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hello everyone, sure been a long winter here in middle tn!! 6 snows so far, but looking more like spring now!! Since I am rather new at flower gardening, thought some of you might have a few suggestions. I have a 10 ft long by 30 inch wide spot in front of a small building that I want to plant something. the spot is mostly shady all day during the summer so thinking I need some shade plants. here is what I sort of thinking about but not real sure, a couple of hosta's, maybe 3 foxglove, maybe 2 or 3 coleus, and maybe 4 or 5 impatien's. I have drawn up a plan and I think these plants would be ok in shade, and I was thinking some green (hosta) with some color with the other plants would look nice. any suggestions? am I on the right track? thanks for any input.
Errol
Hi,Errol. I'm Curbie. If you do this, plant different types of hosta and they REALLY get big over the years.We divide ours with a huge knife and they are not easy to dig up.Some smell really good and some have varigated leaves. I'd leave a perimeter and use pansies (which re-seed each year). Think about which plants you're using are permanent and which you replace each year. I love coleus for color. Our yard is mostly shade. Nice to have you. Curbie
Hey Errol, long time no see!
I wouldn't use foxgloves since they require a fair amount of sun!
Have a look at Monkshood. They look similar, grow several feet tall, bloom from mid summer, mostly come in blue/purple. Need a fair amount of shade, mostly come in blue/purple. They're clump formers, and develop corms that you can dig up in the fall and move around.
Another is Astantia, clump former, mid season bloomer, comes in a wide range of colors!
I'd use coleus as fillers as well as imps!
...and of course you need hostas!
Thank you Curbie!! Yep Ron, I have been building an addition on to the bathroom and some other house improvements between snows! thank you Ron, your suggestions sound really good also. Never heard of Monkshood but I will be looking it up. I do like anything that comes back each year and that also reseeds itself like Curbie suggested. I guess I was thinking foxgloves were shade plants. I put out 2 foxgloves last year in full sun and after awhile they just kinda "melted"!! lol
I sure do thank you both for your input and I will follow your advise
thanks again
Errol
Errol, trust me (and you can ask my husband about this) rarely should you follow my advice and what the heck is Astantia? geez.....but I will tell you that I didn't know how many different varieties of hosta there are. We get hummingbirds b/c of the one that smells so sweet. Could you use a dwarf lilac bush somewhere? Liriope grows well in shade. And as the sun changes postions, so does the sunshine ~ MAN, THAT was a brilliant statement! Don't tell Trax I said that....duh.... Curbie
Hi Errol, All those mentioned ought to do great in the shade - I also mix my hosta types to get a different look & even put lillies in with them.
Some other plants I have in my shade beds are viola, ajuga (bugleweed- has bright blue blooms), hellebore, bleeding heart, painted fern, foam flower; arum can add a nice distinction to break up the hostas, and if its not too warm where you are, astilbe can be a colorful addition & would help with the height issue against the side of the building too.
Shade beds don't have to be all green- there's all kinds of pretties to make it pop! Ooo, warm as it gets there, bet you could do hardy fuschia as well as toad lillies!
I love to have flowers blooming all the time, so I tend to mix my flower beds quite a bit.
ohhh lawddd!! you all have gotten me so excited now! Dizzy and Curbie, I like your ideas of different types of hosta and love the idea of some lillies for bright color! Kya D, just so happens I have an order placed with Springhill nursery to be delivered about middle of march. they do have some nice plants. Well I better get to drawing up some more plans and doing some changing of the one I had already drawed up. I am sure glad I ask the advise of "ya "ll, lol, guess ya can tell my southern accent!!
Errol
Yeah, I'm bilingual myself Errol - I speak English & Y'all! LOL!
If you are looking for lily bulbs, try GH Wild - they have the best prices and the bulbs are excellent quality - usually bloom within months of being planted. They have beautiful hostas as well!
Our squirrels eat ALL of our bulbs. That's a good idea Dizzy b/c until I joined a former gardening place, I had NO IDEA some are SO fragrant. We put our 2 right beside our deck and I can tell you that on a lovely summer evening, when we sit outside, that aroma seeps into you.We had company over one evening and the lady said,"What kind of candle are you burning?" oh....that's a plant I have never had any luck with foxglove. Lenten Rose also grows like crazy in our yard as well as coral bells. Curbie
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