Bones

I need to get started somewhere in my barren landscape and although I want a yard that POPS with color that's just not the first step. I need to get areas prepped for the bones of the yard first.

Do you know if holly bushes can survive in shade? I have a stretch along the drive (with space between the two so cars won't scrape :) but a neighbors oak is along that side to.

They will grow with some shade but prefer full sun.

Rhododendrons might do better, thin scraggly hollies probably aren't the look you are going for.

I forgot to ask how close are you to the oak? Oaks don't like their roots disturbed and you wouldn't want to dig a large hole and kill the neighbors oak in the process.
When I plant under our oaks I put in small shade plants that I can tuck in between the roots. I mean small as in at the moment, they can grow large and grow around the roots. You just shouldn't be cutting many roots if any.

We're close to that oak. I was planning on raising the sideyard about 6" and buying small shrubs because of cost anyway.

When you say you were planning to raise the side yard 6", is that going to be piling soil over the oak's roots? Many trees don't like to have extra soil piled over their roots and since oaks don't like their roots disturbed I think there's a good chance they're one of the trees that wouldn't appreciate extra soil either.

Most of it's knobby roots are right at it's base which isn't the area I'm touching.

Wouldn't it be nice if trees weren't so near property lines. :)

Oaks have roots that are far reaching and close to the surface. I wouldn't add soil over them or dig through them. If my neighbor did that I would ask them to remove the soil. My oaks are beautiful and very old. I did a lot of research before planting anything under mine. Everything I have planted was small enough to tuck between the roots when I put it into the ground. The roots of most trees spread out as far as their canopy. If I were you I would check with an arborist and find out what you can plant and how close to the trunk without harming the tree.

I am not only thinking about the tree, but if your laws are the same as ours and the tree was damaged you would be responsible for any damage which could mean replacing it with a tree of like size.

Well since my drive is right along there I'd imagine it can't be as far reaching on the surface as that since it'd be on my drive.

Do your laws also apply to border property trees that uproot a neighbors walk or crack a drive? This is interesting info all.

I am not sure about that I would guess you could find out about where you live via the internet.