Hi all!
I'm pretty much an amature when it comes to gardening so bear with me
We just got new sod put in our front yard and there along the deck, is shaded except for about 2 hours in the mornings.(hope my picture works!) I had the guy just put down bark so I can plant some flowers. It will be watered plenty. I'd kind of like to keep the flower plants short (up to about 1 foot)...I want the kind that comes back every year (thats called perennials right?) I was wondering if you might give me some ideas for a lot of color? we live in southern Oregon, so not sure what zone we are? also, that hill there with bark along the driveway, is just the opposite (hard to keep watered!) and I wont worry about that part until after I get the shady part done there by the deck.

Hi TJ
I think that spot would look nice with Hosta's and Impatiens. I also like Astilbe, Columbine, Bleeding Hearts and Browallia for shade. Looks good...wish my grass was green! I just got rid of the last of the snow!

Gardening in the shade

Plants for partial shade

Plants for full shade

Groundcovers for the shade

Trees and shrubs for the shade

Thank you Netty & Bill!
Netty, are the flowers that you mentioned the kind that come back every year?

Impatiens and Browallia are annuals but flower all season for a good splash of color. The others all come back every year but flower for shorter periods.

Thank you so much! I have them written down and will get some this week. I Cant wait

Here's a pic of a small section of the flowers that I just planted along the other side of the driveway up in the railroad-tie planters. We are going to get the driveways paved sometime this spring also, and that will really perk up the looks.

I LOVE THAT BED!!

One looks like a primrose, that'll come back every year, if it's happy..

One looks like Bellis English Daisys'...
those can be tempermental/biennial type..
but will reseed for you..
*they like a poorer type soil*

And lot's of pansy's... that kind of plant is on
my top ten flowers.. they are so delicate....

TJ, I like your landscaping and your flower bed. Good job! I have hostas, ferns, Coral Bells, Lily of the valley, Bleeding Heart, and Astilbe in my shade garden. I know the hostas and fern don't add much color, but I learned to love

there is a japanese painted fern that might like that area.

what a great area..creeping phlox does pretty good for a border. Everyone beat me to the great ones

Thank you! when I get the new plants in I will get a picture of it. Should be this week sometime.

Weezie, I looked at all your pictures, they are awesome! Thay made my spring fever kick into 100%!

YAYYYYYYYY! I got all my plants and going out to get them in the ground today. (even though it's sorta sprinkling hehe)..pictures to follow!!!!!

welp, it realy started pooring and I still have two 6" pots to plant then four 4" ones tomorrow 'then' I'll get a picture. It's looking sooo good!! ........although, guess what I did? I thought the azalia would be pretty to, so I planted it "then" I read that it can get 5' tall oh well, I'll trim it back I guess, lol.

TJ, Did you tell us what plants you got so far???

here's a picture of the cards that came with them to show the colors.


here's a pic I took before it started pooring...


I have more that I bought to put in that section, but I'm thinking that might be enough for there, what do you think??

I really love the look of the columbine so I got 3. That smaller looking one is the hosta, about 5 or 6 of them in the pot.

FYI,
Here's a picture of my Dicentra/Bleeding Heart..

Take your arms/hands, and stretch them out about
say, 5ft/6ft... that's how wide mine is..
**Mind you I haven't done anything with it, like divide it or anything since I planted it..
But those puppies can get BIG**

I LOVE,


I don't have a picture of my hosta's, but you can
stretch your arms out 5ft also for that measurements for that plant...

You've got some good sized plants in a small area..

Wow Now those are Big can't wait till mine are as big as those weezie!! must be all that compost!!!

sheesh!!!!! Oh well, I'll just let them grow. If it comes over the porch or the lawn too much I suppose I can clip them back.

Compost is about the only thing they get
now adays...
I think I watered that bed twice last year..
*(that's the "Back 40 Bed")*

They are beautiful, they look like you tend to them everyday! ......hmmmm, maybe I should get into making some compost

Tend to them every day..
I am lucky to pass by that side in the back...
about 3 or 4 times A SUMMER...

I'm in the middle, doing the veggie garden and
in the greenhouse and composting...
then its 15 different ways now adays..

The columbines are just neglected...
I let them go..
They reseed and reseed..
*They were my Grannies..*

I had some light pink one's from here, and I felt sooo bad.. that when I went to get them (on her old property) they were gone/lost...

And a great little suprise, where I live here now, *well, I should back up, I like to let things grow, especially weeds, and I reconized some assorted columbines, but my husband kept weed wackin' them off, so I never knew what color they were...
so I fired his butt from that chore... the first year I got a flower, THEY WERE BABY PALE PINK !!

Long story, but they take care of themselves..
*I grow alot of plants that HAVE to be that way*

Here's the pink ones'..

Heres' some more in the Back 40 Bed
in the shade...*(full sun from 11:00am to 3:00pm)

[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/P1010025abc.bmp[/img]

I'm so jealous!!!!!!! I love your stuff!!
here's a picture of one of my favorites, but whats it called? lol!!!!!! I threw the plastic thingy's away

English Daisy (Bellis Perennis)

They are veryyyyyyy pretty...
*they are a perennial, but can be short lived..
just so you know... but they do reseed...*

Oh Weezie, I love

They are very precious to me,
with being the color I lost,
and then having the hub weed wack them
so many times, I am grateful I have any...
*I don't have alot, they aren't as prolific
as the dark purple for some reason.*


I got some more columbines from Tina/Jonni13,
and Bill's "Cedar Hill" one's too, so I am very excited to see them grow..
Columbines' are on my top 10 list of fav's and can really be grown in full sun and shade and everything inbetween for me...

love it... just wait until you see how big the hosta gets... you'll probably be able to divide it up and spread it around elsewhere before too long.

