Beginner Gardening: Side Yard Help! Zone 7, 1 by lolliemonster

lolliemonster wrote:
Good morning!

I am so excited to have joined your gardening community! My husband and I purchased our first home last summer and have finally completely enough hardscaping to get around to planting. We have a very sunny side yard along the house that gets dappled shade in the afternoon from a young dogwood tree. I am a huge fan of the cottage garden look, but my husband prefers more 'defined' spaces.

The bed is probably 5 feet deep and 15 feet long. Right now we just have an endless summer hydrangea in a back corner and that is the only plant we care to keep. The daylilies didn't bloom this year (even with proper fertilization) and the other bush was planted way to close to the lawn. We plan on planting a substantial part of it with alternating Black Eyed Susans and Shasta Daisies. I would like to save some of the sunnier portions for zinnias in the spring. Any other ideas for border plants than can tolerate part shade?

From what I've read, right now is a great time to sow seeds in Georgia for daisies. BUT, because we are trying to do defined areas I can't just seed bomb. Should I start the seeds now in containers and then plant them in their final resting place once they are 6" tall? Everything I've read about late summer plantings just tells you to direct sow.

Thank you thank you for any and all of your advice! I am excited to learn more about gardening! I just finished reading an edible gardening book by Walter Reeves when I started my raised fall vegetable beds. Next is all about flowers

-Laura