Last year my folks moved a little valley in Seal Rock, near the coast. Their property is circled on two sides (south and west) by a ridge that is about as tall as a house. Though few evergreen trees (firs?) were actually on their land, there was a thick stand to the south and there are some to the west. At the edge of the woods are gorgeous, wild rhodies and huckleberry bushes. MOm loves the wild natural feel to the place, like living at the edge of the woods. It was shady and cool and well protected from the wind. They have about an acre. The people who own the lot to the south of them took out some of the tall trees to put in a house, but realized that this weakened the stand and to avoid liability if any of the remaining trees should fall down the hill onto my parent's house, they cut the whole woods down.

Now, what used to be a shady north-facing slope full of ferns and rhodies and huckleberries is in full sun. My mom is hoping the rhodies survive this change, but my husband says they will not like full sun. I suggested she plant a hedge of phontinia or some fast-growing bush along the top of the ridge to provide shade and protect what native shade-loving plants might survive the first year or two.

Are the rhodies likely to survive? Mom says they are "wild". They are large and have brilliant pink blooms and they are growing like weeds everywhere. MOm has been digging up the babies in hopes of planting a "hedge" along their east border, but the shade from the south has been removed from there as well. Any thoughts?