My brother-on-law asked me about what perrenials would be suitable for a
northern exposure. We are in zone 5 (although he is a bit further north,
right on the edge of the great Canadian shield). Just to the north of his
property, the "soil" is just a few inches thick, when it is present at all.
Most of his property is covered with sand, and that to a significant depth.
There is an underground stream that runs through his property and a swamp a
few hundred metres south of his property. On the west side of the house, he
has lots of lilies which generally do very well.

So then, it is fair to say that he has very well drained soil, with no
dearth of water. And the soil near the house has been enriched with organic
matter for the past ten years at least.

The beds to the north of the house get direct sunlight only during the late
afternoon and evening at this time of year.

Because he works insane hours during the summer, he wants perrenials that
require no more care than do his lilies.

any ideas?

Thanks,

Ted

Hosta would be a good choice, as would astilbe, ferns, dutchman's breeches,
bleeding heart and goat's beard.

Most of these bloom in early spring, but the hosta offer a wide range of
leaf colors, and bloom later.

"Ted Byers" wrote in message
.. .
My brother-on-law asked me about what perrenials would be suitable for a
northern exposure. We are in zone 5 (although he is a bit further north,
right on the edge of the great Canadian shield). Just to the north of his
property, the "soil" is just a few inches thick, when it is present at
all.
Most of his property is covered with sand, and that to a significant
depth.
There is an underground stream that runs through his property and a swamp
a
few hundred metres south of his property. On the west side of the house,
he
has lots of lilies which generally do very well.


I have a similar situation, but my soil is heavy clay. I have:
Lily-of-the-Valley -- Convallaria majalis
tons of hosta of all sizes and colors
lots of daylilies
bee balm -- monarda
lung worth -- pulmonaria
ferns
astilbe
coral bells -- heuchera
foam flower -- tiarella
heucherella,
several varieties of spirea
Japanese Maple
lamb's ear --Stachys byzantina
perennial geraniums (clerege Druce is almost invasive on my slope)
spider wort -- Tradescantia
Catmint --Nepeta x faassenii
evening primrose --Oenothera macrocarpa
several types of sedum
bleeding heart -- dicentra
hyssop
torch lily -- knifofia
Sweet woodruff -- gallium
bergenia
lilacs
stoke's asters -- Stokesia laevis
and others. Mine also only get the late afternoon and evening sun as the
house block the mooring sun and there are woods to north and east.