What to plant in 3 x 5 area in front of house
I just removed a 3 x 5 size piece of concrete in order to plant a shrub or two and other easy care plants in front of my house. Clueless what to plant. The plants will get morning sun and be partly shaded from sidewalk tree during day. I like tall grasses and low ground…
I just removed a 3 x 5 size piece of concrete in order to plant a shrub or two and other easy care plants in front of my house. Clueless what to plant. The plants will get morning sun and be partly shaded from sidewalk tree during day. I like tall grasses and low ground cover. Thanks for advice.
Thanks, Steve. Poplar, eh? hadn’t thought of that, will definitely look into it. Am also looking at Eastern Redbuds (Cercis).
Silvermax:
Poplar is very fast growing. Maple as well if fairly fast early on, but not like poplar.
Steve
Peonies won’t do well there — need full sun. I think wisteria and maple may also need a lot of sun.
I second the hydrangeas — put some peaty compost in the pit to give you some acid soil and you’ll have lovely blue flowers. Oak-leaf hydrangeas also nice and have more height. You might also look into camelias or even a mountain laurel if you’re not in a hurry (they’re slow-growing).
Ajuga is a nice ground cover, pretty blue flowers in spring, interesting leaf color rest of the year.
Lots of low-growing shade perennials (lungwort, trilliums, dog-tooth lilies, huechera, brunnera, foxgloves, lobelia — check out Ruby Slipper lobelias — etc.). Also, spring bulbs — early tulips, daffodils, windflower anemones, crocus. And fall bulbs — Japanese anemones.
And for annuals it’s hard to beat tuberous begonias (you can save the tubers if you’re careful) and coleus, which has a zillion varieties (see http://www.rosydawngardens.com/).
Good luck. I envy you your dappled shade. My neighbor has just cut down his giant ailanthus, leaving all my shade lovers in blazing sun. I’m now looking for a fast-growing small tree. Any suggestions from the Forum will be welcome.
Holly. Try to find the variegated colored leaf variety.
Hostas, astilbe are great in partial shade
I have a wisteria and a japanese maple in a similar space. I keep them aggressively cut back and they do well.
If you’re looking for shrubs for dappled light, I love hydrangeas. You might look at Oak Leaf hydrangeas, as they’re a little less feminine and, I think, interesting looking. Peonies are very low maintenance and I like the look of their leaves. Hostas are good if fairly expensive, and they’re nice to have in the city as for once the deer won’t get at them.
The Pachy is low – maybe 8″ high at the most (in the varieties I have seen). If you want a shrub, boxwood is nice. Again, maintenance free and can tolerate shade. The boxwood will grow tall though if you let it; when you have it the way you like it, you should keep it there by trimming. There are varieties of boxwood, some with greener leaves than others.
Steve
Pachysandra (spelling?) is a nice leafy ground cover that can tolerate shade and needs little or no maintenance once it has settled. I think it may be a more traditional ground cover, meaning it would look suitable in an older neighborhood. If I remember correctly, it stays green all year.
Steve