I have at the back of my garden a patch where little grows on it. It has
trees above, the lawn gets patchy as one goes furhter.

(i) If where the grass grows patchily, if I put some turf down in spring is
it likely to stay? I've tried seed (including shady) but not much joy.

(ii) For the shadiest bit, I'd like some sort of shrubs that will grow as
fast as possible in shade and to a good height, eventually over 8foot?

(iii) Suggestions for perennial flowers, colour in the summer, in semi
shade?

Your help would be appreciated.

Colin

In article , Colin
writes
I have at the back of my garden a patch where little grows on it. It has
trees above, the lawn gets patchy as one goes furhter.

(i) If where the grass grows patchily, if I put some turf down in spring is
it likely to stay? I've tried seed (including shady) but not much joy.

No. Too dry and too shady for grass. That's why you don't usually get
grass in woodland

(ii) For the shadiest bit, I'd like some sort of shrubs that will grow as
fast as possible in shade and to a good height, eventually over 8foot?

Cherry laurel (be aware that it is poisonous, including the berries) and
'spotty laurel' Aucuba.

(iii) Suggestions for perennial flowers, colour in the summer, in semi
shade?

Difficult. Most woodland things take advantage of the higher light
levels before the leaves grow in spring. Hardy cyclamen would do well
and give you flowers in autumn followed by variegated leaves through to
summer. But colour in summer is more difficult to come by - I'd try a
variation of foliage, and then add some pots of impatiens or similar for
a splash of colour, and replace them with something else when they go
over.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 -0000, "Colin"
wrote:

I have at the back of my garden a patch where little grows on it. It has
trees above, the lawn gets patchy as one goes furhter.

(i) If where the grass grows patchily, if I put some turf down in spring is
it likely to stay? I've tried seed (including shady) but not much joy.

(ii) For the shadiest bit, I'd like some sort of shrubs that will grow as
fast as possible in shade and to a good height, eventually over 8foot?

(iii) Suggestions for perennial flowers, colour in the summer, in semi
shade?

Your help would be appreciated.

How dry is it?
If the trees root nearby you can end up with a dry, shady patch which
can be quite tricky to cultivate.

I have a couple of shady spots where I grow tall plants as a backdrop,
and I've found Angelica to be quite a striking addition.
Granted, they're not shrubs, but you'll maybe need something to fill
the space out while the other stuff gets going.
Foxgloves are another good filler, seemingly able to tolerate quite
hardy conditions.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article ,
(Colin) wrote:

(ii) For the shadiest bit, I'd like some sort of shrubs that will
grow as fast as possible in shade and to a good height, eventually
over 8foot?

Kerria Japonica will just about do the height. I have put some in a a
dry *fairly* shady patch and it's survived 12 months.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:183735


"Colin" wrote in message
...
I have at the back of my garden a patch where little grows on it. It has
trees above, the lawn gets patchy as one goes furhter.

(i) If where the grass grows patchily, if I put some turf down in spring is
it likely to stay? I've tried seed (including shady) but not much joy.

(ii) For the shadiest bit, I'd like some sort of shrubs that will grow as
fast as possible in shade and to a good height, eventually over 8foot?

(iii) Suggestions for perennial flowers, colour in the summer, in semi
shade?

Your help would be appreciated.

Colin

Have a look at the URG FAQ page :
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqshade.htm

Loads of info there :~)
Jenny

"Colin" wrote in message
...
I have at the back of my garden a patch where little grows on it. It has
trees above, the lawn gets patchy as one goes furhter.

(i) If where the grass grows patchily, if I put some turf down in spring
is
it likely to stay? I've tried seed (including shady) but not much joy.

(ii) For the shadiest bit, I'd like some sort of shrubs that will grow as
fast as possible in shade and to a good height, eventually over 8foot?

(iii) Suggestions for perennial flowers, colour in the summer, in semi
shade?

Your help would be appreciated.

Colin


As a designer and ecologist I find the best results come from looking at the
local flora. Go to a woody patch with the same orientation (North, East,
West etc.) and see what grows. Derivatives of all the plants there will be
at the nursery! Or the RHS plants for places book is a great guide.

