Hi everyone,
My husband & I just moved into a new (old) house that badly needs a total garden overhaul! I have some ideas, would like to hear any other suggestions as well - I'm basically starting from scratch here, and want to plan adequately before throwing plants in the ground.
The portion of the yard that's directly in front of the house is looking a bit challenging... there's quite a bit of shade (lot's of pines around) - partially from tree cover (partial shade), and plenty of deep shade from the house's shadow. My soil is, naturally, mostly black clay, and it could use some work on improving the drainage. I planned on doing some of the bed/soil prep work during the summer, and planting in the fall.
There is also a good sized raised "planter" that borders the edge of the house - from the side, to the back door. I think this will be easier to work with than the front, as this bed gets partial-full sun, and is raised off the ground.
I would like to include a lot of native plants into this garden, but I'm not opposed to incorporating a few non-natives as well... I guess you could call my gardening "style" ecclectic, varied, "natural"/informal/wild, creative... I'm not big on formal gardens - the bigger and/or bushier, the better! I'm always on the hunt for something out of the ordinary (for the love of God, no impatiens or begonias!)... I realize this is a lot of info, any reccommendations are greatly appreciated!!
New here - my garden is a (somewhat) blank slate!
Welcome KCA--Not trying to get nosy here but are you east side of Houston or west side of Houston? The reason I ask is east side is slightly more acidic clay (right on the edge of the piny woods zone if north and east) and west Houston (where I am) is much more alkaline (edge of the Katie Prairie zone) clay. Makes a difference for some plant recommendations, but most natives are highly adapted to both.
What are impatiens and begonias? LOL
Worry not, we are big on natives on this forum. I'm gonna let Josephine give you a link to her excellent site...and let a few others chime in. Then I'll get back with you.
Welcome Again!
Debbie
Thanks for the welcome Debbie!
I am just south of the UH main campus (just south of downtown), right next to Brays Bayou (near N. MacGregor & Scott St. - 77004)... so we're SLIGHTLY east, but not by much (between 45 & 288) - LOTS of tall pines around here though, quite different from the oakey Heights, where we just moved from!
I was planning on picking up one of those soil testing kits from Home Depot - I'm a grad. student, and just completed a ridiculously busy semester, so haven't had time yet!
Thanks!!
I think it would be better to go to that big ace hardware place down 45 and get them to send it off for you..you would get more accurate results. I'm trying to think of the name of that place....let me sleep on it. It's a great garden center, have alot of knowlegable speakers, great Gardenville and other organic products...I just don't make it down that way to that nursery but every 3 or 4 years..but it is a privately owned Ace Hardware.
I've never done a soil test but they only cost about $10.00. Just take samples from all parts of where you want to garden (which would be cheaper and probably a ballpark for the whole property--and would be what I would do) unless you want several specific area tests.
I'm on the west side off N HWY 6 near the farm and ranch club...just a bit south of Copperfield.
Debbie
Debbie
Is this a nursery, or more of a hardware store? Is it actually called "ace hardware," or would it be listed under another name, as it is privately-owned? Do you have any idea how far down 45 this place is - eg, Pearland, Hobby area, etc? If you have a clue about what exit it's off of, I'm sure I could just drive down 45 & spot it... thanks for that tip - I'm trying to scout out some decent nurseries/garden centers on the south/southeast side (other than lowes, LOL)!
Kelly
It's around Hobby area, south. It's an ace hardware but has another name in front of it...Look up the ace hardwares around there, list the names, and I will recognize it. Not visible from 45.
Debbie
Hello Kcadams, Welcome to the forum, this is a very fun place, I am sure you will enjoy it. I garden with mainly native plants, although I do have some non natives, some of them are just too appealing one way or another to pass up.
Since Debbie was kind enough to mention the website thais is the address;
http://www.texasstar.org/
Be sure to check out the native plant search engine, that is a work in progress right now, but growing every day, I hope you will enjoy it, and if you need seeds, let me know.
