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gardeningatnight

Beginner advice for shady garden?

GardeningAtNight
9 years ago

I have a very small backyard in west Houston (Energy Corridor), most of it dominated by ho-hum generic developer landscaping.

However, there is one small patch, about 1.5-2' X 10-15' that is currently just a mulched bed with nothing in it and no improvement to the soil. (see attached picture. The bed extends another few feet past the arrow in the picture)

The bed is in moderate shade most of the day, except for the morning when it gets a little bit of filtered direct light through my neighbor's trees. So it;s mostly shaded by the overhanging roof and just has one crepe myrtle in it.

I'd appreciate any recommendations you had for what to do with it, in terms of soil improvements needed, whether it should be a raised bed (it's against the foundation), what species would be a good mix for shade, etc. Low maintenance is a plus, as are perennials:)

I am a very new gardener, and most have just raised container veggies and herbs, so any advice at all is appreciated. I'd just like to have that bed be something more than a mulched strip.

Thanks!

Comments (19)

  • GardeningAtNight
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    here's the same bed, from the opposite direction

  • sienna_98
    9 years ago

    I would recommend hostas and perhaps impatiens for some (annual) color...

  • sylviatexas1
    9 years ago

    Lovely yard/garden!

    Aucuba would thrive there, & so would pigeon berry.

  • dbarron
    9 years ago

    Go to Barton Springs Nursery and ask for help for shade, and you'll see a lot of ideas (mainly native plants that will be able to make do on not too great amounts of watering, once established).
    If you're like me, either take cash or set your mind on how much you're going to spend....it's easy to get carried away.

    Maybe first trip you just get options and write down..come back and research (what I'd do).

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago

    Impatiens. I have had the same impatiens for years in a similar spot of my yard and they make babies and come back every year due to our mild winters.

  • cynthianovak
    9 years ago

    If you are on facebook I have a garden page open to all called Graciesfrontgarden. It's deep shade top bright shade to part sun to full Sun. Happy to answer any questions. My photo was rejected here...too big....c

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    9 years ago

    Cynthia, I never knew about your "Gracies Front Garden" facebook page. I LOVE IT. And I especially loved the seven minute video of your front garden. Thank you for making it. Next you might favor us with a video of the back garden with all your bougies ... :-)

    For those who don't 'do' facebook below is a link to the video. It should give the original poster some good ideas.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Gracies Front Garden on Youtube ...

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago

    Hinckley (yellow) columbine is a nice trouble free Texas native for shade. Seems to do fine in clay, just grows a little slower.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Yellow Columbine, Texas Gold Columbine, Hinckleyâs Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia hinckleyana)

  • GardeningAtNight
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the advice all!

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    9 years ago

    Shrimp plant is a perenial that does well in dry shade. Fruit cocktail is my favorite and doesn't get as tall as the red and orange ones.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Thread about Shrimp plant 'fruit cocktail'

    This post was edited by roselee on Fri, Aug 22, 14 at 16:04

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago

    Greek pattern plant AKA Bears breeches(Acanthus molls), Cast iron plant (Aphidistra) comes in many interesting varieties with spots and variegation. Both are EASY can't kill plants.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago

    I found this article on Agri-life for shade gardening in Houston. Someone wrote this article just for you.

    I was also thinking, gingers, Chinese ground orchids (Bletilla), peacock Gingers,Camilla, ajuga,

    I googled "shade plant for Houston and came up with many pertinent articles and suggestions.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Shade gardening in Houston

  • ahelaumakani
    9 years ago

    Moses-in-the-cradle, liriope, impatiens. I've had some luck with maid of Orleans jasmine too. Hostas may be difficult since Houston doesn't get that cold. Dbarron, Barton Springs Nursery is in Austin.

  • dbarron
    9 years ago

    Lol, yes, I knew where the nursery was...I just got confused where the OP was. Hmm, I lived in Houston, but I don't have a good feel for any nursery I encountered there.

  • Lin barkingdogwoods
    9 years ago

    I have a lot of shade but not near the house, so I was (mentally) running through what might work. I'm farther north than you are, but I have some suggestions that may work in that spot, so maybe Houstonians could weigh in on how they'd do there.

    How about some holly fern? It's evergreen and has an interesting texture.

    Southern wood fern is gorgeous, but it's deciduous here in zone 8a.

    And some Lenten roses (hellebores) for winter bloom and year-round foliage.

    Someone else mentioned cast iron plant (aspidistra). You don't have to settle for plain green, as there are variegated versions. They'd make a nice dark backdrop or a vertical accent.

    Hope some of this helps. LMK if you want photos of anything I've listed.

  • GardeningAtNight
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I really appreciate all the advice. Does anyone have any good reference for designing the garden itself? You've given me some great leads on plants, but I have no idea how to group them, etc. Anyone have examples or know a good reference?

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago

    Have you looked around at photos or actual gardens of thin beds to see what you like. I would keep the plants low near the ends and in front of the windows. One can put in a lattice for vines to climb on where the wall is. I was always one of those who just plunk them in and redo as I go. Maybe leave some as a annual areas, and for bulbs that you replace every year. Go to nurseries and see what you like. Take a walk in a botanical park and hang in the shade areas and take notes. I don't like talking design because , it is a vague area and I don't know your likes and dislikes. Magazines are a good source and there are some books on garden design in the library. Ask yourself, do you want it to be low , seen as a single mass, or do you want it to be devided up into spaces with different levels and textures. Then ask if you want the same, are you looking for interesting foliage that will be of interest all year long. One can leave small spaces to put in annual color . If you go to the different mass look . Look at your wall and start dividing, and then sit down and think of different times of the year and different bloom time and such. Gardening is very much about the passage of time. It is all about finding out what YOU want from it. Don't worry, there are infinite number of do overs. It is a learning process. One can look for something simple like ajuga repens and columbine (bloom together in spring blue and yellow), or cast iron plant and then start putting things in as you discover them.

    Some people say do a low plant for most of it and then some tall thin plants to break the horizontality. The low plant you need to be aware of them getting into the walk way. some people are more OCD about this than me. Wet plants after a rain will bend over. I don't care but my realtor that sold my house had me rip out a whole bunch of plants. PISSED me off royally.

  • GardeningAtNight
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks! I appreciate the tips. I have been looking at a lot of sources, but am totally hampered by paralysis of choice...so many options, I don't know where to start. Especially since I'm totally new to gardens of this sort.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago

    If you don't like it, you can do it over â¦.Kinda like moving furniture.

    Personally a variegated or spotted cast iron plant would be a good starting point. They can be pricy on Plant Delights ( a we base nursery, But they have a great page of them to familiarize yourself with , then see if a nursery has them locally for cheaper. One can start out with a smaller clip of them and as they grow larger, expand the clump by cutting stolons off of them and start ing more clumps on your wall. Some cast iron plants have beautiful graphic variations that play with lights and darks that accentuate their forms. They bring graphic interest into dark areas and are very care free.

    I love Aspidistra elatior 'snow cap' and A. elatior 'Asahe'. If you google "Aspidistra plants" and pull up images , you will see a lot of variations of the plant. There are many as mentioned above.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Some Cast Iron Plants