Calling all gardeners!

[linaewen]

We have a small triangular plot in our north-facing front yard (which yard is located in southern Wisconsin).  This wee patch of earth is just begging for some lovely plants to planted in it.  DH and I are new at the gardening in our own garden thing, and we could use some ideas.  The patch is quite shaded, being in the corner between the high deck which serves as our front porch and the front part of the house.  The only sun it gets (if any) is a brief bit in the early morning, because the morning sun is mostly blocked by the neighboring house; the rest of the day, our house and the porch block the light rather thoroughly.  I don't know if it ever had anything in it from the previous occupants of the house, though they seem to have prepared it somewhat for possible use.

Here's what it looks like -- a pic taken with my trusty cell phone, at about 11:30 am CST:



So, my gardening friends, do you have any suggestions of what you would put in such a plot?  We are thinking of something perennial.  Hopefully we aren't thinking of this too late in the year to have a planting be useful, but I don't think so.  It is just starting to warm up around here in Wisconsin, so spring is not really quite underway.  We have a few bulbs coming up, but we are still awaiting signs of new leaves on the trees. 

Post your suggestions here, and I'll share them with the DH and then off we'll go to the nursery to see what we can find!

Thanks, my dears!

Comments

[carlassean.livejournal.com]

I am going to my mum's this weekend. She is the expert. I will ask her!! Plus, I will have to consider your climate!! We are sooooo HOT down south!!
Talk soon, Carla

[carlassean.livejournal.com]

I definitely recommend Hollyhocks. They are very tall, bloom all summer and love a cooler climate!!! You will need to tie up, when they become larger! Here is a pick of a hybrid bloom. I have a lot growing here. I will try and remind myself, when they seed, this summer, to save you some. They can be tricky starting from seed. But they are bi-annual and come back every year. Use as a backdrop!!

[carlassean.livejournal.com]

Here are 2 more pics. They are originally an English flower, so they should do very well in your climate!

[tstharp.livejournal.com]

A Large Blue Hosta with Fiddlehead Ferns on either side. They will die back in winter and return every year.

OR

Go to your Garden Store for perinnals like impatians or begonias. all shade loving plants.

[meneleth.livejournal.com]

Lilies of the Valley are beautiful and fragrant and did very well on the north side of our house in ND for many years. Hostas are also generally shade-loving and come in many interesting varieties. I look forward to hearing what you decide!

[halavana.livejournal.com]

Impatiens do well in the shade and they're very colorful. You might try them one year and see how they do. Considering how little sun the spot gets, I'd advise looking into them.

[maidoforange.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I always vote for roses but it is too shady. I would say impatients, if it stays quite shady and is damp enough, but then we have to deal with the Wisconsin factor and I don't no nothin' 'bout gardening in the north. I'll put my thinking cap on and ask the master gardener, my mom. ((((Lin)))).

[fafojoy.livejournal.com]

If you like greenery and want a low/no care option, plant lily of the valley. They look nice most of the summer. By fall the leaves brown and it doesn't look so great, but they're nice the majority of the summer.

If you like color and again low/no care, go for impatiens. They are beautiful, with regular water they look spectacular and they like cooler shady areas. I grow them on the north side and they look gorgeous. They won't die until a heavier frost and then you just pull them up.

Patch 'O Earth

[jimbo-baggins.livejournal.com]

Agree with TS, a blue hosta would be perfect. We have 4 different hostas in shady areas of our back yard that love our NW climate. Every year they come back bigger and more beautiful that before. So many varigated leaf patterns to choose from too.
Also consider a small Rhododendren. Everyone in Oregon has the standard pinks, purples and reds, I myself am looking for one of the orange varieties. They are more delicate and would add great color and love the shade.
Happy Gardening!

[mumstheword54.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not a master gardener, and my flower beds are all in full sun, but here are my thoughts:

Carlassean's idea of hollyhocks against the house would be beautiful. Their shape and color would be great in front of the white siding. Hollyhocks always remind me of cottage/hobbit gardens.

In Texas, lots of people grow caladiums in the shade, but I have no idea whether they'll grow up North. The Fiddlehead ferns that Tstharp suggested might be better up there. And they'd get big!

If you decide on begonias, ask your nursery about "rose begonias," whose blossoms look like roses; Milady has one in her house that has beautiful yellow blooms. Begonias or hostas would be nice in front of the hollyhocks. Or you might consider some coleus.

Then at the front of the bed, I agree with everyone that shade-loving impatiens would be lovely. They come in several colors and in a couple of different heights. I've never seen lily-of-the-valley in real life, but I'll bet it would be beautiful.

At the very edge, you might ask if sweet alyssum would work. It's very low-growing and is covered with lovely little white or purple blossoms. Having that spill over the railroad tie would be so pretty. (It may need sun, though.)

With pink or lavender impatiens behind the white impatiens, and begonias or hostas in front of the hollyhocks -- how beautiful!

Of course, this may be too many plants for your little area. So your best bet is to show your nurseryman the photo and dimensions of your space, and see what he recommends.

Oh, one suggestion about feeding: Ask if they recommend/sell slow-release plant food. It comes in BB-sized pellets that you sprinkle around each plant. A little food is released into the soil with each watering.


Oh-Oh-Oh! You might be able to grow pansies and petunias year-round in that shady spot! If you do, I'll be totally jealous because pansies are strictly cool-weather flowers here snapdragons would be cute behind them and against the latticework. Then the hollyhocks against the house. Yeh.

[bageldelight.livejournal.com]

I got nothin' for you....my garden when we move is gonna consist of a huge fake ficus plant with a cutout of Leia with her blaster hiding behind it. I'm gonna put it near the door so that everyone coming through will get the crap scared out of them.

*evil glee*

[faramirgirl.livejournal.com]

Well I always love Roses.

[juno-magic.livejournal.com]

A lilac bush or tree! :-)

[chic-too.livejournal.com]

Hello Lin I know I am not around much these days but I can't resist a gardening question!
Definitly Hosta's, there are so many beautiful one's out there they have amazing folliage http://www.hosta.org/,
then you could go with some Ferns also shade loving and beautiful but they like the soil to be one the moister side so you would have to water it quite a bit especially if it is under the eaves of your house and doesn't get a lot of rain. Also a plant called Pulmonaria (lungwort) http://hardyplants.com/Pulmonar.htm has really pretty blue flowers in the spring and really nice leaves the rest of the year. I would warn against lily of the valley as they are very invasive unless of course you just want to have one low maintainece plant in that space, it will eventually choke out all other plants. It does have lovely flowers with a beautiful scent(the are Ansis's favourites).
Then for colour, like was previously mentioned you can have impatiens which you would have to plant every spring. Another pretty perennial that has flowers and does pretty well in the shade, maybe plant them closer to the front of the bed are Cranesbill geraniums I love these plants http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plantprofile_geranium.shtml
Sorry I am all over the place I keep thinking of new ones you could use.
Astilbe has nice flowers and does great in the shade.
http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/store/springbulbs/astilbe
It would be nice to add some big rocks and such.
All the plants besides the impatiens are hardy to my climate so I am sure they will do great in your garden.

I could go on but I'm sure you have enough of an idea. It is so exciting to have a blank canvas like that.
Thanks for letting me ramble on it's nice to take my mind off the junk going on in my life at the moment.
If you want anymore ideas please drop me a line.

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

Thanks, love! You are one of my favorite gardeners, so I know you know what you are talking about. DH is digging the plot up today and I'll show him all the great suggestions I've gotten, and then we'll have fun. His dad adores hostas, so I suspect that one of the things we'll certainly go with.

Donna told me of some of that junk that going on in your life, and I sure am thinking special thoughts of you in these days!

(((((You)))))

[chic-too.livejournal.com]

Thanks Lin it just feels like the winter that will never end.
Today though I had some lovely little pink tulips bloom even though it has been cold and snowy forever!

Thank goodness for the laughter of children.

[primsong.livejournal.com]

What gardening zone are you in - and is this a wet or dry corner? (or are you willing to water it a lot if you get a water-loving plant there?) Some nice suggestions already have been made - maybe add a bit of flowering low ground-cover along the front too.

Be sure to check the hardiness of whatever you get - you can't always count on your local nursery to only stock things hardy to your zone - some of them may require more coddling than you might care to give.