Shrubs for North-facing plot of land

Merkin

Our house is a sun-trap at the back with a big South-facing area. (Lush if we ever get some fecking sun!!) At the front my over-zealous OH put some weed killer around some shrubs and they've breathed a last. Is it a bit late in the year to lay some bedding plants? And any recommendations on a nice flowery/bushy plants which would work well in a shaded area at the front of the house? Thanks for any recommendations!!

Oldtree

some for you to try from my father in laws deep shade garden, some may get a bit sticky but nice flowers

garryia, hydranga, rhododendrons, laurel, camellia, yew, cotoneaster, mahonia, azaleas, box, spirea,

have a look here:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=100

and here for a list of 297

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/selectionresults?sn=189&op=0&sst=&snb=&as=184

paddy147

For some nice evergreen ground cover,plant some pachysandra in the garden.They love the shade.Also theres various flowering grasses that you could plant too

The pachysandra a lovely evergreen plant and really look lovely under large shrubs and also under and around trees.:)

Solomon's Seal is also ideal for north facing and shade,has lovely little flowers on it.

Baux balls and various types of ferns will also do very well.Also Luzula Grass too,it will have a lovely white flower that bees and hoverflys absolutely love.

Plenty of choice for you.:)

paddy147

Foxgloves will also grow nicely in shade and damp.

Beautifull tall plant (4-5 feet tall) and has lovely flowers that attracts,ladybirds,bees and hoverflys too.

Supercell

Fabulous pictures Paddy, I'm quite jealous, dont even get me started on the ladybirds!!

paddy147

Supercell wrote: »

Fabulous pictures Paddy, I'm quite jealous, dont even get me started on the ladybirds!!

Im jealous too,I wish I was as talented as my missus,she designed,built and planted it all from scratch.

Im only handy with the camera...;):D


PS-Ladybirds love aphids and eating them too,so another good reason for having them around.

I "managed" to make a ladybird home for them.Tough work,but someone has to do it.:D

Supercell

Is it too late to go planting foxglove seeds now?, i have a couple of packets and shady damp spot near some apple trees that got attacked by greenfly a few weeks ago and I was hoping to plant something nice there that would attract the ladybirds and also make the space beautiful.

My neighbour isnt into gardening and he has a lot of nettles which seems to be attracting them as I've seen a few around in the last couple of weeks.

paddy147

Supercell wrote: »

Is it too late to go planting foxglove seeds now?, i have a couple of packets and shady damp spot near some apple trees that got attacked by greenfly a few weeks ago and I was hoping to plant something nice there that would attract the ladybirds and also make the space beautiful.

My neighbour isnt into gardening and he has a lot of nettles which seems to be attracting them as I've seen a few around in the last couple of weeks.

No harm in planting them now,but they wont flower till next year though.

If theres greenfly there,then theres a good chance that something will move in to feed off the greenfly too.

One creature allways attracts another (in time).;)

Theres an "organic" greenfly spray that you can buy for around 8 euro a bottle in most garden centres.

Jones Garden Centre stock it.:)

You can also try a homemade solution that consists of warm water and tomato plant leaves left soaking for 3-4 days to make a green watery juice that you can spray on.

My missus did this before in the past and the wooly aphids didnt like it one bit.:D


You can also introduce some ladybirds to the apple tree and they will have a field day with the greenfly,any long grassy field or meadow will be full of ladybirds now.

Merkin

Thanks a million for the links and beautiful photos - going to do some research and get bedding!

paddy147

Best of luck Merkin.

Let us know how you get on.:)

Oldtree

Those photos look very like my little garden in london, ahh the good old days...

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

Those photos look very like my little garden in london, ahh the good old days...

I know Surrey and also London fairly well.

What part did you used to live in??

Have you ever been to RHS Wisley Gardens?

