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| Take a look at this area:
The area is long but is only 1-1/2 feet wide. In the sunny area, the previous owner has planted some day lilies which worked really well. In the sunny areas, I have planted false indigo, royal catchfly and some irises. Not sure what to do in the shade, I don't want hostas, but would like to have ferns. What would you put with the ferns? I imagine you would do a single row of plants since it's too narrow to double-up. Paul |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I have a narrow shade garden (also about 1.5' wide). If you are planning ferns I'm assuming the area is moist. I have astilbe, salmon seal, and monarda. Maybe you could add a few bushes that stay small for some variety. Personally with that area I would use hosta. NOT the common varieties, but a mixture of unusual ones that are different sizes and colors. Guess they aren't for everyone! Good luck. |
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| The silver foliage of Pulmonaria and Brunnera would look nice with green ferns. Many of the sedges (Carex) are shade tolerant. Tiarellas |
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| Do you plant more than one plant for the same width? I was thinking that with only 1.5 feet, you can only fit one plant at a time. Paul |
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| Look into the Heucheras. There are many new cultivars in a wide range of colors. Pick one with the pink/red blooms. The flowers on my Cherries Jubilee (not one of the newer varieties) begin in mid May and last a couple months.
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sun, Jun 19, 11 at 11:01
| does the siding need to be painted.. or is it vinyl ... i started my garden life in strips like that.. many decades later.. the best recommendation i can give .. is make it a 3 foot wide bed .. and plant whatever pleases you 1.5 feet out ... or right where the far edge is ... there really isnt anything.. of any size.. that would be properly sited one half of 1.5 feet away from the foundation ... the fact that you set that pot in the pic.. just about where i am talking about.. shows you the wisdom of such ... and the fact that your instinct agrees ... it also give you the ability to get at the house for maintenance .. if you need to why are you limiting yourself to the prior owners spaces ??? ken |
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| Yes, I was wondering also... is there a reason why you can't bring the bed out a bit further? Sidewalk or fence or something? If you can, I would bring it out further to give yourself more room to work with. Dee |
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| There's edging there and some sort of sprinkler system in place. I didn't want to dig around that if I can help it. There's already a decent size garden out front. Some small plants would be OK. Besides, I am used to living in the city, where the garden and the yard is typically that wide :-), if it exists at all. Paul |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Mon, Jun 20, 11 at 11:47
| You don't have to have just 1 kind of plant. Mix it up! There's a ton of cool little plants for shade. It looks very flat there. If it is and you have a basement, I would recommend adding soil, mulch, compost, etc... until there's a slight slope away from the house. You do want a gap under the siding, but that looks like about 8". |
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| There are smaller varieties of hosta that would work - Blue Mouse Ears, etc... just mix them up so you get different textures. colors, and sizes of leaves. |
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| Don't forget hellebore! Especially in spots where slugs are an issue. Few slugs can chew threw those leaves :) Lady's mantle is also nice, unless you have very deep shade. Try to avoid lining plants up like soldiers, so planting things that overlap each other in height will help that (like the previous suggestion of Solomon Seal, which I also highly recommend - they don't need as much water as ferns.) Astilbe is also good, but I find them finicky and thirsty. As your soil level changes with the planting, check to make sure any water doesn't run toward the house. |
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- Posted by buyorsell888 Zone 8 Portland OR (My Page) on Tue, Jun 21, 11 at 11:59
| Native bleeding hearts are much smaller than the Japanese (old fashioned) ones. Japanese painted ferns Huecheras Hakone grass Astilbe Deer fern is a nice smaller one I would not do shade without hostas myself. |
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