Neil Faulkner
www.conceptgardens.com

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 +0000, Colin wrote:

I saw Alan Titchmarsh's fern garden, (shady spot) on the TV a couple of
weeks ago, and it looked really impressive. My shady spot at the bottom
of my garden has ferns and foxgloves, although the ferns didn't look as
good as Alan's, but last year was the first time I had it planted, so I
hope it will look better this year.

I also have bluebells growing in it and some other native flowers (wild
geraniums, etc. I am hoping some of them will come back again this year.
The bluebells have started to emerge, so at least they will be back!

Regards,

Paul.

In article , Paul Taylor
writes
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 +0000, Colin wrote:

I saw Alan Titchmarsh's fern garden, (shady spot) on the TV a couple of
weeks ago, and it looked really impressive. My shady spot at the bottom
of my garden has ferns and foxgloves, although the ferns didn't look as
good as Alan's, but last year was the first time I had it planted, so I
hope it will look better this year.

yes - gardens need time to grow! I reckon 5 years for a garden really to
come together. Most ferns need it moist (at least not drying out) but
others are happy for it to be drier.

I also have bluebells growing in it and some other native flowers (wild
geraniums, etc. I am hoping some of them will come back again this year.
The bluebells have started to emerge, so at least they will be back!

The geraniums are mostly perennial, so they should be back. Some are
more tolerant of shade than others - try G phaeum 'Mourning widow' -
dark purple flower, and the various garden varieties of it, eg Samobar,
with prominent dark blotch on each leaf.

You sound as if you are concentrating on native plants. If your shady
spot is moist, try primroses, violets. Ramsons - wild garlic - spreads
well and gives a good show of white flowers. Wood anemone, wood sorrel
(both white), red campion are others, also, for something a bit
different, butchers broom - no leaves, but stems flattened into prickly
leaf like structures, with tiny flowers and later (if you have a male
and a female plant) red berries coming straight out of the 'leaves'.
Wood spurge gives some show almost all the year round - and again has
attractive garden varieties. Epimediums - graceful heartshaped leaves
and yellow or pink flowers. Hellebores - relatives of the christmas rose
- with 'flowers' in white, green, cream, pink or purple.

There's a FAQ on plants to grow in the shade - I think the weekly abc
post gives directions to it. And for native plants, look in a bookshop
or library for a book on wild flowers in woodlands.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Kay Easton wrote:

Hardy cyclamen would do well
and give you flowers in autumn followed by variegated leaves through to
summer.

That's C. hederifolium, add C. coum for a lovely splash of flowers at this time
of year - wish I'd planted more, I certainly will get some more this summer.

--
Rod
http://website.lineone.net/%7Erodcraddock/index.html
My email address needs weeding.

Kay Easton wrote:

Hardy cyclamen would do well
and give you flowers in autumn followed by variegated leaves through to
summer.

That's C. hederifolium, add C. coum for a lovely splash of flowers at this time
of year - wish I'd planted more, I certainly will get some more this summer.

--
Rod
http://website.lineone.net/%7Erodcraddock/index.html
My email address needs weeding.

Thank you all very much. I am very busy at the moment but once I get
out in the garden again this spring will look carefully into all your
suggestions.

Cheers
Colin


Kay Easton wrote in message ...
In article , Paul Taylor
writes
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 +0000, Colin wrote:

I saw Alan Titchmarsh's fern garden, (shady spot) on the TV a couple of
weeks ago, and it looked really impressive. My shady spot at the bottom
of my garden has ferns and foxgloves, although the ferns didn't look as
good as Alan's, but last year was the first time I had it planted, so I
hope it will look better this year.

yes - gardens need time to grow! I reckon 5 years for a garden really to
come together. Most ferns need it moist (at least not drying out) but
others are happy for it to be drier.

I also have bluebells growing in it and some other native flowers (wild
geraniums, etc. I am hoping some of them will come back again this year.
The bluebells have started to emerge, so at least they will be back!

The geraniums are mostly perennial, so they should be back. Some are
more tolerant of shade than others - try G phaeum 'Mourning widow' -
dark purple flower, and the various garden varieties of it, eg Samobar,
with prominent dark blotch on each leaf.

