I need to "renew" a perennial bed on the east side of my house. The area is shaded by trees, one end gets morning sun, the other end is more shady (I actually have quite a few hostas already planted on the really shady end). The bed is about 10x30ft. The soil is sandy in that location so it's on the drier side. I'm in zone 4. Between the cold and the shade I keep running into brick walls with my plant choices. I'm looking or taller, bushier plants towards the back. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks!
Deb
Will catmint (Nepeta) attract hummingbirds? I'm at work and don't have my books with me . . .
This message was edited Apr 6, 2008 4:51 AM
Help me plan my new hummingbird border
Hi, DMurray,
Sounds like you have a fun project ahead of you. Of course I can't resist throwing in my 2 cents!
I don't know a lot about catmint--the Hummingbirds here seem to overlook mine, but maybe others have different experiences. I do know that hummers love salvias and some are quite tall and may grow in part sun/shade although most Salvias like full sun, it seems. I think there is a DG thread on best salvias for hummingbirds if you want to do a search.
One plant that hummers like and that will grow in part shade is Canna. Canna probably isn't what you are thinking of for your garden, but it may fit in somehow. Cannas are usually available on DG through a spring co-op and the prices are so reasonable that they can be grown as 'annuals' and started with new bulbs the next year. If I am not mistaken the Canna Coop is still going on so you may want to check on that--It's a matter of calling the Canna grower and making your order and asking for the DG co-op prices. I will be growing canna for the first time this year and will put some in containers so that I can move the pots into the hummingbird garden when they are in bloom.
Here is a good HB garden website for gardeners in the Upper Midwest. These gardeners have done a lot of comparison of different plants for HBs in cold zone gardens and I'm sure you will find some good ideas on their blog, too. https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/mjrock/web/gallery.htm
Good luck and keep us posted! t.
Hi Deb, I also have sandy soil. What I have found is all the 'good' hummer plants like moist soil. So I just added a 3" or more layer of compost. (some bags of composted cow manure, & bags of humus is what I found at HD) and turned it into the soil. I also use a soaker hose at least 1 or 2 times a week when it gets dry. I grow these in a spot that gets early morning sun until noon, depending on how high the sun is in the sky - it can be earlier or later. Then it's shaded by mature pines and oaks, until evening - then it gets some dappled light. (BTW Your Hosta should get a good amount of attention from HB's if you didn't already know that. Happy gardening :)
Cardinal Flower http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/379/
Great Blue Lobelia http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/133/
Obedient Plant http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/23/
Foxgloves http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/743/
Heuchera 'Ruby Bells' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/96829/ or http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/155/
Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline' or other true red bee balms http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55390/
Red Columbine http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/464/
Fire pinks http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2633/
Indian pinks http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/48891/ - (sorry didn't realize this was only z5, but you could try it anyway depending on your microclimate it could come back for you)
For large shrub or small tree - Red Buckeye http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1336/
Shrubs - Native Azaelas http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2491/ I don't actually grow this but I thought I'd give you the idea, so you could pick something hardier with similar flowers.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/58253/
Edited for wrong zones and to add
Bleeding Hearts - http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/52/ (I meant to include these the first time, this is one of the earliest blooming perennial for them, here.)
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I happen to love Morning Glories. And fortunately, my hummer loves em too! MG vines like morning sun and afternoon shade. I grow mine in a pot using 3 - tall bamboo stakes (for the vines to climb up) and tie at the top of the stakes to look like a teepee. I love watching my hummer going up and down the vines looking for blooms to nectar from. It's the cutest thing! :-)
Thanks you guys!
Tabasco-I have cannas on order from the coop and am planning on putting a big container of them at the end of the garden Actually, I've been thinking about drilling a hole in the bottom of a whiskey barrel big enough to for a WBU pole to go through so I can have my feeder pole come up through the middle of the cannas . . .that isn't a very good explaination-does it make sense? I've also been following the salvia thread-I'm just wondering if I have too much shade for them to bloom well.
Meridith99-thanks for the suggestions and links.
Becky-I guess I didn't realize that morning glories would do OK in the shade. I grow MG every year in my front garden-that's near a roadway and can be noisy so the critteres don't usually go out there-I have some red MG seeds started in the basement, I think I'll try those in the back-great suggestion!
Thanks again-
Deb
This message was edited Apr 8, 2008 7:47 AM
Here's a very rough picture of my canna/hummingbird feeder pole idea (don't laugh at my artwork!)
This message was edited Apr 8, 2008 7:49 AM
If I put morning glorys in the shade here they are pitiful little things with only a few blooms starting maybe a month before frost. In florida those MG's probably need some shade from their blazing sun. :)
Afternoon shade, morning sun works well for most Ipomoea nils that I grow. They are tender MGs. Not like the natives and more hardy I. purpurea which tend to grow a little too aggressively for me and reseed volunteers in too many places. All MGs do need sun and Bloom Booster fertilizer every 2-3 weeks to get a nice flush of blooms constantly. But they should bloom for you in partial shade. They do need some sunlight though during the day for at least 3 or more hours.
Interesting Becky, :-) I will have to look those up. (And try bloom booster on them.)
I never have good luck with regular morning glories, even in sunny spots, maybe they don't like my soil :(
I still try them every year, thinking "maybe they will like where I plant them this year! lol
This message was edited Apr 8, 2008 4:30 PM
I love your sketch and like your idea too. Maybe I'll do that! I was going to put some of my cannas in whiskey type barrels, too.
That idea with a barrel with the pole is a neat idea!