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Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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Posted by marozeckinj SJ/PA zone 7 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 22, 07 at 21:55
| We have a narrow (about 3 ft) area between my house and my neighbors property line. The area get no sun and is only accessible to water via watering can and the occasional summer rain. We want to plant something here that will require very little if any care(besides ivy). We have to lift a lawnmower over a fence to get in there to mow, it is a total hassle.
Thanks for any suggestions
Melissa |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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| Do you want something that is a groundcover? If so Epimedium, lily of the valley or Pachysandra would work nicely. They require moisture the first year to get established then fend for themselves after that. Is there any sunshine in the spring (no tree leaves blocking light?) That would give many more options, like spring bulbs. Good dry shade perennials are Hellebore, Solomons seal and Lilyturf (green) . I'm still trying to figure out this part of my yard myself! Good luck, Jen |
RE: Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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| Don't forget the ferns. Snakeroot, mayapple are other possibilities. |
RE: Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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| Geranium macrorrhizum, and some of the new Heucheras, Tiarella, Christmas ferns, Euphorbias, Eupatorium rugosum. |
RE: Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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| Asarum canadense, Canadian wild ginger, takes dry shade very well and is pretty much maintenence free, no deadheading required. |
RE: Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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| If it's totally unaccessible, I'd put in Bishop's weed or pachysandra. Both will grow just about anywhere and require no maintenance. |
RE: Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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| Hmmmm.....only one or two species of euphorbias are very well adapted to shade and to get the best performance from hellebores they need some sun as well. Contrary to popular belief, hellebores are not shade lovers but merely shade tolerant and only modestly so. The groundcovers mentioned are good choices, but in your zone, I'd also recommend dwarf Himalayan sweet box, Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis. And excellent, slowly colonizing and spreading small evergreen with very glossy foliage and enticingly fragrant late winter flowers. It is extremely tolerant of dry shade. |
RE: Total Shade & No Water...HELP!!!
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