Emmalm Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 So we live in a single story ranch-ish house that is very monochromatic. Tan, tan, and more tan. The landscaping in the front is also very bland and I am determined to change it this year. It is just depressing. Don't even get me started with the one random holly bush and hosta infestation on the other side of the house. 😵 There is about a 20-25' space on the north side of the house, which happens to be the front of the house, with about a two and a half foot overhang. So it is shaded all day. Two weird and, quite frankly, ugly short pine-like bushes stand on either side of the space, with one different kind of bush in the middle. In between the random bushes? Hostas, hostas, hostas. I hate Hostas. I have dug them up, and would love to dig up the perplexing piney bushes as well, but that would probably involve more work. The space is not well laid out and it is just blah. I want to perk it up, but am not much of a landscape/flower kinda gardener. What are some perennial plants that would add color, fun, depth, scope, scale, etc? I know choices are somewhat limited for full-shade areas, especially in Zone 4, but there have to be some great choices out there that are not hostas. Did I mention I hate hostas? I was thinking some ferns would have a nice effect, but also want color and height. Our windows are about 4' off the ground, so there's room to work. Also need to not break the bank doing this project! Ladies, I need help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Our area is zone 3, and here is a pamphlet I found from around here. I only saw one hosta listed ;) http://www.reginafloralconservatory.ca/images/PDFs/Gardening_Fact_Sheets/RGA_FactSheets_ShadePerennials_web.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 So we live in a single story ranch-ish house that is very monochromatic. Tan, tan, and more tan. The landscaping in the front is also very bland and I am determined to change it this year. It is just depressing. Don't even get me started with the one random holly bush and hosta infestation on the other side of the house. 😵 There is about a 20-25' space on the north side of the house, which happens to be the front of the house, with about a two and a half foot overhang. So it is shaded all day. Two weird and, quite frankly, ugly short pine-like bushes stand on either side of the space, with one different kind of bush in the middle. In between the random bushes? Hostas, hostas, hostas. I hate Hostas. I have dug them up, and would love to dig up the perplexing piney bushes as well, but that would probably involve more work. The space is not well laid out and it is just blah. I want to perk it up, but am not much of a landscape/flower kinda gardener. What are some perennial plants that would add color, fun, depth, scope, scale, etc? I know choices are somewhat limited for full-shade areas, especially in Zone 4, but there have to be some great choices out there that are not hostas. Did I mention I hate hostas? I was thinking some ferns would have a nice effect, but also want color and height. Our windows are about 4' off the ground, so there's room to work. Also need to not break the bank doing this project! Ladies, I need help! So, there are a few reasons you see hostas, but the big one is that very few things thrive in dry shade, which is what you tend to see right next to a house. You may find that what you will need to do is extend those beds out so that the vegetation won't be right up against the foundation. The question then will be, how much can you enrich the soil and can you keep it from drying out, all of which will depend on your climate. That being said, there are some great plants for shady gardens. Goatsbeard (bush) Solomon's seal (plant/flower) Astilbe (flowering plant) Jacob's ladder (flowering plant) Sweet woodruff (groundcover) Lady's Mantle (flowering plant) Forget-me-nots (flowers) Bleeding hearts Lungwort some geraniums Lenten rose Wild ginger Impatients If you are stuck with dry shade, the geranium, cushion spurge, and Lenten rose are worth trying. Also foamflower which will act as a groundcover. And I know some grasses will like dry shade as well. You might find that if you have more of a mixed bed, the foliage on some hostas will mix in really well, some have lovely colours or can grow really huge. Tubs with some annuals can also be a great way to add colour out front. Depending on your soil, rhododendrons might be nice as well. You need acid soil for them to do well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 We are in zone 5 and have a beautiful azalea and ornamental grasses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmalm Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 Our area is zone 3, and here is a pamphlet I found from around here. I only saw one hosta listed ;) http://www.reginafloralconservatory.ca/images/PDFs/Gardening_Fact_Sheets/RGA_FactSheets_ShadePerennials_web.pdf Thank you! That was helpful and I found some new plants on there I was not aware of. I think I am going to try to go with ferns, bloodroot, trillium, bleeding hearts, just really a woodland feel. I think. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmalm Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 So, there are a few reasons you see hostas, but the big one is that very few things thrive in dry shade, which is what you tend to see right next to a house. You may find that what you will need to do is extend those beds out so that the vegetation won't be right up against the foundation. The question then will be, how much can you enrich the soil and can you keep it from drying out, all of which will depend on your climate. That being said, there are some great plants for shady gardens. Goatsbeard (bush) Solomon's seal (plant/flower) Astilbe (flowering plant) Jacob's ladder (flowering plant) Sweet woodruff (groundcover) Lady's Mantle (flowering plant) Forget-me-nots (flowers) Bleeding hearts Lungwort some geraniums Lenten rose Wild ginger Impatients If you are stuck with dry shade, the geranium, cushion spurge, and Lenten rose are worth trying. Also foamflower which will act as a groundcover. And I know some grasses will like dry shade as well. You might find that if you have more of a mixed bed, the foliage on some hostas will mix in really well, some have lovely colours or can grow really huge. Tubs with some annuals can also be a great way to add colour out front. Depending on your soil, rhododendrons might be nice as well. You need acid soil for them to do well. Thank you for the great ideas! Oddly enough, it stays fairly moist there in spite of the overhang. We have had some rather....phalic, nastily so, fungi pop up randomly. We are going to a garden center this week and will keep an eye out for some plants you mentioned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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