Backyard Project

[06Honda]

This area is 100% shade during the summer due to the large trees in my backyard. I have no plan on removing the trees so would like ideas; tips or suggestions as to what I can do to liven up this area. The trees take all the water so its near impossible to have grass like the rest of the lawn. I tried clover last year but very limited results. One the plus side my lawn has a inground sprinkler system so getting water to the area is no issue but what to plant etc is my puzzle. Thanks for any help with this backyard project. I am open to just about anything.

Paul
Kingston, Ontario
Zone 5B

[rainbowgardener]

You could turn it in to a lovely little shade garden with hostas, bracken fern, wild violets, wild ginger, wild columbine, wild hyacinth (there's a theme here! shade wildflowers), and a bunch of spring ephemerals - virginia bluebells, troutlilies, solomon's seal, trillium, jack in the pulpit. All of that should be cold hardy where you are. You might need to order from a native plants nursery.

[tomf]

This area is 100% shade during the summer due to the large trees in my backyard. I have no plan on removing the trees so would like ideas; tips or suggestions as to what I can do to liven up this area. The trees take all the water so its near impossible to have grass like the rest of the lawn. I tried clover last year but very limited results. One the plus side my lawn has a inground sprinkler system so getting water to the area is no issue but what to plant etc is my puzzle. Thanks for any help with this backyard project. I am open to just about anything.

Paul
Kingston, Ontario
Zone 5B

Yes, this is what would be a good way to go. You could go with water wise shade plants as well.

[LA47]

Please suggest some water wise plants as I have the same problem as 06HONDA so it would help both of us.
So far, 06HONDA, darker leafed coral bells, lady's mantles, and the only astile I've had success with is peach blossom. It seems to tolerate my alkiline soil and less water than any other.

[rainbowgardener]

Just in case Honda doesn't recognize it, that's astilbe.

There's a recent thread you were on LA about plants for dry shade:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 6&p=294372

Most of all those shade wildflowers I mentioned are pretty water-wise once established. Pretty much anything you plant will need regular watering until it establishes a good root system.

[06Honda]

Has anyone grown "bugleweed" in their garden. Located images on google for this interesting ground cover.

[rainbowgardener]

Bugleweed (aka carpet bugle, aka ajuga) is a very nice ground cover that comes in a bunch of beautiful colors of variegated leaves. It is hardy and adaptable and handles part shade quite nicely. I'm not sure how it would do in full shade and particularly whether it would ever bloom under those conditions, but you could always give it a try and see what happens.

[06Honda]

Planted several Periwinkle (Vinca minor) plants today in the area in the photo where nothing really grows. Added a few clumps of moss near rocks in the other area, should be interesting to see how they both grow. Put some root boost on all the plantings to help a little with their intial growth.

[06Honda]

Planted several Periwinkle (Vinca minor) plants today in the area in the photo where nothing really grows. Added a few clumps of moss near rocks in the other area, should be interesting to see how they both grow. Put some root boost on all the plantings to help a little with their intial growth.

Well the Periwinkle lasted about 2 years and died off. Back to square one.

[ButterflyLady29]

Really? It died! Wow! I can't kill my worst gardening mistake and I have tried!

What kind of trees do you have? Some take up so much water that you really can't get much to grow within their root zone. And evergreens shade the ground all year long so even spring bulbs don't stand a chance.

Look for woodland understory plants that are native to your area. Those types of plants should do well for you.