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

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

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]

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.



Maybe you could plant in pots without drainage holes so they hold the little
moisture they get and bury them almost completely in the soil under the
confers (almost completely so the conifer roots don't have a chance to get
in), then mulch the area with largish stones or bark (or anything really) to
hide the pots and deter the cats until they establish.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

"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.



Maybe you could plant in pots without drainage holes so they hold the little
moisture they get and bury them almost completely in the soil under the
confers (almost completely so the conifer roots don't have a chance to get
in), then mulch the area with largish stones or bark (or anything really) to
hide the pots and deter the cats until they establish.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

"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.



Maybe you could plant in pots without drainage holes so they hold the little
moisture they get and bury them almost completely in the soil under the
confers (almost completely so the conifer roots don't have a chance to get
in), then mulch the area with largish stones or bark (or anything really) to
hide the pots and deter the cats until they establish.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm