Hello everyone,
I am new to this list and new to northwest gardening. We recently moved to a 14 acre property, most of which is very neglected woodland. I am working on the cleared areas and planning my work in the woods. After clearing, which I hope I can find someone to do for us (I have no clue how to make the woods healthy) I plan a woodland garden in small clearings, along the edge of the woods in on the sides of paths.
This is a big project, so I am looking for groundcover for mossy areas behind and alongside the various outbuildings bordering the woods. I would like to start that part of my several year project this year. Any suggestions for sources and types of appropriate shade and moisture loving ground cover? I should add that we raise and show dogs, so I don't want anything that is poisonous to them, we have LOTS of slug (another new experience for me) and many wild critters (deer, elk, fox, bobcat, along with the regular birds, squirrels, etc).
We are on a ridge northwest of Portland, Oregon.
Any help will be much appreciated!
help please
Hey Soldier ---- Welcome to the list. Hope it turns out to be useful and informative for you. However, for future posts, as a courtesy to your fellow DGers, put more useful info than "help please" in the subject line for any thread you start. We all could use a little help, and all of us could put that in the subject line of all the subjects we start, ha.
This message was edited Apr 5, 2006 4:16 PM
soldier,
If you go to Plant Scout, you can search on your criteria. Hope it helps. I think Sweet Woodruff might be good. Hostas,,,deer like them, but you can find more deer resistant cultivars. Heuchera are nice. I'll prolly think of others. If I do, I'll let you know.
Kelly
Swelcom Soldier-
have you check out this thread yet? http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/586773/ ther are a lot of great suggestion given there.
Good luck.
Shady
This is a great little groundcover fern. Lemon Button Fern. I didn't put it on the thread that Shady mentioned because I wasn't sure of the zone. It is hardy to zone 8.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/92499/
Not that My notions and ideas are any good, but The unkept area you could tackle on your own about three to four trees a year. that gives you plenty of time to decide what, and how the garden goes and flows.
Start by simply picking a tree you want to keep and taking a string and tying it around the tree. then walk out apprx. 10 -12 feet from the tree and tie that off to a spade or can of spray paint. then walk around the tree in a complete circle and clear everything inside the circle to bare ground, excluding the tree. Then go to the next tree close to the one you just uncovered and do the same string trick.
Over time you will be clearing the wilderness area and creating pathways. If your soil is good and loamy then you can start digging in and adding plants and ground covers, shrubs or garden atractions. If soil is not so good at rocks your find on your property for raised beds (cheap and labor some but worth the glory in the end).
Over time you will have what you want and It will be yours, created by you, for you, and when others come to walk and stroll in the garden with you , you will be shareing a part of who you are with them.
Just a thought and suggestion.
calvin
Doss,
I love that fern, but can only grow it in pots.
Just read the first paragraph about dogs. Missed that part. I'm sort of one tune on this. Mondo grass is the way to go. It does like water but if it's given shade then it's pretty happy without too much. It's very deeply rooted, unlike turf. Don't have to mow it and the dogs will gleefully roll in it. If you want to walk on it buy the smaller size.
Glad that you're growing that lemon fern in pots, Shadyfolks. It's just delightful!
Thanks for all the suggestions. I have begun learning the shady thing with the space under a tree in another part of the yard. All it seems to grow is moss and, although I don't mind moss, some variety would be nice.
A friend gave me two pots of white bells and when I took them out of the pot I had about 50 bulbs. I planted them helter skelter around the shade under the tree. The next day she gave me two big bags full of blue bells, so I did the same with those. Someone gave me a nice Astilbe, I know not what color, nor does she. Makes it sort of exciting, huh? I love Astilbe so I may try to get more if this does well.
My soil is HEAVY clay with lots of pebbes. We are on the top of the first ridge of mountains west of Portland, Oregon. The soil leaves much to be desired, but I've managed with peatmoss, potting soil, sand, etc, to cultivate around each plant to a good distance and at a good depth.
This place has so much potential, but has not been "gardened" for some time, so it is sort of start from scratch everywhere. The property is 14 aces, but is mostly hilly woodland, which I plan to leave quite alone, as the forest service man who was nice enough to come out to see if we needed to do anything to improve its health said it is all quite healthy.
Thanks. I'll utilize your suggestions as I go.