Hello everyone:

I am a very new gardener. We recently bought a cottage, and built a little "bunkie" for visitors.

My problem is this. The back side of the little cabin is not very attractive. I would like to plant a tree, shrub or anything else that will provide some cover and hide the back of the cabin.

The soil is VERY shallow and the terrain is rocky. I may have only about 4 - 6 inches. The exposure is full sun to partial sun depending on the time of the year.
I live in a zone 4.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

barb, i don't know what will grow where you live, but if it were me, i would put up a trellis of sorts or a free-standing lattice wall, and plant something that vines. i think the trellis would be best, that way, during the winter, it would still hide things.

How about a fake window or shutters with a window box under it.

Rue that sounds cute!!!

Barb M,
I was thinking when you said it was shallow and rocky to bring in some more bigger rocks to the back and some dirt inbetween the rocks and make a hill like at the top, and then in the pockets of dirt you put in,
plant some ornamental trees, to give it heighth to the top of the back of the cabin, and gradient down the sizes of plants items, and maybe through the middle going down a stream or make it look like a creek and a small pond or something to the other side...
and at the base of the piles of rocks, make a small rock garden on other side.................

Boy do I wish I had a pencil and paper right about now!!!

Makes it kind of a private area in the back
and if there's a water feature, they hear the water and not the front noise *and vice~versa!*


Or the other idea is a big Cottage style garden,
(You'd have to throw in some dirt on the top of existing area)
where you'd put a couple of trellis' to the back of the cabin, put something that climbs, like clematis' one in the middle and a climbing rose or sweet peas on either side???????
Then gradient the hieghths of the plants again, down, A lilac bush in the middle (There's a yellow and purple one on sale on QVC Hollihock's, Delphiniums, Valerians',
a couple of sunflowers, Lilies (like oriental, trumpets, asian's, stargazers) here and there, and then in front of those, globe thistles, cosmos', queen anne's lace, mulliens', phlox's..
In front shorter and shorter as you go????

Hope some of these idea's helps???

Weezie

Here is a picture with shutters and window together.

How big is the cabin?
cabin

rats! that link didn`t work.

try this

dutchmens pipe,chinese bittersweet vine(and this ne will have berrys for the birds in winter that are orange)american bittersweet(looks better actually and is hardy to zone 3 so is the hardiest bittersweet vine)jackman clementris will do with some winter protection(like evergreen limbs tied on lattice to block that nasty cold wind)are other clemetris also.Virgins bower vine.nice white flowrs and is a rare pink flowered one is a austraila native plant.winter creeper will do if you get snow to protect it in winter.it has purple leaves in wintertime.English ivy and sometimes they turn darker color in winter but would be there year round.chinese wolf berry vine.it will thrive in poor soil and will grow in rocky soil.common moonseed vine.it will grow in shade and is a fast grower.Virginia creeper.this vine will grow ANYWHERE.it does lose its leavesin winter though.Boston ivy...hs red foliage in winter and will grow thick.is a bridge in Indy in greenwood that is covered with it is near a park.I'm just lost as to the street now.I know is off Hannah near Troy.I was yardsaleing and seen it.riverbank grape vine.it does have small grapes but makes a good jellyand is hardy to zone 3.
I'd paint the trellis and add white christmas lights.would be awesoe looking at night.you can place an old fallen tree trunk at base to add soil in and too keep from washing out.
your pic didn't work...so is a shot in the dark guess.and can always add annual vines for color some anual vines will grow in shade,scarlett runner bean a few gourds,cardnial starglory.

I like the idea of a raised bed to give you the soil depth you may need. Depending on what type of garden area you are looking for, you could plant some hollies that grow large. The website monrovia.com has a lot of data for thousands of plants that they sell through independent nurseries. I have found the information very valuable.

If you don't need 4 season coverage, hops vines are very vigorous. I have a couple along the south side of my shed. They're 3 years old now and cover half the roof by the end of summer. After the second year, they're almost too big to move. If you grow them from seed, you'll get both male and female plants, live seeds, and a potential new weed on your hands. The hops are harvested from female plants. It seems to make an attractive home for predators too.
Rick

Now here is an idea I just had to add!!

great idea

that is interesting, and i bet adds insulation to the shed also!

wow rue!
i've seen that done to tables or countertops, but a whole wall?? interesting...