You sound as if you are concentrating on native plants. If your shady
spot is moist, try primroses, violets. Ramsons - wild garlic - spreads
well and gives a good show of white flowers. Wood anemone, wood sorrel
(both white), red campion are others, also, for something a bit
different, butchers broom - no leaves, but stems flattened into prickly
leaf like structures, with tiny flowers and later (if you have a male
and a female plant) red berries coming straight out of the 'leaves'.
Wood spurge gives some show almost all the year round - and again has
attractive garden varieties. Epimediums - graceful heartshaped leaves
and yellow or pink flowers. Hellebores - relatives of the christmas rose
- with 'flowers' in white, green, cream, pink or purple.

There's a FAQ on plants to grow in the shade - I think the weekly abc
post gives directions to it. And for native plants, look in a bookshop
or library for a book on wild flowers in woodlands.

Thank you all very much. I am very busy at the moment but once I get
out in the garden again this spring will look carefully into all your
suggestions.

Cheers
Colin


Kay Easton wrote in message ...
In article , Paul Taylor
writes
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 +0000, Colin wrote:

I saw Alan Titchmarsh's fern garden, (shady spot) on the TV a couple of
weeks ago, and it looked really impressive. My shady spot at the bottom
of my garden has ferns and foxgloves, although the ferns didn't look as
good as Alan's, but last year was the first time I had it planted, so I
hope it will look better this year.

yes - gardens need time to grow! I reckon 5 years for a garden really to
come together. Most ferns need it moist (at least not drying out) but
others are happy for it to be drier.

I also have bluebells growing in it and some other native flowers (wild
geraniums, etc. I am hoping some of them will come back again this year.
The bluebells have started to emerge, so at least they will be back!

The geraniums are mostly perennial, so they should be back. Some are
more tolerant of shade than others - try G phaeum 'Mourning widow' -
dark purple flower, and the various garden varieties of it, eg Samobar,
with prominent dark blotch on each leaf.

You sound as if you are concentrating on native plants. If your shady
spot is moist, try primroses, violets. Ramsons - wild garlic - spreads
well and gives a good show of white flowers. Wood anemone, wood sorrel
(both white), red campion are others, also, for something a bit
different, butchers broom - no leaves, but stems flattened into prickly
leaf like structures, with tiny flowers and later (if you have a male
and a female plant) red berries coming straight out of the 'leaves'.
Wood spurge gives some show almost all the year round - and again has
attractive garden varieties. Epimediums - graceful heartshaped leaves
and yellow or pink flowers. Hellebores - relatives of the christmas rose
- with 'flowers' in white, green, cream, pink or purple.

There's a FAQ on plants to grow in the shade - I think the weekly abc
post gives directions to it. And for native plants, look in a bookshop
or library for a book on wild flowers in woodlands.

Thank you all very much. I am very busy at the moment but once I get
out in the garden again this spring will look carefully into all your
suggestions.

Cheers
Colin


Kay Easton wrote in message ...
In article , Paul Taylor
writes
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 +0000, Colin wrote:

I saw Alan Titchmarsh's fern garden, (shady spot) on the TV a couple of
weeks ago, and it looked really impressive. My shady spot at the bottom
of my garden has ferns and foxgloves, although the ferns didn't look as
good as Alan's, but last year was the first time I had it planted, so I
hope it will look better this year.

yes - gardens need time to grow! I reckon 5 years for a garden really to
come together. Most ferns need it moist (at least not drying out) but
others are happy for it to be drier.

I also have bluebells growing in it and some other native flowers (wild
geraniums, etc. I am hoping some of them will come back again this year.
The bluebells have started to emerge, so at least they will be back!

The geraniums are mostly perennial, so they should be back. Some are
more tolerant of shade than others - try G phaeum 'Mourning widow' -
dark purple flower, and the various garden varieties of it, eg Samobar,
with prominent dark blotch on each leaf.

You sound as if you are concentrating on native plants. If your shady
spot is moist, try primroses, violets. Ramsons - wild garlic - spreads
well and gives a good show of white flowers. Wood anemone, wood sorrel
(both white), red campion are others, also, for something a bit
different, butchers broom - no leaves, but stems flattened into prickly
leaf like structures, with tiny flowers and later (if you have a male
and a female plant) red berries coming straight out of the 'leaves'.
Wood spurge gives some show almost all the year round - and again has
attractive garden varieties. Epimediums - graceful heartshaped leaves
and yellow or pink flowers. Hellebores - relatives of the christmas rose
- with 'flowers' in white, green, cream, pink or purple.

