New Woodland Garden-Ideas, anyone?

Hi, my next goal is to "tame" a bit the area around these 3 old willows and the point they form at the bottom of this little pond. I have already found trout lily, lilies of the valley and wild strawberries down there, which I want to keep, as well as unwanted things like poison ivy, swedish ivy and crabgrass, which I am about to tackle.

It is constantly moist...rarely wet...and sits mostly in full or dappled shade.

Any plant ideas you think I should consider? I want to keep it natural and wild looking.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Daisy

Daisy, growing up here in Maine these always were found in our woods....some are more scarce than others now but still wild and natural.

Trillium : Red & White
Mayflower: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1651/
Mayapple: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/359/
Jack-in-the-pulpit: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/160657/
Lady Slippers: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/120330/
Dog Tooth Violets: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55394/

I have bought Ligularia, it's a big plant and leaves are dark red w/ yellow daisy like flowers. Planting suggestions ,"does well by a stream"

Celeste's are all very good - especially if you want to keep it more toward natives, which I probably would do in that location. For shrubs - spicebush and Clethra come to mind.

Ferns do extremely well here in my woods near the creek. Also violets. We have lots of jack-in-the pulpits near the woods edge. (Don't forget skunk cabbage.....) How about Cardinal flower?

Hay-scented fern smells wonderful.

These are such great ideas, everyone! I'm going to Trade Secrets Plant sale tomorrow with my list from my pals on Dave's GArden.

Mamasita: I already have a lot of skunk cabbage...I think it is beautiful, although it makes hubby roll his eyes!

Lilies of the Valley...they are already down there...evidence, I think, that a now long-gone gardener tried to tame this area at one point in the past. A question: if I weed around them, they'll fill in like a ground cover in that area, right?

I can think of adding Solomon's Seal (there is a coral colored variety offered @ lazyssfarm) & Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus), to the excellent list above. ☺

I forgot about wild ginger which is nice as a ground cover, but the flower is insignificant.

I love hellebore but don't know if you want that included.

Daisy- I've got a shady, woodsy area in my garden...just started. I love Bleeding Hearts...their foliage is just woodsy enough with really unique blooms. I'm also doing a lot of Toad Lilies, Heuchera, and Jack in the Pulpit. I'll post pics so you get a visual.

Good luck!

Jack in the Pulpit

Heuchera (there are so many kinds)...

Toad Lily

Columbine!

Such wonderful ideas, Brooklyn Girl. Victor, I love my helebores so much I have them right next to the driveway where I can see them everyday! ;-)

Mamasita: I noticed a TON of native plants with leaves that look like columbine in the field behind this tree. I'm going to not mow this year to see if they are columbine. If they are, and I dig a few up, do you think they can stand the moist areas around this tree? Or do they need the well drained soil? I've read both~

I don't think it would hurt to try a plant or two, Daisy. I've seen and heard the same things. Maybe not as close to the wet area.

They need drainage.

Tiarella, (Foamflowers). ☺

A nice " woodsy " touch, if you like a groundcover is the sweet woodruff. An herb, actually. It will spread nicely after 2 years, typical of a perennial and also bloom tiny white flowers.

Yes - and it smells great.

Yep.
Also, ferns are always an easy, no - care plant; there's lots of varieties, too.

I have a similar area that's been a work - in - progress.

And the deer don't bother ferns - usually.

That's right.............so far, anyway. I have rabbits, Pirl has the deer. I think all the new subdivisions going up around me and the farm fields have scared them off for the moment.

I also have some lily-of-the-valley in that area. I know it will be more than some, soon.
I love bringing the flowers into the house.

I have many deer.

Deer are so cute! ☺

Don't start, WC!

They're cute, until they get hungry.........

LOL!

Forgot to say - welcome brooklyngirl!! Where in Brooklyn are you from? I grew up in Astoria, Queens.

Hiya, Vic. Thanks for the welcome. I'm living in Park Slope now. After years of apartment living, hostel living, all kinds of no-nature living, I've finally got a back yard! The place was a mess a few weeks ago, but I've finally got the weeds/brush and trash out (well, most of it, anyway), the ground worked up, and an approximate plan. I laid stepping and border stone today....man, my shoulders are sore! I've only got some veggie seeds growing so far...though quite a few plants arriving next week (including all of those shade plants I mentioned above). I'm sure I'll be posting a lot of questions very soon. So look for me! ;)

I had a friend in Astoria a few years ago, and I'd visit quite often. Really nice neighborhood!

Thanks again for the welcome, and wish me luck with this HUGE undertaking!

The layout looks great. Looking forward to seeing the progression. Please post pics of the whole thing and feel free to ask anything! The more people post, the better the threads are. Great to have you on the forum.

Welcome brooklyngirl and good luck! It looks like you have a beautiful place for a garden. Dig out the gardeners pallet and have fun!

Welcome, brooklyngirl! I'm here only a year, and everyone made me feel welcome immediately.
Good luck with your project and, of course, happy planting!

I'm originally from Brooklyn, too. Bayridge......43 years ago.

Welcome, brooklyngirl from "upstate"! I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. I'm in Dutchess County. Love to see what everyone else on this forum is up to!

- Lynn

Thanks, pixie and Alice. Vic, you asked for it! Here come some questions.

The biggest eyesore is that back fence: all shade back there and no soil. I want something evergreen, and I've found some Baltic Ivy plants in 1/2 gallon pots. Really cheap, it seems....12 for about $20. Sound like a good idea, or do you have suggestions?

Thanks mamasita, too...Did you get this yucky rain today?

Lily of the Valley has been fairly invasive in my small woodland area in western NY. I'm trying to pull them all, but it's tough because the rhizomes are deep. Some natives I'm planting instead include mayapple, early meadow rue, heartleaf foamflower, squirrel corn, woodland aster, hepatica, trout lily, large-flowered bellwort, several species of ferns, some woodland grasses & sedges, and of course trillium.

Yes, we have had rain all day. As depressing as it is, things have been too dry up here and the rain is welcome. Ask me again if it continues for as long as they're forecasting! The upside is, no dragging the hose or watering can to keep things moist but now we have to watch for mosquitoes and things rotting. I hope the farmers don't have any problems with their crops. Maybe the sun will come out TOMORROW....

Mosquitoes have been spotted here and are massing for a major offensive soon. I have well established lily of the valley in some of my shade areas, roots are too deep to get rid of without a bulldozer so I declared them the winner this spring... If 'ya can't beat em'.. ☺

This message was edited May 17, 2008 5:53 AM