I'm not sure if all these have been mentioned already: I have a huge, thriving Fatsia Japonica under a cherry tree in shade, they're beautiful and prehistoric looking, and have huge 'flowers' from autumn to spring. You can chop them back any time if they get too big, they just don't care. Astrantia are probably my favourite for shade - easy to grow and self seeding - foxgloves, and hypericum are both good in light shade, as are Columbine - which despite preferring sun, grow happily next to the Fatsia. Slugs won't eat any of them either, which is a prerequisite for my plant choices. 😁
Yes - well rotted is needed for beds/borders that are being planted up right away, so if you get it from them fresh, put it on the bare ground and leave it to rot for several months before planting. Any compost you can add will also help - cheap stuff from supermarkets is ideal for that. Otherwise, it's pointless planting anything without the soil being in decent conditions.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I really need something for the left hand corner, as it looks directly into next doors living room and when I am sitting in our living room everyone who comes to their front door can see directly in. The big tree in the middle used to be in the left corner blocking their door and window, however the original tree died and had to be cut down, but as you can see it has routed itself further along in the middle. I planted a Magnolia in the corner, but it is obviously in the wrong place and is not growing at all. We used to have a Forsythia growing along the left hand wall (as you look out) which did very well, in fact it got so big my husband took it out as it was blocking all the light! I pruned the buddleia last summer as it was very straggly and it looks a lot better, but I think I might need to do it again? It is nearly time to get started again so I am looking forward to following all your ideas and it looking much better in the future.
Without the soil being right, it's just a waste of time, effort and money to keep planting things that won't work. You won't necessarily need shrubs - there are plenty of perennials etc which are more than happy in shade. How much room is there in the bit you're meaning? Can you pinpoint it on one of the pix you've already posted, or use a graphic to alter one? It's not easy for us to know the various bits you're meaning, when you just say the left corner etc
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sorry, none of the photos actually show the bit I mean! There is a Magnolia Stellarta in the very corner, but it is not growing as it gets just a tiny bit of sun at the height of the summer. I need to put something in there which will block the corner, and give us privacy from next next door. Our house is right in the corner and our neighbours front lawn is right in front of our house.
Unless you improve the soil, plants won't thrive. Even in half decent conditions, it's worth spending as much on a planting hole as you do on the plant itself. It's a waste of money and time if you don't The M. stellata would struggle in there anyway, because of the wall. It would need planted further out from that, so widening the border is the answer. They're more of a specimen shrub, so something more mundane and evergreen would probably be better in there for a screen - Eleagnus or similar. The same applies to the wall. You'd need supports for most climbers, and plenty will suit, but the soil needs amended well enough to give them a chance of thriving. There are evergreen cotoneasters which are self supporting, and things like Pyracantha are the same, but they need adequate drainage and a decent growing medium.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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I have a huge, thriving Fatsia Japonica under a cherry tree in shade, they're beautiful and prehistoric looking, and have huge 'flowers' from autumn to spring. You can chop them back any time if they get too big, they just don't care.
Astrantia are probably my favourite for shade - easy to grow and self seeding - foxgloves, and hypericum are both good in light shade, as are Columbine - which despite preferring sun, grow happily next to the Fatsia. Slugs won't eat any of them either, which is a prerequisite for my plant choices. 😁
Otherwise, it's pointless planting anything without the soil being in decent conditions.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You won't necessarily need shrubs - there are plenty of perennials etc which are more than happy in shade.
How much room is there in the bit you're meaning? Can you pinpoint it on one of the pix you've already posted, or use a graphic to alter one? It's not easy for us to know the various bits you're meaning, when you just say the left corner etc
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The M. stellata would struggle in there anyway, because of the wall. It would need planted further out from that, so widening the border is the answer. They're more of a specimen shrub, so something more mundane and evergreen would probably be better in there for a screen - Eleagnus or similar.
The same applies to the wall. You'd need supports for most climbers, and plenty will suit, but the soil needs amended well enough to give them a chance of thriving. There are evergreen cotoneasters which are self supporting, and things like Pyracantha are the same, but they need adequate drainage and a decent growing medium.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...