A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 I need ideas please

I'm redoing an area in my front yard and I need some ideas from a more experienced planter. We pulled out some bushes, dug out the gravel and plastic. We put up landscaping bricks and added dirt from another part of our yard along with grass clipping, peat moss and maybe some topsoil. The dirt seems claylike, hardly no worms.
Anyways I need ideas for shade bushes/plants preferrably ones that flower.
Here are some pics of the area.
Tammy
front middle of house

new section

new section

hydrangea, some clematis like shade, lily of the valley, hosta, ferns (they don't really flower tho)

I completely agree with the previous suggestions!

If you want some lily of the Valley for your area. I will send you some. 26 years ago I started with about 12 plants and now I have thousands. I have already mailed some to other people, and they arrived safely. I need to thin these things out.
Yes I said pink. The flowers turn a light lavender when they go by. The foliage will stay green all summer long. I was told not to plant them next to the white, so I never have. I live in western Massachusetts so we have similar growing patterns.

There are ferns and wild violets growing with them too.
If you want plants just email me a private message with your name and address so that I can get them out to you. Hope to hear from you soon.

Wow, thanks for all the ideas.
I did notice that the area does get some a.m. sun.
I will probably try some part sun plants also.

Twwright- In another post,(worm farm) I asked for advice on this area not having many worms. I was given advice on how to enrich my soil with organic matter, then to add worms. I was adviced not to plant in this area for 3 months.
What do you think about that?

Mizzeliz- I tink I have lily of the Valley on the side of my house with white flowers. Do you have any pics of them?

I finally bought some plants.
I really appreciate all this advice.
I'm learning so much from this site & all of you guys.
Thanks,
Tammy

Honeysuckle would be nice for fragrance and it will grow in shade.

I have thought about Honeysuckle.
I love the smell, but I didn't know it grew in the shade.
Thanks for the idea.
Tammy

Yesterday I planted two honeysuckle vines.
I hope they will climb my porch railings
Tammy

Hi Tammy,

I have honeysuckle growing in part shade and it does very well... too well actually. I hope to pull most of it out as it has taken over. It's a shame I didn't see this post earlier, I would have been happy to send you as many free vines as you want. If you need any more just let me know. We have the white and yellow kinds.

Joanne

I know you have already planted but I thought I would add one of my favorites. I love toad lily because many varieties have upright growth and would add some nice textural contrast to the plants you mentioned above. In addition they have unusual orchid like blooms in the fall. Just my 2 cents...

Thanks for the idea.
I don't know that I have seen them before.
I did a search and found out that they are hardy to zone 5-8 and I am 4 (I think)
Maybe that is why?
Tammy

Ok I guess I don't know what I am talking about.
Some are hardy to zone 4. Sorry
I guess I just don't remember seeing them at the flower shops. I'll take a look.
Tammy