Could someone suggest some bushes that I would be able to plant up against the
front porch of our house, the porch goes the full length of the house. Our
house faces East. So it would get early morning sun until noon, then nothing
after that. Our small front yard doesn't get much sunlight at all, it's mostly
moss and dirt at least for now. Any ideas? They can be green or flowering,
doesn't matter.
Kirsten in Northeast Ohio

In article ,
(KatoKirk) wrote:

Could someone suggest some bushes that I would be able to plant up against the
front porch of our house, the porch goes the full length of the house. Our
house faces East. So it would get early morning sun until noon, then nothing
after that. Our small front yard doesn't get much sunlight at all, it's
mostly
moss and dirt at least for now. Any ideas? They can be green or flowering,
doesn't matter.
Kirsten in Northeast Ohio

As you've moss, I assume you have moisture; as you good morning sunlight,
sounds like a reasonably good environment for large deciduous azaleas. I'm
not sure what zone northern Ohio is, but if its around about Zone 4, you
should look at the "Northern Lights" series of azaleas which are extremely
cold-hardy. There are some that stay in the three-foot range, but the
majority get to be 5 or 8 feet or even bigger. As they grow slowly,
though, you'd want the biggest ones you could find & afford so you won't
have to wait forever for them to be splendid shrubs. The leaves alone are
gorgeous crinkled things that turn the most amazing colors in autumn, &
the spring flowers are in every shade. Not all the Northern Lights are of
equal quality so nice if you could visit somewhere that has a lot of
settled specimens so you can judge them in bloom & decide on favorites
ahead of time. The best of them are simply great. In my zone it isn't
necessary to stick to the ones that are ultra cold-hardy, but I obtained
one from the Northern Lights series anyway because it's just so extremely
beautiful:
http://www.paghat.com/azalea_apricot.html
It's a bit different from most Northern Lights in that the flowers are a
bit smaller & more delicate-looking.

Northern Lights are by no means the only cold-hardy azaleas, a great many
deciduous azaleas that are good for Ohio weather, but not very many
evergreen ones do well below Zone 5. An exception is Rhododendron
"Herbert," a tough wide-spreading short purple evergreen azalea. There are
many evergreen dwarf azaleas & rhododendrons specially bred for alpine
conditions, but fewer of the large evergreen rhododendrons that can stand
up to extreme winters. One that can is "PJM" -- its evergreen leaves turn
bright mahagony in the winter, & it blooms at the first hint of spring.

But the deciduous azaleas are among the most striking shrubs of all.
Others than the entire Northern Lights series you could also look at R.
mucronulatum from Korea, with either pink or magenta flowers, or any of
the "Mollis" azaleas of which there are many colors. "Roseshells" (R.
prinophyllum) is one of the parent shrubs for the majority of the Northern
Lights series, but the pure species is itself a good cold-hardy shrub. The
largest & most amazing deciduous azaleas to tolerate the cold are the
"Exbury hybrids" which can stand temperatures down to minus 15 if they
have to, which is not as fantastically cold-hardy as the Northern Lights
shrubs, but still pretty damned hardy. There is variation in their
cold-hardiness so the specific cultivar has to be referenced for
appropriate zone.

Generally speaking deciduous azaleas like full morning sun, OR full
afternoon sun, but cook if they have both. If there are places where they
also get afternoon sun, they may need to have a tree nearby to give them a
bit of shade.

Mount Airy Fothergilla is supposed to do well down to zone 4 -- it has
excellent autumn colors, & fluffy white bottlebrush flowers. Philadelphus
"Mock Orange" is suitable, a tall fountaining shrub usually, with strongly
scented white flowers. Among evergreens, yews, arborvitae, & junipers
will be common offerings for your area I bet. Look at hundreds before
choosing any though, as the varieties are very extensive; the majority of
them are just not very interesting, but with patience can find really
specimen-worthy offerings.

Some things though suitable I'd skip. There are many Barberry shrubs that
would do well, but they are very spiky & you wouldn't want them close to
any path. Some boxes might live in your region & remain evergreen, but to
me they're dull shrubs, & I'd rather have something that flowers &/or
berries nicely.

