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

[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.