Hey Weezie, I just recently got introduced to Columbine when my new neighbor planted some she had brought from her mother's house in Wisconsin. I was really impressed with them, so when her mom came to visit last year, she brought me some. I can't wait to see how they do this year.

patches

I got some from Bill to I was so excited cant wait till next spring to see what the color is!
Does any one have a problem with hosta getting ants? I have stayed away because, anytime I see one they have ants all over...

hey patches
i know you dont get over to bayers anymore but i just got back from there . they had colombines
for sale there. also sappington farmers market on watson has them.

Thanks porter!

patches

to tell ya the truth i didnt price em.
i have a few going and really didnt need anything.
i just went there to see what they had.

That okay Porter, at least, you told me they were on sale. I can always call to get the price.

Thanks again,

patches

The area by your driveway would be a good place for a daphne a dora. You'll have to wait until fall to plant it. It blooms in February and smells wonderful. They like the shade but need good drainage.

Columbines are really easy to grow from seed - even I could do it!! :rolleyes:

Thanks Sandy! Also, do you start your seeds indoors or plant them in the ground?

patches

Try Astilbe. They grow like mad in the shade. Cottage Farms Direct is where I got mine. The web address is CottageFarmsDirect.com. I put mine in containers because I live in an apartment and they are growing like crazy. they do not show color until summer time, but the foliage is big and bushy. They come in many amazing colors. I highly recommend them.

Yes - different colors and varieties. For example "McKana's Giant," "Nellie Barlow," etc. Some come in purple, some white, blue, some doubles. A lot of the seed packs you get in the store are mixed colors. I have great luck buying seeds on eBay, if you're so inclined.

Just got a shrub from ebay and it looked great!! I was shocked how well it looked...
You can also buy assorted lily's..

I have astilbe, bleeding hearts and columbine in my shade garden.
This Old House magazine, May issue, has aan article on shade plants.
They also suggest:
for light shade:
coral bells,heuchera
impatiens
indian pink,spigelia marilandica
leadwort
snowdrop, anemone nemorosa
spider lily, lycoris albiflora
spotted geranium
tuberous begonia
and a bunch of groundcovers and foliage plants.
for full shade:
foamflower
bugleweed
dwarf crested iris
periwinkle
great blue lobelia
hosta
johnny jump up
helebore
spotted dead nettle
st johnswort
woodland phlox

Great list wrennie.. I think I got about 4 of those but still need more thanks for the help!

oh! that purple columbine is absolutely divine!!!!

tj, there are more than a few ferns that are good for shady areas!! and most of them will spread out fairly well, too.

i've got cinnamon fern - it's funky! has a 'bud' that looks like a cinnamon stick!

Ferns are great in the shade too. I have some of them, not sure what kinds.
I didnt list them 'cause the orig. question was for flowers, and I was getting typers cramp. LOL!

Thanks Joclin...If you are talking to me... I think I have to get the seeds this year I heard they only last for 4 years so This is the year!! they are big too I have never seen such big columbine..
I love ferns in my yard Wrennie they add a great touch!!

Joclyn, I have one too and it's neat. I didn't know it was going to do that so I was surprised.

i DID know it had that feature...that's why i got it!! i really like things that are different/surprising!!

Well, this was just an added bonus for me. I only got them because I really needed some ferns for my shade garden. I love it when I get something extra for my money.

OK so here's the deal! Guess what? we got our driveways Concreted! At first, when we got the bid on the asphault, it was too high for my budget. I cried (I really did, lol) and hubby got us a home equity loan so we were able to get them done. I'm sooooooo glad we got CONCRETE instead of asphault! We are now putting the yard back together and I have 'before' pictures. when we are all done I will give you guys some before and after shots. They should be pretty good so stay tuned

We love before and afters!!!

I'm anxious to see the pictures too! I think that's what dreams are made of!

Hey Tj!!
what part of Oregon you from? valley, coast,???
We are in Brookings. lots of water,mist,overcast skies...so things grow differently here.

Hydrangeas grow well here,come to think of it, most of my plants are for part shade only except the hydrangea. wow! thought I had more...
guess I'll have to work off of the suggestions you get too. my NEXT project is the shade garden.(just got the rose garden done...of course that is until they start selling roses again...just when you think you are all done, you see something else!) welcome to the forum,you'll love it here.

Hi! My yard, too, is mostly shade. I can grow the most beautiful tomato plants but no tomatoes. I have had great success with Mexican Petunia, Gerber Daisy, Purslanes, Hibiscus, ajuga and Swedish Ivy. My pink Gerber daisy currently has 8 blooms! I also have wonderful catnip, basil, parsley, cilantro, dill and lemon basil. My ice plants are huge too.
I have had to test and fail several times to get my beds and containers full of blooms.

Thanks for all the great info!