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Shady spot..what to do?
bekkie hughes
Posts: 5,294
Hi 
I dug a new compost pit yesterday in the bit of the garden ive never paid much attention to because its shaded by the gable end of the house until late evening in the summer (north/north west facing), but i found yesterday, it is very sheltered, the ground wasnt frozen, the soil was lovely and soft, and the worms were active I had planned to leave that bit wild, maybe add a few wild flower seeds, but does anyone have a better idea? Just interested to hear your thoughts
I dug a new compost pit yesterday in the bit of the garden ive never paid much attention to because its shaded by the gable end of the house until late evening in the summer (north/north west facing), but i found yesterday, it is very sheltered, the ground wasnt frozen, the soil was lovely and soft, and the worms were active I had planned to leave that bit wild, maybe add a few wild flower seeds, but does anyone have a better idea? Just interested to hear your thoughts 0
Posts
How deep is the strip? If it's shallow & between the house & the path I would be wary of putting a rowan tree in - it will either struggle for water in a rain shadow or will grow big so you are always ducking round it.
If however the strip is deep enough - go for it. Fatsia japonica might also do well in this location.
Only suggestions as I'm not sure exactly where this strip is. Is it directly against the house or does the path run between the strip and the house?
The path is between the house and this bit of garden, its probably about two foot wide, then another little brick path, then the veggie bed starts where the shadow from the house ends.
The rowan tree has been moved allover the garden, its not got very big roots, at the moment its taking up valuble space in one of the sunny beds, its not one i brought, i found it as a sapling where the fence between us a nd nextdoor is now.
Ive got a few fatsias, i suppose i could move one of them, i can easily move the brick path, or change its shape. The geraniums are interesting, ive still got loads in a nursery bed from splits last year...looks like i might be able to make a nice litle patch from what ive got
I'd be tempted by some evergreen shrubs that you can keep nicely shaped (yew, eunonymous, pittosporum, or holly for example - maybe even grown as standards) and then underplanted with bulbs, ferns, hostas, geraniums etc.
Have fun
Golden or variegated shrubs can be nice in shade, they shine out. I have a golden philadelphus in full shade from the house, also a clematis Jean Paul ii, hostas and heucheras.
Aaaah, all this talk of beautiful plants is making me want to go out into my frosty garden and do something - anything! Sick of this cold - roll on spring!
I wouldn't plant any trees there Bekkie, it's sounds as if it's a bit too close to the house. In the shady strip in my garden, I have light coloured heucheras, chocolate vine, winter flowering honeysuckle, and foxgloves.