eight feet), 'Chindo' viburnum (to 15'), Sarcococca orientalis (about 4' high), Illicium parviflorum 'Florida Sunshine' (6 to 8'), Osmanthus fragrans (if hardy), various small-tree hollies like 'Virginia', 'Winter Bounty', 'Cherry Bomb', 'Solar Flare', Trochodendron aralioides (hard to find), Dendropanax trifidus (hard to find), Daphniphyllum (hard to find) etc.

And for the foreground, use lower, spreading plants, like Satsuki Azalea 'Chinzan' (there are hundreds of Satsukis), dwarf Pieris like 'Cavatine', Helleri holly, Indian hawthorne (if hardy), Helleborus, Daphne odora, Holly fern, Pittosporum 'Mojo' or 'Wheeler's Dwarf', (if hardy there). Consider working in golden or variegated cultivars of the above to liven up the plantings.

If deer are a serious issue, then you'll have to adjust the above list. You will definitely have to supplement water for a good year or so, to get them established among the roots.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

frankielynnsie
5 years ago
Great place for some hydrangeas. Oak leaf, lacecap, mophead would all be happy there. A few of the more lime colored leafed ones to brighten up the space (Lemon Daddy, Little Honey). . Anise Grey Ghost with grey leaves is evergreen and gets 6 ft, flowers in spring.
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
Original Author
5 years ago
Oddly, I have 2 Endless Summer hydrangeas in another section that have done well, but I've planted Everlasting Four Seasons and Merritt's Supreme hydrangeas that didn't do well at all! I don't know what's up with that :-/

I looked up the anise, though, and it would look good, no doubt! It's similar enough to the leaves of the rhodo that it would blend, without blending TOO much. Is it good with deep shade (behind the trees), or does it need a little bit of sun?
Related Professionals
Cumberland Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Plymouth Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Newport News Landscape Contractors · Providence Landscape Contractors · Youngstown Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Fort Smith Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Niles Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Forrest City Home Builders · California Home Builders · Grand Rapids Home Builders · Ottawa Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Jonesboro Landscape Contractors · Parkersburg Landscape Contractors · Albany Landscape Contractors · Chatham Home Builders
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
5 years ago
I have Pieris in dry shade with tree roots and they're doing way better than I thought they would. It's a very under utilized plant IMO.
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC thanked cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
frankielynnsie
5 years ago
It says filtered sun/part shade. I have one in filtered morning shade that is doing well. Compared to the rhododendron it has smaller leaves that look felted. Spider looking pink flowers.
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC thanked frankielynnsie
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
if you want to be rid of the vines .. not sure based on how you said it ...

cut at ground level.. apply a root killer.. and just leave the vines hanging ... by the end of summer.. you can pull them down easier than right away ...

but make sure there isnt any PIvy in there ...

i hope you are using a killer on the PI .. took me 3 years to eradicate it ....

ken
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
Original Author
5 years ago
if you want to be rid of the vines .. not sure based on how you said it ...

I'm honestly kind of on the fence about the vines.

I've been working for a few years on the poison ivy, but it originates from beyond the fence and it's been some work trying to find the source.

Worse, as I've gotten older I've become a LOT more allergic to it! I swear, as a kid I would roll around in it and never have a problem... now I can look at it and get a rash :-/ I spent a lot of last year I was working on it wearing pants, boots, a sweatshirt, leather gloves that go to my elbows, a face shield, and had a large trash bag covering all of it... I sweated like crazy and lost some weight, but I STILL ended up with it on my arms, legs, and chest!!

It doesn't help that I have fire ants in the woods past the fence, too, and in the last few years I've become super allergic to THEM, too! A few years ago I got bit/stung by one, and ended up in the hospital with my eyes swollen shut!

Long story short... it's a process.

I don't want the wild muscadine vines, either. They take over and haven't produced any fruit, so they're really just in the way. I've been trying to pull them out by hand.

But I DO kind of want to keep some of the Ann Marie ivy! Right now it has taken over that one tree so I need to figure out how to clean that up, but I liked it when there was a whole lot less of it. It adds color and texture to the otherwise bare tree sections.

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions! I'm going to compile a list and send it to the local nursery this weekend :-) I'm not sure if it's too late to plant things now, but I'm not in a major hurry or anything... the process is the fun part!