"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in
between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave
me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.

I suffer the same problem ........however have dug down the boundary and
cut off all roots to 2ft and slammed in old paving slabs on their sides to
block the roots path

Then piled in compost my side and planted with a variety of shrubs that are
happy in relatively dry soil and semi shade

Keep them watered the first season and pile on compost every spring you will
find they should put down deep roots and cope

High Hedge bill has been passed just waiting for the nitty gritty so if the
neighbours conifers are tall and blocking your light come end of the year
you will have a lot of bargaining power

See www.hedgeline.org for details

In message , Mike
writes
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Hi Mike,

My sympathies. I have very dry soil under a pine tree/holly bush/privet
hedge. A few of the plants that have survived well there a

dicentras (all kinds, but particularly d. formosa); epimediums; violas;
pulmonarias; ferns; ivy; anemone japonica vars. and of course hostas.
Most of these are quite easy to find in nurseries (not garden centres).

Some will tell you these plants need damp shade, but after getting them
bedded in using a hose once a week for a couple of months, rain or
shine, they have all settled very well for me and some are spreading
quite rapidly.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Take a look at the URG FAQ for shade loving plants:
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqshade.htm

Might be something there that grabs you :~)

Jenny

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in
between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave
me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.

I suffer the same problem ........however have dug down the boundary and
cut off all roots to 2ft and slammed in old paving slabs on their sides to
block the roots path

Then piled in compost my side and planted with a variety of shrubs that are
happy in relatively dry soil and semi shade

Keep them watered the first season and pile on compost every spring you will
find they should put down deep roots and cope

High Hedge bill has been passed just waiting for the nitty gritty so if the
neighbours conifers are tall and blocking your light come end of the year
you will have a lot of bargaining power

See www.hedgeline.org for details

In message , Mike
writes
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Hi Mike,

My sympathies. I have very dry soil under a pine tree/holly bush/privet
hedge. A few of the plants that have survived well there a

dicentras (all kinds, but particularly d. formosa); epimediums; violas;
pulmonarias; ferns; ivy; anemone japonica vars. and of course hostas.
Most of these are quite easy to find in nurseries (not garden centres).

Some will tell you these plants need damp shade, but after getting them
bedded in using a hose once a week for a couple of months, rain or
shine, they have all settled very well for me and some are spreading
quite rapidly.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Take a look at the URG FAQ for shade loving plants:
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqshade.htm

Might be something there that grabs you :~)

Jenny

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in
between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave
me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.

I suffer the same problem ........however have dug down the boundary and
cut off all roots to 2ft and slammed in old paving slabs on their sides to
block the roots path

Then piled in compost my side and planted with a variety of shrubs that are
happy in relatively dry soil and semi shade

Keep them watered the first season and pile on compost every spring you will
find they should put down deep roots and cope

High Hedge bill has been passed just waiting for the nitty gritty so if the
neighbours conifers are tall and blocking your light come end of the year
you will have a lot of bargaining power

See www.hedgeline.org for details

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 14:11:37 -0000, Mike wrote:

I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Not really. The conifer roots are already taking out all
nourishment and water. Under *some* conifers, you can grow hardy
cyclamen species very well, but that presumes that there's a deep
layer of litter from fallen needles. And even then, success is
not guaranteed. My cyclamen do very well under a Cedrus deodora,
middling under an Alberta blue spruces, and only so-so under
lodgepole pines.

But when you mention the birds taking dust baths, we can tell
there's no layer of litter and I wouldn't waste time attempting
the impossible.

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.

Hostas are east Asian and strongly prefer quite a lot of water in
the growing season. However, some cultivars will survive in dry
shade: the smallish, blue-leaved 'Halcyon' is one that works for
me.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Take a look at the URG FAQ for shade loving plants:
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqshade.htm

Might be something there that grabs you :~)

Jenny

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in
between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave
me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.

I suffer the same problem ........however have dug down the boundary and
cut off all roots to 2ft and slammed in old paving slabs on their sides to
block the roots path

Then piled in compost my side and planted with a variety of shrubs that are
happy in relatively dry soil and semi shade

Keep them watered the first season and pile on compost every spring you will
find they should put down deep roots and cope

High Hedge bill has been passed just waiting for the nitty gritty so if the
neighbours conifers are tall and blocking your light come end of the year
you will have a lot of bargaining power

See www.hedgeline.org for details

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Take a look at the URG FAQ for shade loving plants:
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqshade.htm

Might be something there that grabs you :~)

Jenny

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in
between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave
me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.

I suffer the same problem ........however have dug down the boundary and
cut off all roots to 2ft and slammed in old paving slabs on their sides to
block the roots path

Then piled in compost my side and planted with a variety of shrubs that are
happy in relatively dry soil and semi shade

Keep them watered the first season and pile on compost every spring you will
find they should put down deep roots and cope

High Hedge bill has been passed just waiting for the nitty gritty so if the
neighbours conifers are tall and blocking your light come end of the year
you will have a lot of bargaining power

See www.hedgeline.org for details

In message , Mike
writes
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Hi Mike,

My sympathies. I have very dry soil under a pine tree/holly bush/privet
hedge. A few of the plants that have survived well there a

dicentras (all kinds, but particularly d. formosa); epimediums; violas;
pulmonarias; ferns; ivy; anemone japonica vars. and of course hostas.
Most of these are quite easy to find in nurseries (not garden centres).

Some will tell you these plants need damp shade, but after getting them
bedded in using a hose once a week for a couple of months, rain or
shine, they have all settled very well for me and some are spreading
quite rapidly.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

In message , Mike
writes
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Hi Mike,

My sympathies. I have very dry soil under a pine tree/holly bush/privet
hedge. A few of the plants that have survived well there a

dicentras (all kinds, but particularly d. formosa); epimediums; violas;
pulmonarias; ferns; ivy; anemone japonica vars. and of course hostas.
Most of these are quite easy to find in nurseries (not garden centres).

Some will tell you these plants need damp shade, but after getting them
bedded in using a hose once a week for a couple of months, rain or
shine, they have all settled very well for me and some are spreading
quite rapidly.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

In message , Mike
writes
I have a border approximately 40ft long , 3ft wide which doesn't get much
sun due to neighbours conifers.

From Spring onwards birds like to have dustbaths at the base and in between
the Conifers. Its also an area where cats come through at night and leave me
presents to find in the morning.

Is their something I could plant my side, low and bushy (with small roots)
?

Thanks.

Mike

PS: My family has already suggested Hostas but I'm not keen.


Hi Mike,

My sympathies. I have very dry soil under a pine tree/holly bush/privet
hedge. A few of the plants that have survived well there a

dicentras (all kinds, but particularly d. formosa); epimediums; violas;
pulmonarias; ferns; ivy; anemone japonica vars. and of course hostas.
Most of these are quite easy to find in nurseries (not garden centres).

Some will tell you these plants need damp shade, but after getting them
bedded in using a hose once a week for a couple of months, rain or
shine, they have all settled very well for me and some are spreading
quite rapidly.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias