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Joined: Mar 2013
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I love to plant but I feel like my yard is whipping my tail every year!! We have SEVERAL larger pin oaks directly in front of our house. They provide much needed shade in summer as the sun rises in front of our house however, they make making the front of my yard beautiful.... DIFFICULT! One end of the bed gets hit by the hot afternoon sun and a couple of "shine thru" spots where branches don't cover the afternoon spots right there. I would really appreciate your expert advice!! I am in Georgia zone 7B.

I have a rock bordered (what I wanted to be a beautiful) flower bed around the edge of this tree clump. Roughly about a 10w x 30l area. There are 4 pin oaks of good size inside this area. There is also a privet hedge- that my husband tells me we need to get rid of but I don't because 1) it smells heavenly when it blooms & 2) I'm afraid nothing else will ever grow and at least it's something green in there!! about 4 feet outside and our mammoth beauty about 15 feet away & this one is so big it alone can shade the front of our house until noon sun. So- I have a lot of trees... And a LOT OF ROOTS especially inside the rock flower bed. I planted a few irises on t he border, some lamb's ear inside, two azaleas, some monkey grass...these things grow-- but they don't--- GROW. I WOULD LOVE To fill in this space more and give more color/depth to this space. Not to mention the curb appeal it would offer... Can anyone offer me ideas on what I can get to grow happily in a space where trees are the boss. I know they are probably taking much of the nutrients the plants need it but cutting them is just not an option. I am open to all ideas-- shrubs, plants, flowers, whatever will fill in all this empty space. I would prefer perineal a but don't mind planting accenting annuals.

Your help is more appreciated that you know!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!

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My daughter lives in GA where it can be so hot it sucks the breath out of your lungs and hardly ever rains and she's planted knock out roses in sun and shade and has had great luck. She only watered them when she first put them in and prunes them as needed. She's also had great luck with purple wandering jew and lantana. Her lantana gets gigantic and returns every year. In NC, where I live, lantana is an annual. Good luck.



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Daisy
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I did shasta daisy under my pecan tree and they bloom out before the leaves do. Really pretty


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Northern Star
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Variagated hostas would be beautiful as well.


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why not try some Columbine--as long as you put them in the shaded areas.


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Having learned this by experience don't overcrowd your plants. Research how big each plant will be at maturity and plant accordingly. I say that to save you a bunch of transplanting later. Just a nice organic undyed mulch between the plants until they fill in.

My lamb's ear is huge compared to the size it was when I started. Given another three years and I wouldn't need to have anything else in my ditchbed at all. But I have it planted in full sun.

underneath my trees I have columbine like has already been mentioned. Peonies because I adore them and they need a wind break when they bloom. Primroses because I love their vibrant colors, and lemon balm for the smell.

If you like ferns that might be an option depending on the soil. I have clay and the ferns did not survive here. I've been told the boston ferns will. But I like the painted ladies and they came back the first fall and then were gone.

Good luck with your shade bed.


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