On 16/06/2013 22:55, Spider wrote:
On 16/06/2013 20:34, Codster wrote:

Hi, I have an area at the back of the house that does not get any sun
and feels quite cold and damp with moss thriving on the concrete. So I
was looking for an alternative way of brightening it up with some
container plants rather than digging it up. Though this could be the
way forward dependant on replies.

Is there a good selection of plants available for containers that would
do well in this type of environment or is the option to bleed some sweat
and dig the concrete up for better plants? The area is approximately
8'x8'.

If I was to dig this area up, I would need plants that wouldn't have
invasive rooting system to threaten the wall structure of the house.

I have only really started getting green fingers and just managed to
fill most of the borders at the front with plants, so my knowledge is
limited to choosing the right plants for the right environment.

Thanks in advance.





It would help us to help you if we knew roughly where you live and what
is causing the coldness and dampness, in your opinion. Also, bearing in
mind that you have planted other areas, what kind of soil do you have
locally ... clayey, sandy, loamy, etc. Do you know that aspect of the
area you want to plant?

By the way, congratulations on the new green fingers. Hope you enjoy
gardening for many years to come.


A lot of it is "suck it and see". I would plant a few shade tolerant
(rather than shade loving) plants in pots and see what thrives. Maybe
dig up the concrete in a year or two when you know what your options are.
There is a big difference between dense shade (e.g. under a tree) and
somewhere that just doesn't receive direct sunlight (light will bounce
off pale coloured buildings nearby).
As Spider says, more detail about location and soil would help. Probably
save you money in failed experiments too!