There's a FAQ on plants to grow in the shade - I think the weekly abc
post gives directions to it. And for native plants, look in a bookshop
or library for a book on wild flowers in woodlands.

Thank you all very much. I am very busy at the moment but once I get
out in the garden again this spring will look carefully into all your
suggestions.

Cheers
Colin


Kay Easton wrote in message ...
In article , Paul Taylor
writes
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 +0000, Colin wrote:

I saw Alan Titchmarsh's fern garden, (shady spot) on the TV a couple of
weeks ago, and it looked really impressive. My shady spot at the bottom
of my garden has ferns and foxgloves, although the ferns didn't look as
good as Alan's, but last year was the first time I had it planted, so I
hope it will look better this year.

yes - gardens need time to grow! I reckon 5 years for a garden really to
come together. Most ferns need it moist (at least not drying out) but
others are happy for it to be drier.

I also have bluebells growing in it and some other native flowers (wild
geraniums, etc. I am hoping some of them will come back again this year.
The bluebells have started to emerge, so at least they will be back!

The geraniums are mostly perennial, so they should be back. Some are
more tolerant of shade than others - try G phaeum 'Mourning widow' -
dark purple flower, and the various garden varieties of it, eg Samobar,
with prominent dark blotch on each leaf.

You sound as if you are concentrating on native plants. If your shady
spot is moist, try primroses, violets. Ramsons - wild garlic - spreads
well and gives a good show of white flowers. Wood anemone, wood sorrel
(both white), red campion are others, also, for something a bit
different, butchers broom - no leaves, but stems flattened into prickly
leaf like structures, with tiny flowers and later (if you have a male
and a female plant) red berries coming straight out of the 'leaves'.
Wood spurge gives some show almost all the year round - and again has
attractive garden varieties. Epimediums - graceful heartshaped leaves
and yellow or pink flowers. Hellebores - relatives of the christmas rose
- with 'flowers' in white, green, cream, pink or purple.

There's a FAQ on plants to grow in the shade - I think the weekly abc
post gives directions to it. And for native plants, look in a bookshop
or library for a book on wild flowers in woodlands.

Thank you all very much. I am very busy at the moment but once I get
out in the garden again this spring will look carefully into all your
suggestions.

Cheers
Colin


Kay Easton wrote in message ...
In article , Paul Taylor
writes
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:38:02 +0000, Colin wrote:

I saw Alan Titchmarsh's fern garden, (shady spot) on the TV a couple of
weeks ago, and it looked really impressive. My shady spot at the bottom
of my garden has ferns and foxgloves, although the ferns didn't look as
good as Alan's, but last year was the first time I had it planted, so I
hope it will look better this year.

yes - gardens need time to grow! I reckon 5 years for a garden really to
come together. Most ferns need it moist (at least not drying out) but
others are happy for it to be drier.

I also have bluebells growing in it and some other native flowers (wild
geraniums, etc. I am hoping some of them will come back again this year.
The bluebells have started to emerge, so at least they will be back!

The geraniums are mostly perennial, so they should be back. Some are
more tolerant of shade than others - try G phaeum 'Mourning widow' -
dark purple flower, and the various garden varieties of it, eg Samobar,
with prominent dark blotch on each leaf.

You sound as if you are concentrating on native plants. If your shady
spot is moist, try primroses, violets. Ramsons - wild garlic - spreads
well and gives a good show of white flowers. Wood anemone, wood sorrel
(both white), red campion are others, also, for something a bit
different, butchers broom - no leaves, but stems flattened into prickly
leaf like structures, with tiny flowers and later (if you have a male
and a female plant) red berries coming straight out of the 'leaves'.
Wood spurge gives some show almost all the year round - and again has
attractive garden varieties. Epimediums - graceful heartshaped leaves
and yellow or pink flowers. Hellebores - relatives of the christmas rose
- with 'flowers' in white, green, cream, pink or purple.

There's a FAQ on plants to grow in the shade - I think the weekly abc
post gives directions to it. And for native plants, look in a bookshop
or library for a book on wild flowers in woodlands.