Shade Gardening: My next project, a shade garden, 1 by Brent_In_NoVa

Brent_In_NoVa wrote:
I just started my first thread on the Shady Garden forum, and now I am sending in my second!

I have a bunch of bamboo to shred up, work still to go on the kids play structure (including spreading the mulch and top soil that was to delivered yesterday), but I am getting anxious to get started on this project. I have not done anything with this corner of my backyard in the four years that I have lived here.

This area has a lot of potential to be a very nice shade garden. It appears that this area was landscaped at one point because somewhere in there are a couple hostas, at least one azalea, and a yucca plant (why?). Much of the area is covered in overgrown Forsythia bushes that I hope to thin out and or relocate. There is also a dogwood that is too close to the large yellow poplar tree and a couple other small trees that I hope I can relocate. There is also a lot of English Ivy and some Poison Ivy (fun!) to deal with.

The immediate plan is to clear out the vines, trim up the bushes and assess what I have. I will probably move the bed line out a few feet and wrap it along the fence line. I would love to start dropping in shade loving perennials, but that will have to wait till fall and next spring. If you have any suggestions, pass them along.

- Brent