Need suggestions for problem spot.

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I figure close to home makes sense. :)
I have this spot in my backyard 'dell', which is what we call this large sort-of woodland area covered with ivy. It wasalmost totally shaded by tall pines but last year one had to be cut down. Which brings me to my question.

I had a row of alpinia in the stretch between the sago, and the alpinia you can see beneath the h-bird feeder. I had to move them all because they were burning from the sun. This spot only gets a few hours of sun at late morning-midday (4 hours maybe?), but it's enough that my shade lovers can't take it. You can probably see that even the ivy there has gone brown in patches.

I'd like to put in a few of something else that will be maybe a couple of feet tall at most, and fairly substantial so it stands out over the ivy. Obviously, the trees and ivy drink alot of water so it needs to be tolerant of soil that's not always moist. Hoping for everygreen as well.
I thought of Fatsia or Euphorbia possibly?

It would be better if the ivy weren't there, but we inherited it and it is WELL established...nearly impossible to get it out of there so we're workin' with it. :)

Any thoughts, suggestions would be very much appreciated! (Can post other pics from diff. angle if needed.)
Deb

I think a lot depends on what "look" you're trying to achieve, Deb: Tropical paradise, woodland transition, shaded flower garden, etc, annuals/perennials, shrubs, trees... I know you like color, so I suspect you're not looking for big plants to leave alone---but that site cried out to me for some low growing palms with colorful under-plantings that could be selected for how much time you wanted to spend fussing with them...

Stono; Yes, I'm going for colorful or at least "robust" foliage/shrubs. Tropical is more the look I'm leaning to. There are azaleas further in and I sometimes put something along the edge in the way of edging flowering seasonal things. But mainly, this is an area I don't want to fuss with, other than watering. (I have the begonia I got from you in there - hard to see in the pic - and it's doing very well!) I do have a couple of palms like European fan, elsewhere in the 'dell', so I suppose I could repeat that in this spot...

As is, it's just flat ivy, then azaleas. I'm trying to fill in the middle range with something. But it has to be able to compete with the ivy and tree roots. Does that make sense?

Deb

Ok, no ideas yet. :) I know. It's pretty hard to look at a photo and say "bingo'! I know what would work there!"
So how bout this: Do you think Fatsia J. or a Euphorbia of some kind would do well in this spot?
Thanks,
Deb

Given the chance-I will always say palms-some trachycarpus would look nice there and they will grow in shade. So will Sabal minors and they stay fairly low for awhile as their trunk stays in the ground for a very long time.

Ah, then. Sabal minors may be the answer! Need something that won't get taller than the azaleas if possible.
Thanks Tigerlily!
Deb

I think you could use both Fatsia j. AND Sabal m., Deb. Would provide a nice contrast in color/ texture. The Sabal m. will get taller than the azaleas---in about 50 years. You could pop some "color" in there with a relatively new Illicium floridanum 'variegata'---it's got mostly white leaves with green borders.

Thanks Stono. I'm looking up Illicium floridanum now. :)
Deb

Nandina? Would not have as great color but can take the shade and easy to control and it is beautiful.

Great book - Landscape Plants of the Southeast might be helpful.

Also you may want to order the catalogue from Plants Delight.

http://www.plantsdelight.com/ Great (free) catalogue and a few times a year Tony Avent opens his gardens to visitors, The info in the catalogue will give you all the info you need.

Missingrosie: You're preaching to the choir about PDN. I was just going over the catalog - again - last night looking for ideas! I just ordered a couple of Sabal minor from them but am still undecided about what to put with the palms.

Thanks for the book suggestion; I'll have to get it.
Funny, I hadn't thought of Nandina. I have quite alot of it elsewhere and it seems to grow under any conditions. Maybe it would be good in the center of this little area as background. Good thought. Thanks!

Deb

How about Plumbago?
I have some in a similar spot, and it's doing well in it's second year.
The blue color is nice, and I have white "unique" hydrangeas nearby.

Entlie

I gotta admit, Entlie, my first thought for the location was Hydrangea! But Deb seemed to be focusing on an evergreen planting, so I kept my mouth shut on Hydrangeas. I got a new Hydrangea this spring called "Color Fantasy" which I really love. It has the deepest, darkest forest-green leaves I've ever seen on any Hydrangea, and it's a shiny-green, not the muted greens on all my other Hydrangea leaves. Plus, it doesn't seem to be as thirsty as most Hydrangeas! I know nothing about the parentage of 'Color Fantasy' (my research project for this winter!), but the blooms are a deep pink-almost-red mophead. It's planted among other Hydrangeas (Fuji Falls, Big Daddy, & Lady in Red) which require constant watering in the heat. And they've been in the ground for 1-3 years, so they've rooted in the surrounding soil. That little 'Color Fantasy' has only been in the ground for 3 months, and rarely requires water, and it can't have much of a root system yet...but it doesn't wilt. I REALLY like this one (so far)...

