Plant suggestions for a dry, shady border
 

We have a border approx 60 feet by 8 feet under mature deciduous trees, it
doesn't get much sun despite being South facing until mid-afternoon. The
clay soil is very dry - like a dust bowl - in Summer, except in Winter when
the trees have shed their leaves, then it stays rather wet. Any suggestions
for plants that would thrive in such conditions? The more rampant and
spreading the better. We don't want to spend any money trying to improve the
soil condition, but rather just make the best of what is already there.
Suggestions?
--
David
.... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk
.... Blog at http://dlts-french-adventures.blogspot.com/

Plant suggestions for a dry, shady border
 

In article ,
"David \(in Normandy\)" writes:
| We have a border approx 60 feet by 8 feet under mature deciduous trees, it
| doesn't get much sun despite being South facing until mid-afternoon. The
| clay soil is very dry - like a dust bowl - in Summer, except in Winter when
| the trees have shed their leaves, then it stays rather wet. Any suggestions
| for plants that would thrive in such conditions? The more rampant and
| spreading the better. We don't want to spend any money trying to improve the
| soil condition, but rather just make the best of what is already there.
| Suggestions?

You want native woodland plants (mainly bulbs, but not entirely), so I
would look through a flora. I don't know which like clay, but things
like bluebells and ramsons ramp when they like the conditions.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.