Problem area-wet shade, Please help

Here is a picture of what we did yesterday after a few hours of work. It's a path that leads to no where.The stepping stones are sitting on on top of the muck with gravel underneath them and we filled in around with topsoil and planted Astilbe and Ligularia. It was a quick and easy answer to the worst part of this area. The Astilbe I planted in this area last fall are setting up buds so we know the new ones will be happy here too. There is still an area that will be left for planting whenever I find other things to fill it with. The Hosta and pachasandra (spelling?) have been there for years. There is an Itea bush that I stuck in last fall and it is blooming! There is also a Clethra bush off to one side and it is living, I don't recall it ever blooming. At least it looks better than it did two days ago. We laugh, it wasn't on the list of things to get done and here we are doing it.
S
By the way that is Slider our neighbor's dog.

Brilliant solution---very elegant little pathway--looks like you're all ready for the hosta holic onslaught...not a weed in sight!

Thanks tabasco,
To bad you can't make up this week, how is your mother doing?
S

S.

I would love to go to the ahs convention (and see your garden!)but my mom is in hospice, and although she has good nursing care, we need/want to be near for her...thank you for asking about her.

btw--I invited everyone to tour your garden on the AHS thread...I think you're too shy to do it! :-)

Ill be thinking of you this week...Good luck. Judy

Wow, looks great! The stones look like they have been there for years.

Well, I would like to gather up some leaves and cover the fresh dirt so it looks like it has been their a season or two, like the rest of the woods.

Well, it looks very natural. Just pretend you used a leaf blower and cleaned it all up.

Shadyfolks - put some tufts of mosses and ferns here and there around the steps and then let natural leaf fall do the rest. It will (if possible) be even more beautiful than it is now. You might check in the orchid forum to see if there are any ground orchids that would grow there - even if you had to put them in pots, bury the pot out there for the summer and then bring it in during the winter. You would then have the orchid all year round!

tgif,
Great suggestion about the moss, we have lots of it around, I will transplant some and see how it takes. I also like the idea about orchids and will read up on that too.

RCN: Reviving an old thread to ask: Bluestone has Filipendula ulmaria (but not 'Aurea') on one of its half-price sales. Does it really need bog-like conditions, or will it do well in an ordinary area in fairly deep shade that gets occasional watering but isn't extra-wet? Is it a tough plant, or will it fade out in a year or two?

This message was edited Sep 11, 2008 10:54 PM

Shady haven't posted to you in awhile. How was the Red River Gorge trip? Also give us some updated pics of the wet/shady agrden area!

Doug

WOW, this is an old thread! Happy, the Filipendula doesn't need bog-like conditions but it thrives in that situation. My 'Aurea' is planted in the garden with regular soil, has been there for about 5 years and after two summers of drought is still kicking :) Flowers aren't as spectacular as the taller Filipendula rubra but I like the foliage regardless. And...since I know you're going to ask why I'm up so early LOL Cat fight outside woke me up an hour ago, turned on the outside lights and followed them to the woods' edge trying to break it up and there was no way I could go back to sleep after all that excitement!

Shady, I second that! Would love to see some updated pics of this area :) I still long for cool, shady spots like yours, but since it's been four years since the thread started I'm almost getting there! All the trees we've planted have grown so much that some of my previously full sun spots are finally ready for shade plants :)

RCN: Multiple thanks!!! I'll try the Filipendula -- the price is reasonable enough. (I hate the sound of cats fighting -- it's one of those sounds that gets under your skin . . . .)