WHAT CAN I GROW?

I live in Silverado Canyon - 92676. I beleive it is zone 8 or 9. My problem is this:
1700 feet above sea level
November - February I am in complete shade.
March - October I get partial sun.
The majority of my yard is sloped.

You name it, I have tried it.
I planted camilias, azaleas and gardenias - they have all died.
I planted banana tree - it is still growing - I am not sure how it will survive the winter.
Elephant ears are doing well.
Hostas get eaten
Grass dies this time of year.
Birds of Paradise did well during the summer - but now they arent doing too well.
I have tried every type of fern that I know of - most of them have died or are taking forever to grow. I have some ferns that grow wild - but I dont know what kind they are and how to transplant them.

I was hoping to have a tea garden (ha ha - just kidding). I do not like ivy and that seems to be what takes over if I dont weed. I am trying to find some nice plants that can get big (I have a lot of land). And then find some kind of ground cover to fill in the spaces.

Does anyone have the same kind of problems and came up with a solution - I can use all the help I can get.

Sherri

hi, sherri. brugmansia sanguinea perhaps.

i am 10a, too, but doesn't get the partial shade that you do march-october. been wanting to grow this red brug, but some summer days can be too hot for them. i'm still going to try though.

giant gunnera?

i'm very new to gardening, and brugs and gunneras i have not killed yet.

best of luck.

annapet

Moonglow

Thanks for the advise. I looked both of these up and I was sad to see that both plants wouldnt work if you have pets. One of them is poisonous and the other has prickly spikes.

If you have found different - let me know. I love the look of the gunnera. My other concern is moisture. I am not sure if I have enough.

I am also new. I have been thinking of creating my own compost and trying to cultivate my soil - but it is all sloping hill - I dont want to break my back and I cant afford a good gardener. The one I have now I can barely understand him.

Thanks again - Sherri

what kind of pets do you have, sherri? i have 2 goldens that run free =). you'd think poison and prickly spikes would deter my neighbor's dogs (3 little yip-yips)...but no. lol. just kidding. i love those little dogs.

i know, poison scares so many people away. but it's something one won't deliberately eat.

here's something i cut from another site and pasted on here. quite long, but makes sense.

my gunnera, btw, i just water regularly. no other special care.

"Both Brugmansia and Datura plants contain chemicals that can, in sufficient dosage, impair, injure, or even kill a human. But these same chemicals, in the proper dosage, can be highly beneficial medications as well.

People HAVE died as a result of deliberatly injesting parts of these plants, but 'deliberately' is a very important word here. Both Datura and Brugmansia have been used for centuries to induce spiritual or religious trances and visions, and this has led to their current "bad rap" as dangerous plants.

Both Brugmansia and Datura have a really foul taste---it's a rare mammal indeed who willingly takes a second bite, so an accidental poisoning is rare. While some people are more sensitive than others, getting a skin rash from just handling the plants, most people would need to eat several mouthfuls in order to do themselves harm.

So, if it poisonous? Yes. Is it dangerous to have in your garden? No, so long as common sense rules are followed. ALL children should be taught to never put anything in their mouths without asking a grown-up first, because not all poisonous plants do taste as awful as these two do.

So---grow and enjoy both Brugmansia and Datura. Just don't eat them, and wash your hands after handling them. When cutting them, avoid getting the sap in your eyes---it won't do you any lasting harm, but you'll be wearing shades for a couple of days!"

=)))

Moonglow

WOW. Thank you for that information. I have two greyhounds and one Borzoi. I am a little aprehensive on the prickly gunnera only because the greyhounds are so thin skinned. But I could always plant it in a location they couldnt get to.

I am going to get both and try them out.

Thank you so much. I hope they do well.

Sherri :)

you are welcome! DGers have helped me from the very beginning, and i've always wanted to give something in return.

i sent you a d-mail.

=)

Hi
I just came across your quest and if you are still looking for ideas you might try what I always do when I'm new to an area. If you have neighbors with similar growing conditions ask what works for them. Often, not only will they tell you what they have learned they'll tell you best sources and sometimes give lessons if you need them. GOOD LUCK!!

hh

You have a great place for some hardy fuschias or some correa. A japense maple would be very happy in that sort of sun/shade arrangement. Hinoki Cypress, +++sasanqua camellias are perfect+++ - they will grow anywhere and you can keep them to about any height. Sword ferns, Mother fern. If you have this kind of dry shade it's the perfect place for succulents. Statice is evergreen and grows in about every situation. Hellebore will like that but it's poisonous too. My dogs don't like it though. Japanese forest grass is another plant that says that it's a shade lover but is happy in both shade and sun, mondo grass and various carex do very well as groundcovers in the shade and sun. Carex morrowii "Ice Dance" is a great groundcover that should be happy in your conditions. I think I'm repeating myself from another thread, but Pacific Coast Iris do well in these conditions and hydrangeas are very fond of it. Ligularia 'Cristata" is strange but one of my very favorite plants for this condition. It will grow under walnut trees. And of course, daylilies. Some are more happy in shade than others of course but a good daylily vendor or a trip to the daylily forum should help with this. Bergenia "should" grow in these conditions too. Also perfect for lorapetulum. The red can be kept very small, but the green form can be kept at 3" but will happily grow to 7 feet given the freedom to do so.

If I'm going in the right direction, let me know.I'm just getting started. :-)

This message was edited Dec 26, 2005 11:09 AM

Doss

Wow - thank you so so much. Yes, you are in the right direction.
I will check out your suggestions.

I will continue to post with my progress.

Happy Holidays

Sherri

I love the photo. What a happy crew. The other good news is that Mondo will stand up to dog traffic. Berkeley Sedge will also but it likes sun.

Another wonderful plant that would be happy are the more manageable forms of honeysuckle. And I forgot Hydrangea - these are perfect conditions for them. Also flowering maple (Abutilon). It's evergreen and flowering and much underused. Runner violets are great there but you have to be willing to deal with them. I use them under my Walnut tree where nothing else goes.

Calla Lilies are easy and the big ones are back in fashion again. And Japanese Maples, especially the green ones do very well in your conditions.

You are a wealth of information.....

I tried Calla Lilies and they didnt do well. Maybe I purchased the wrong kind? And/or planted them the wrong time of year.

I dont want to do the same mistake as last year. I planted a lot of plants in April/May and the weather heated up before the plants had a chance to "settle in". Maybe it takes a little longer for them to settle in because of all the previous root systems.

I have a discussion going on in the soil and composting section. I want to see what I can do to help with the soil.

Thanks
Sherri and Furry Children

That sounds like a good idea - Callas like a lot of water and I haven't had any luck with the fancy ones - just the old time big white ones.

Good luck with soil building. I hope that it works for you.

hi, doss! hellow, sherri! happy holidays!

what wonderful photo. i haven't had the chance to pose with my goldens, and i got them reindeer ears, and they were playing with perlite earlier. looked like snow.

Happy Holidays to you too Moonglow. I hope that your New Year is lovely.

Moonglow

Too cute. You should get a picture !!!

BTW - I have planted your brugmansia in pots in my sunroom. Although I dont have any sun this time of year. I will keep you posted on any progress. So far, they still look alive !!

Sherri and Furry Friends