Re: [gardeners] My new shade bed
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 25 Jun 2001 20:23:20 -0500
That's weird, lily of the valley isn't invasive at all around here. We have
trouble keeping it alive.
George
lneuru wrote:
>
> lily of the valley? ARghhhhhh Terry, that's one of THE most invasive
> plants I've ever seen.....it kills feverfew and bermuda grass. Be very
> careful (= be afraid, be very afraid...)
>
> everything else sounds lovely, though - and the lily is too, until it
> becomes too much of a gng.
>
> Lucinda
>
> ----------
> > From: Terry King <taeking@endlesshealth.com>
> > To: Gardeners <gardeners@globalgarden.com>
> > Subject: [gardeners] My new shade bed
> > Date: Monday, June 25, 2001 6:47 PM
> >
> > Well it official now, I've earned an Assistant Accounting Certificate and
> > have a break from school until I decide to finish my AA. Now I can chat
> > more.
> >
> > Earlier this spring I planted a new flower bed inside the north end of
> our
> > circular driveway. The area is about 20' long and about 12' wide in the
> > middle and contains eight trees, Larch and Douglas Fir. For the past
> > several years this spot has been the dogs favorite place to dig dust
> hovels,
> > so you can imagine how dry and dusty it was. Last summer when I
> installed
> > our new patio I dumped the soil we dug out in the dog's holes around the
> > trees and some friend made a nice rock edging. The edging survived the
> > winter and the snowplow so I figured it was safe to plant.
> >
> > Because its so dry and mostly shady I had a hard time deciding what to
> > plant. Finally I decided to look at what grows wild in similar areas in
> the
> > forest around me.
> >
> > In the wild dry shady areas here are found Aquilegia canadensis, False
> > Solomon's Seal, heart-leaf Arnica, Johnny Jump-ups, Clematis occidentalis
> > and Snowberry.
> >
> > After realizing how much would grow in this spot with a little TLC and
> while
> > browsing at the local nursery I decided on a motif of Columbines and
> hardy
> > Geraniums with a few Hostas mixed in to give a woodland feel.
> >
> > After I added 4" of old hay stems the sheep didn't eat, dry cow manure,
> and
> > some grass clippings I planted:
> > 1 each of the hostas - Big Daddy, Francee, Silver Crown, and Frances
> > Williams.
> >
> > 1 each of the hardy geraniums - Ballerina, Patricia, Bevan's Variety,
> > Johnson's Blue, G. pratense 'Victor Reiter'(a purple leaved variety), and
> G.
> > phaeum 'Samobor'(the closest I've seen to a red flowered hardy geranium
> and
> > it has zones in the leaves).
> >
> > 1 each of Aquilegia - Cardinal, Dragonfly, Colorado Violet & White,
> Crimson
> > Star, McKana Hybrid, and one that is supposed to be Woodside Strain
> > variegated with pale blue flowers but is actually a golden colored with
> > white flowers.
> >
> > 2 Mini Star Aquilegia with short spurs, planted along the border
> >
> > 3 Cameo Rose & White Aquilegia, planted along the border
> >
> > Then to fill in I planted:
> > Lily of the Valley in between the trees but I may have to replace
> > with real
> > False Solomon's Seal if it proves too dry.
> > 2 Dwarf Goats Beard
> > 2 Birchs Hybrid Campanula
> > 1 Cenataurea Bella
> > 2 Little Leo's Leopards Bane
> > 2 Royal Purple Corydalis (a purple leaved variety with pale blue
> > flowers),
> > planted along the border
> > 2 Crazy Daisy's (double flowers Shasta Daisy) planted on the
> sunnier
> > ends.
> > 2 Orange Phlox, (its probably too shady and the orange may clash
> but
> > I had
> > to have them and figured this was a place where they would not get
> > mildew,
> > so far so good.)
> >
> > Then along the inside edge that will have grass growing up to it I
> planted a
> > row of Snow on the Mountain - Aegopodium, where if they get invasive the
> > trees will slow them down on one side and they can be mowed on the other.
> >
> > I topped the whole bed with small bark chips and it is bordered on the
> > outside by the native river rock edging mentioned above.
> >
> > All the plants are widely spaced so competition for water won't be too
> bad.
> > I've been enjoying the blossoms of the geraniums, Crimson Star (the
> center
> > piece of the bed), Mini stars and Cameo Columbines, Royal Purple
> Corydalis
> > and the Birchs Campanula. The other Columbine have not yet bloomed and
> the
> > hostas are just sending up flower stalks.
> >
> > I may have to move some of the more sun loving plants if they don't bloom
> > well but for now all look like they are thriving. I wish I had purchased
> > another Francee hosta or two. It is magnificent and looks wonderful
> against
> > the reddish bark.
> >
> > I'll try to get a photo sometime this summer and post it to a website.
> >
> > Terry
> > E. WA. zone 4