Good to know! I love hydrangeas and had a mess of mopheads around the house when we moved here. Just now starting to branch out with others.

I too was thinking hydrangeas for Deb's spot. Does it have to be evergreen Deb? Actually I just learned about an evergreen hydrangea but have already forgotten it's name. WIll work on that. LOL

Camellia? Evergreen, winter color, likes shade and a wide selection available. Some gingers would look good for color.

What about hibiscus, either a hardy one or one with variegated foliage, like 'Snow Queen'......or rhododendron

Y'all are going to hate me for this, but I am getting over my hydrangeas, so Deb, if you want some let me know..lol---However, an oakleaf hydrangea may do well

or buddleia, or Dr. Moy hedychium, or persicaria, or OMG, have you seen the varigated oleander....so any possibilities..lol

Oooh nooo! Overwhelmed with ideas!! LOL!

Entlie & Stono: I hadn't considered hydrangea because - yes I was thinking evergreen - and because I thought they'd need too much water. Not a good companion in an ivy bed with tree roots. However, that "Color Fantasy" sounds like a possibility. Ardesia, if you remember the name of the evergreen one, please pass it on.

It doesn't have to all be evergreen as long as I have some "bones" for winter.

Tropicana: I have a perennial hibiscus elsewhere but it seems to like lots of water..so like hydrangea, I had crossed it off. I actually to have a Moy that I love in another spot and that's a thought for fill in and color. Do you grow oleander in NC? and if so, how does it do in winter??

CoreHHI: A small camellia would be nice, but I am death to camellias. I have one lovely one that I inherited with the house, but any I have planted myself have died a slow death. Afraid to try again.

I'll do a bit more "research" this evening, now that you've given me so much to think about!
Thanks for the help. :)
Deb

Oleanders grow great on the coast where it's warmer, but I've never seen any in the ground here, so mine go in the greenhouse. The variegated one I have is supposed to be hardy to zone 8, and I actually saw a much bigger, prettier one at lowes today for @ $17. They really do look great. Good luck ;)

Oh! You know, it has never occurred to me to try oleander in a pot. (Duh.) Some people have them in ground here, but they never seem to do very well over the winter, except - as you said - closer to the coast. What's the name of your variegated one? I'm planning an excursion to Lowes tomorrow. ;->
Deb

Even on the coastall it takes is a week in the mid 20's to kill them back. Oleander that is. If you don't trim them back they look ratty. I would say your to cold.

As long as camellia is in a good amount of shade and not water logged they seem (to me) to be easy to grow. I have an acidic soil though and they do need acidic soil so that may be your problem.

There's an evergreen hydranga ? That got my attn. What the name??

They had theirs labeled as variegated pink, lol--Checking the label on mine......"Nerium Oleander Variegatum Plenum". I got it from glasshouseworks.com, which I've had great luck with (others not so much I know, but I give credit where it's due). It was $10, I think, much smaller than the one I saw today, but if you do ever order from them, expect about a month or so for your order.

If I felt safe to take a cutting from mine, I would. But if your Lowe's doesn't have one I can look again ;)

I just emailed my friend who has the evergreen hygrangea. I'll let you al know the name asap.

One more suggestion how about a dwarf Japanese Maple? Sango Kaku (Coral Bark Maple) can be kept short and the red bark in the winter is striking.

Ardesia: OMG, what a great idea! I might even just move the little azaleas out and put in a J. Maple instead!
OK, I gotta sit down and draw out 'a plan'. :)
Thanks,
Deb

The evergreen hydrangea is H. dichroa.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54759/

Thanks Ardesia I may be giving that a try next year, have a good spot for it.

Hey ya'll, I know we've moved from the variegated nerium, but wanted to show you the pics of mine. It's scraggly, but I still love it :)

This is the main stem-when I got mine it was probably 10 inches tall with leaves only at the top 2 inches or so--so it's funky

The bottom new growth :) I'm new at this, so easily excited

Tropicanna: Nice! I love the foliage.
Ardesia: Thanks for the info on the Hydrangea.

I planted 3 Sabal minor (from PDN) in the "problem spot" this morning. Going to try to make my delayed excursion to Lowe's later today, to scout out some of the other suggestions. :) Thanks everyone for all the good ideas.
Deb