Josephine.
shade-loving evergreen about 3-5 feet tall that takes up space (Fredericksburg) hmmm....
Welcome.
You definitely have the right idea by clearing out the old stuff and ammending the soil first then waiting until fall to plant. It looks like you have your ducks in a row, by getting the soil tested first. Your early patience will pay off big time. I would also recommend that you start a compost pile or bin now so that you'll have lots of nice compost when it comes time to plant in the fall. Drip irrigation is great if feasable. I'm inexperience with native plants, but you've come to the right place. There are plenty of members with a vast knowledge of Texas plants.
This is a list of background plants that do well in you're shady conditions (mostly non-native list)
1. Camellia
2. Hydrangea, Salvia and Azalea (too common?)
3. Some of the taller fern plants would look nice.
4. Mock orange
5. Holly olive or Sweet olive (osmanthus)
6. Japanese Andromeda
7. Fatsia Japonica (Aralia japonica)
Recommended reading: Gardening in the shade: American Horticultural Society
Disregard the Fredericksburg line, I had cut and pasted a message that I previously posted for shady conditions in Fredericksburg. oops.
I really like to include several camellias some Japonica & some Sasq...(I can never remember how to spell that) the Sasq...they both bloom at slightly different times so you get a longer blooming period. The Japonica seem to have more exotic looking cultivars.
Another one that I like for shade is Virginia Sweetspire, "Little Henry" I think is the name of the one that I am fond of. Also Strawberry Bush...it takes a lot of shade has small flowers that are not much and then produces a funny fruit that gives it it's other common name, "Burstin' heart".
For groundcover there is that yellow Weigella- did I spell that wrong? It has nice yellow flowers. In part shade if you like ground cover that is somewhat invasive, but easy to pull, gets to about 18 inches Artemesia "Oriental Limelight" is a nice variageted foliage plant. I like it but am not sure that my neighbors just the other side of the back fence care for it as much. It is VERY easy to pull up and if it gets high it can be weed eated to the ground.
Others that will do well in shade, semi shade Jewels of Opar, both varigated and non- the varigated for me has been a little slower growing and less floriferess (did I spell that wrong?). In a protected shade, semi shade you can use Hawaiian Snow Bush, heavily varigated leaves can be almost all white w/ touches of pink, new growth is the highlight of this plant so I prune mine often in the summer. The stems of the new growth are red/pink. I love it, flowers are insignificant.
Also there are multiple gingers, Peacock gingers will grow in heavy shade and not all have that ho hum purple/lavender little flower. I have one called Jungel Gold which produces an ORANGE! flower. There are some Peacocks that are not so low growing...all die back in the winter. I have one that flowers before the leaves come up in the spring, the flowers are lavender and white and look just like orchids.
Ground orchids, shrimp plants especially the varigated, palm grass...my daughter likes the painted japanese fern and then of course there are those ferns that are more native to the area. So many things to plant instead of impatients; however, have you seen the yellow impatiens, "Blondie"? It is worth planting in my opinion.
Let us know what you do!!
April
Thanks for all the tips!!
I'm hesitant to put in hydrangeas/azaleas, because at our last house, I planted those in very shady spots under trees (lots of roots), and neither thrived (I think it was too shady, actually). I'm kind of liking the idea of using a lot of ferns in the front (the southern maidenhair is one of my faves...) My husband loves shade gardens (they're so "calming"), so I think the front will be a good spot for that... I will definitely look into some of those other suggestions (the sweet olive, mock orange, etc.) as well.
I am going to start up a compost heap as well - since I can't plant right now, I need some projects to keep me busy until fall!!
My daughter has hydrangeas and when in bloom they look great but she is not happy w/ them and I think she wants to remove them. They do better in nicer climates.
If you do decide to look into azaleas there are some varieties that really do want nearly complete shade, others don't. Stay away from those that can tolerate sun and you should do ok. I have 2 that are nearly in complete shade and tho the plants are quite small the flowers are VERY large and beautiful.