Absolutely Fantastic place indeed.:D

Oldtree

lived on the tooting side of wimbledon, had a klr 650 and visited loads of the gardens and parks and trust houses in th south. Loved wisley, used to go there in the motorbike gear on wet days to avoid the crowds, fab orchards. Had a few tutorials there too, studied in merrist wood, guildford. came home 2000.

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

lived on the tooting side of wimbledon, had a klr 650 and visited loads of the gardens and parks and trust houses in th south. Loved wisley, used to go there in the motorbike gear on wet days to avoid the crowds, fab orchards. Had a few tutorials there too, studied in merrist wood, guildford. came home 2000.

Ah the motorbikes,no getting away from them......you are like myself so (Im a Ducati enthusiast).

I know that area.I spent a fair it of time down in London over the years and also in Stains and Chertsey too.


Myself and my family absolutely loved Wisley gardens.

My missus loved the orchard gardens and all the little "hidden" gardens and water features just off to the side of the main large pond infront of the house.


Amazing place and the large Koi Carp Ponds did it for me and my daughter too.:)

Oh and the Natural History Museum and London Eye were amazing too,especialy the Dinosaurs Displays.:D


Cant wait to go back soon.:D

Oldtree

it was mainly the trees I was after I also loved going to chelsea and to hampton court every year, it was handy being a nation trust member, all those lovely gardens sigh.....

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

it was mainly the trees I was after I also loved going to chelsea and to hampton court every year, it was handy being a nation trust member, all those lovely gardens sigh.....

I was removed by "security staff" for taking pictures inside Hampton Court Palace several years ago.

I never saw the sign where it stated "no photographing inside the palace building".:(:D

Never been to Chelsea flower show,might go over next year for the flower show with the family.:)

paddy147

And you cant not go over to London and not visit the London Aquariam and also Legoland.

Great craic indeed.I was a bigger kid than anyone else there.:D




Sorry to the OP for going off track a bit.:o:)

Oldtree

If you join the national trust you can get in on the monday to chelsea (non-public day) and its less crowded and all the plants look their best.

Kew gardens is a sight worth visiting (takes a day to do it justice) esp the temperate glass house:

http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/garden-attractions-A-Z/Temperate-House.htm

had to sell the klr to buy floorboards to sell house to get home.....
never went to the museums or legoland.... or the tennis for that matter

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

If you join the national trust you can get in on the monday to chelsea (non-public day) and its less crowded and all the plants look their best.

Kew gardens is a sight worth visiting (takes a day to do it justice) esp the temperate glass house:

http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/garden-attractions-A-Z/Temperate-House.htm

had to sell the klr to buy floorboards to sell house to get home.....
never went to the museums or legoland.... or the tennis for that matter

Thanks for that,must make a "to do list" next time we are over in the UK.:)

Im a 996 and SP1 man myself.;)

PS-I know all about floorboards.........or lack of them.:D

Oldtree

nice, I'm to big for those sporty bikes this is like the one I had (sniff my babys gone.....

used to hide her behind a golden privit hedge with raised sleeper edges.

paddy147

Oldtree wrote: »

nice, I'm to big for those sporty bikes this is like the one I had (sniff my babys gone.....

used to hide her behind a golden privit hedge with raised sleeper edges.

Great bike and would go forever too.:)

Either that or the Honda Africa Twin would do it for me.

annieoburns

I have small north facing front garden and over shadowed as well by neighbours 'jungle'.
I find Japenese Anenomes trouble free and give good display of flowers from about now til frost comes. They do spread though! I have them contained at side of driveway and against wall at end of back garden (no sun).
I have also a neat cherry tree 'Amanagowa' for nearly 30 years but not over grown, stays slim and only about 10 tall now.
Shrubs with variagated leaves such as some of Hebes also Potentilla (choice of flower colours) and cotoneaster (red berries) also do well.

You actually have a great choice, most things except maybe roses? Some have mentioned camellias and azaleas.. they would be acid soil loving (peaty)so check out what you have or grow in pots.