Is anyone else doing the same thing? Even though I enjoy new garden projects it kind of frustrates me at the same time. And no matter how many times I make detailed plans with drawings and lists I always end up changing things last minute.

Currently I am working on a shade bed on the side of the fence. I am mixing astrantia with tricyrtis hirta, foxgloves in the back along the fence, toward the front are hosta now and they will be mixed with the new heucheras when they arrive. I have also planted curcuma and 2 different types of sedums.

I have a heuchera planted on the side of the house that has been doing fine but noticed today around 3 pm while the sun was facing that area some of its leaves were shriveled up. It only gets a few hours of sun and has been doing well before or do they quickly recover after some sun exposure? I hate to move it but will if I have to.

Granted I'm in a cooler zone, but I've lost none of my perennials or shrubs in the years since the storm. I attribute that to incredibly hardy seed-grown plants, careful deep watering + really healthy soil.

Perennials can often tolerate conditions that stretch their preferences. Observe, take notes and let nature help the plants that are able adapt to adjusted conditions unless the plants are of significantly higher value to you or are visibly suffering.

My Heuchera are thriving mostly in shade through the day aside from a couple hours of midday sun.

My plants all adjusted just fine with no losses.

We do water regularly, the soil is pretty good with lots of organic stuff, lots of worms everywhere. We definitely get lots of hot humid days all summer. It's been around 90.

I do have lots of small winter sown plants that are thriving so far. I'm not going to fuss over plants too much. I pulled out several annuals because they looked bad and I wasn't willing to baby them.

That 100 year old tree must have been huge and done alot of damage. I can not even imagine.

Thanks everyone!

Routine division aside, I also find many perennials are better for the replanting (and often reducing) with upgraded soil.

Where we're located, I'd say you can do so much more with sun, notably in regard to flower colour after the deciduous trees have come in to leaf. Here, with some care, in the garden, sun = colour.

first.. many plants are shade only TOLERANT... and do just fine in sun ... and might actively grow with more vigor in sun .... if you can water them enough ...

the downside is.. they will shoot there load early.. and will lok ratty.. sooner in the season ...

and do note.. this is all zone variable.. i am just trying to explain the concept ...

second ... if a tree is removed in summer... the biggest impact.. will be sunburn.. as the plant will NOT have to time to harden off to full sun.. and might burn right to the ground.. but that does not mean they will be dead.;. many will simply releaf ... with acclimated leaves.. and continue on with life ...

i dont really know if this is the time of year i would be digging and dividing plants.. with the heat of summer already on us ... i would see no reason not to dig a big gob of soil.. and move things if you wish.. but TIMING is somewhat important if you wish to make things easy ... and for sure.. the experts get away with things.. others dont.. it all about knowing what risk you are taking.. and perfecting aftercare ...

and do note.. if you have multiples... just try different things.. leave some.. move some.. divide some.. thats really how you learn.. not by reading ... and most often.. those are the lessons you will remember ...

i think that was more than two ... lol ..

i gave up on drawings decades ago .... i am a gardener ... NOT a landscape architect ... i think you are adding a layer of stress onto your garden experience ... cant you just wing it.. and declare the result sublime.. w/o documentation to prove it to yourself... hmm.. probably not.. lol ...

a garden is like war ... every plan is perfect.. until you meet the enemy.. then it all goes to heck ...

good luck

ken

ken: Those branches were removed in the dead of winter so nothing had to adjust to sudden sun. I really wouldn't be moving anything unless it really needed done but with a big clump of dirt for sure.

The plants seem to be ok today since I moved them yesterday except for one that is flat to the ground but it's a lily and I will still have the bulb if it won't recover this season.

Now the new plants need to hurry up and get here so they can be planted. One issue is in order to mix the heucheras with the hostas, the hostas will have to be moved.

They are pretty close together. They are in shade so maybe I can justify moving them. If I leave them, hosta would be on the left and heuchera on the right, about 20 hosta and 7 heuchera. I think that would look stupid.

Opinions?

Last year the city trimmed my street tree--a sycamore that had a lot of lopsided growth over my front yard, but provided shade. I have noticed that a good section of the protected plants under my pines get full, hot sun for the entire afternoon now. Some beautiful orchids and bromeliads that I have grown for years are going to be cooking from July through September--if they live that long. There isn't any suitable place on the property to move many of them. I'm weighing options, such as planting a small tree where I don't want one, which would also necessitate a revamp of the irrigation system and kill the view through our living room window.