A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Tell me what you think!

I know most don't do this--but I'm bored and inexperienced. Here is a layout of a shade garden that is going under my half of an apricot tree. Please let me know if you see any bad combinations or placings!! I hope that the words are big enough to be read.

Garden Layout

Sarah, you said this was a shade gaarden that is going under half an apricot tree, so I'm wondering about some of the plants you have in your layout. All of my Coneflowers require full sun, but the 'White Swan' says it will take "sun to part shade".

Also, you show a Bleeding Heart in the back and my Bleeding Heart has been in for three years now, but I know it would be dwarfed and hidden by my Crazy Daisy, Phlox, and Purple Coneflower. They are all much taller than it is.

This is only what I know from my experience, so I'm anxious to hear what others have to say.

Here, let me explain myself and see if I make any sense. I have no experience with any of these plants, so I'm just going by what I've read about them (or what I think I read). My tree only has about an 8 foot radius to it. It is on the North side of my property, so I have the "sunnier" shaded side. The edges of the garden probably get 6-8 hours of direct sun a day, the one on the right side probably gets more.

In another garden I have some pink garden phlox planted. It grows quite well, despite getting only an hour or so of direct light a day. Which is why I chose it for under the apricot tree. The other plants you pointed out (crazy daisy, coneflower) I had read would grow in part shade. And the coreopsis I had, I think I read is a recommended part-shade groundcover...maybe that was just the moonbean cultivar though... I'm growing a lot of hostas indoors right now. (Like 7 plants right now with more on the way...)

Thanks so much for the imput, patches. Please, let me know what you suggest. Your shade garden looks lovely, by the way. Maybe I am overplanting mine? You're looks so nicely spaced out.

Please, suggest away! I'm just stumbling around in the dark here.

Sarah