On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 10:06:02 -0600, Michael Moss wrote:

Hi folks, I'm new here..
Last year we had our deck rebuilt (added real footings) so this year I
want to plant something that will fill out and cover up the space
between the ground and the decking cause it just plain looks bad the way
it is.
deck is on the north side of the house, soil is quite sandy (live on a
lake) well shaded most of the day. Deck is about 3 feet above ground level
we live in the middle of minnesota, and I'm thinking I would like to
plant ferns. How close together do I need to plant to get a good "fill"
within a couple years...
Is there a better option??
TIA

I left lupine off my list. They grow quite well in the upper midwest.
Last summer, I had blossoms reaching 1.5 meters.