If you can find anyone locally involved with a Native Plants Society
(probably can find out through nearest university horticultural
extension) you could well end up astonished how many no-maintence shrubs
of considerable beauty evolved right in your own region & are most
suitable to gardens. You would probably be rewarded by a Serviceberry for
instance. Pagoda Dogwood, Redtwig dogwood, wild witchhazel (yellow winter
flowers smell very sweet, unlike the more exotic cultivars that have
almost no scent), elderberry, several viburnums native to your state
including some that produce beautiful bright berries that keep color in
the garden even in winter. Choke Berry is a beautiful little shrub with
shiny-green leaves that turn brilliant autumn colors, & black berries that
cling to the branches to the end of autumn at least. Lindera "Spicebush"
has beautifully scented leaves & yellow flowers. Snowberry is a pleasing
compact shrub with pinkish-white bell-flowers & fat snow-white berries.
Vaccinium corymbosum or Highbush Blueberry has great autumn color & feeds
you dusty blue berries to boot. All of these & others should be available
to you in local nurseries, though perhaps you'd have to find a native
plants specialist in your area.

I may be overestimating how cold it gets in your area; if you're actually
Zone 5 there are even more choices. But since my sweety sometimes
threatens to move us to the snow country of northern Idaho, I think
sometimes how I'd adapt to a colder zone rather than my ideal Zone 8 which
is good for just everything. Andthe idea of an array of deciduous azaleas
as amazing anchors, filling in with native shrubs, strikes me as quite a
good gardening premise, so that I wouldn't miss too awfully much all the
many sensitive temperate things I presently also grow.

-paghat the ratgrow

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

Northern Ohio Zone 4 Zone 5
Lake Erie Shore Zone 5 Zone 6

I am not so much Northern Ohio, more like Lake Erie Shore, we are only 20 miles
south of Cleveland which is right on the Erie shore. I love azaleas, they are
beautiful flowering bush. I was planning on getting some last spring but we
didn't have much spending money, DH was out of work. This spring we can afford
them, so I'll go out a buy some and I'll also make sure I look into the
Northern Lights series. Thanks so much for your help, you gave me many ideas.
I am excited now because I get to plant my glad bulbs this weekend. Just not
quite sure where I want to plant them yet. Thanks again.
Kirsten in Ohio
Zone 5-6

"KatoKirk" wrote in message
...
Northern Ohio Zone 4 Zone 5
Lake Erie Shore Zone 5 Zone 6

snip

I am excited now because I get to plant my glad bulbs this weekend. Just
not
quite sure where I want to plant them yet. Thanks again.
Kirsten in Ohio
Zone 5-6

Kirsten, you're lucky! I can't plant my glads until at least the end of
May. Actually, the way this winter just won't let up, it's likely to be
July!
--
Tammie
Zone 2b-3a Far Northern Ontario
http://community.webshots.com/user/_tammie57

Sorry you have to wait so long before you can do any planting. The end of May
will be here before we know it. Today it is about 65F. I think we are done
with the chance of another frost, I am going to put my plants outside on the
porch this weekend too. I love spring.
Kirsten in Ohio
Zone 5-6

"KatoKirk" wrote in message
...
Sorry you have to wait so long before you can do any planting. The end of
May
will be here before we know it. Today it is about 65F. I think we are
done
with the chance of another frost, I am going to put my plants outside on
the
porch this weekend too. I love spring.
Kirsten in Ohio
Zone 5-6


I would love to HAVE spring! It was -25C here this morning and we still
have over 2 feet of snow. I think it's time to move!
--
Tammie
Zone 2b-3a Far Northern Ontario
http://community.webshots.com/user/_tammie57

I couldn't handle it being that cold and that much snow for such a long time.
I love snow, but only for a month or so...I do put up with it for a few months
here in Ohio, but it's so nice to see it getting all green again, winter is so
drab. Move down further south. But I know that Canada is very beautiful too.
Kirsten in Ohio
Zone 5-6