RiverRun
Full Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 9:28 am
Location: AL

ground cover suggestions for full shade area?

The very back corner of my yard pretty much has shade all day long. There is a small cluster of trees right there, so grass does not grow quickly...weeds do though :roll: , I would like to put some ground cover in that area and possibly turn it into a secluded seating area, maybe a shade garden? I LOVE ferns, but have never cared for any in the ground. Suggestions?
Since I am in alabama we have hot summers with an abundance of humidity and drought. I am trying to work out getting a water spigot out to that area, but my yard is VERY large, so that project may take while....my point in this is manual watering will not be the easiest option so the plants will need to be able to go long periods without water. unless I can afford to buy 6 or 7 hoses and screw them together ;)

imafan26
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Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

You are looking for plants that can tolerate dry shade. It will help if you can amend or lasagna a space under the trees (keep away from the tree trunk) with compost to help hold on to water longer. You will probably need to look for plants that don't need a lot of fertilizer because the tree will compete for nutrients and you will need to fertilize regularly to feed both of them.

I found this site with suggestions for plants in dry shade. What grows depends on the kind of tree you have and the quality of the shade, if the shade is very deep, not dappled, it will be harder unless you can make some holes in the canopy. Some plants can handle deeper shade, but don't expect much in the way of blooms.

Ground covers that we use in deep shade are ajuga, hemigraphis, dichondra, and sword ferns. False oregano is edible and can handle wet and dry conditions. Many vines handle shade pretty well black pepper, ivy. To walk around dwarf mondo grass, dichondra (I have only grown these in wet shade, but I know mondo, once established tolerates some dryness.)Mondo is best planted between paver stones. They grow in clumps, and while it can be walked on it is not comfortable. Dwarf mondo should never be mowed.

https://www.hgtv.com/gardening/18-ideal- ... index.html

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tomf
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Posts: 3233
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 8:15 am
Location: Oregon

I looked at the link you posted, on it they had Lilly of the valley, I had some at my old house, it takes over and is a job to control.

I have planted lots of ferns they need to be watered for the first two years, If you plant them in the wet season they may take.



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