Deep, Dense, shade

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katyquin Wheaton, IL(Zone 4b) Mar 20, 2007

Hi,

I'm new here, and my yard is 1/3 acre of dense shade. It was worse. When we bought the house the yard was chock full of buckthorns, mulberries, and other stuff, with invasive vines all over them. also maples, elms, black walnuts, oaks and evergreens.


we don't have much money to spare, and though I've done a little each year. It took FIVE YEARS to clear out the junk. Then I put down paths of wood chips, and planted *some* shrubs and perennials, but it still looks like an overgrown lot.

Each year I say we are going to get rid of the front lawn, which looks awful by june when the leaves get out. I want to plant it w/wildflowers. Along the street are lilacs, and down the driveway I put a rock garden, and need help with what to put there.

I live in far west suburban chicago.

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tcs1366 Leesburg, FL(Zone 9b) Mar 20, 2007

HI katyquin,

we're practically neighbors.

do you happen to have a photo of the area in question.

I too am doing wild flowers this year, on some IDOT property... I think most of mine are for mostly sunny locations.
but there are great plants for shade too.... just venture into the Hosta Forum for some real beauties.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/hostas/all/
Ferns too are great in the shade, as are astilbe.

another good forum is the Shade forum.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/shady/all/

**editing to say that those forums are member only, and i see you just registered this morning, so you probably are not a paying member**

Hope this helps a bit

Terese

This message was edited Mar 20, 2007 8:47 AM

Post #3301226
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tcs1366 Leesburg, FL(Zone 9b) Mar 20, 2007

Here is a site that may help you choose plants.

I googled "Shade plants for Illinois"
scroll to Plants for shady areas
http://www.chicagowilderness.org/wildchi/landscape/index.cfm

here's another one from U of I
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=5791

hope these links help

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