I am in zone 3b. I have areas that receive full and some shade most of the day but also receive 3 to 4 hours of full sun. Soil is mostly sand. It's been awfully dry the last few seasons. Any plant suggestions?
Suggestions needed
Sorry that no one has answered you sybil. I'm too zone and soil challenged. The only thing that I can think of is statice. Mine will grow in part shade and they can go down to zone 3a. I do grow a different type though that is a zone 9 plant.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/903/index.html
Some semperiviums will grow down to zone 3 and your situation might be perfect for them. I know that you probably have more shade than they normally grow but it would be worth a try.
http://www.edelweissperennials.com/quicklist.asp?index=S
These are good suggestions. I need "fill" plants to make the garden area look more like a garden and less like it does! I am posting 2 photos from last year. I will take new ones from this year so far. Hopefully my new plantings will take.
Another shot from last year.
sybil, right off the top of my head I would say some rugosa roses.you don't spray them,
well for your zone, they thrive in sandy soils.
I'd even try a clematis or 2.
I like what you've done. Are those astibles there? If you can grow astilbes then you don't have to worry about a dry problem.
I think that the random rocks may be bothering you. If you want it to look more like a garden I'd suggest some sort of groundcover or low plant edging the garden with a groundcover or perhaps even a hosta. Golden Tiara is a good one but buy them from a reliable source or trade with someone who knows something about HVX.
Tiarellas will grow in sandy soil and I did find one at Plant Delights nursery that goes down to zone 3. You'd have to look around though because Plant Delights is expensive - unless that's not a problem for you.
Seems as if you really want a groundcover at this point. Perhaps golden creeping jenny is what you might want. It's hardy in your zone and although it can be sort of invasive it's easily controlled. I think that it might give you the unity you like.
I will investigate your suggestions. I certainly need something that will tie things together. I am posting 3 shots taken this morning at 11:30. As you can see, the areas are just getting sunlight, or it has passed. The hot sun will stick around for a couple of hours and that will be that. I have tried some new things and hope they will survive. I did just add 3 varieties of Hosta.
We have an added problem this year. We had two types of worms that came through and stripped the crab apple trees, nearly destroyed the birch and ate their way through the elms and oaks. We might lose some trees since we had a drought last year. The trees may not recover. As it stands I am short shade this season.
I love gardening but don't really have an eye for it so I do appreciate all suggestions - especially given the problems!
Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Next part of garden.
Last image.
Sorry, I duplicated an image. Here's the other one.
I do think that you have an eye. I think if you repeat plants, put three of the same type of plant together for example, you will be doing fine. It's hard with the hostas as they will probably get a lot larger. That's why creeping Jenny or some beautiful mulch would help. You are harder on yourself than you need be. Will astibles grow in your sand or is it too quick draining? I'd like to see some taller plants next to the fence but your conditions are pretty foreign to me. You get the idea.
doss, the Astilbe is doing fairly well where it's planted because it gets most of the shade. These are second year plants so I am feeling wildly successful with them!
I will be off to the local garden center - such as it is - to check out everyone's suggestions against their stock. I am intrigued with the idea of Rugosa roses. I've never heard of them.
The creeping jenny won't work because the soil is way too dry.
I'm with you on wanting to see some varying heights of plants. I put in two new Lupines this year. The one from last year came up but is struggling. The roses might just do the trick.
Thanks again.
I'll post more photos as things improve!
I agree you have done an outstanding job! it just seems overwhelming at first until things start filling in and growing up.
I don't have any advice because I am still really new to gardening, and my soil conditions and zone are pretty different from yours, but I wanted to say that I think what you've done looks great so far! I think doss' suggestion of planting groups of the same things together is good because it creates bigger shapes and makes things look fuller overall. I'm trying to do more of that in my own garden.