Difficult Area for Container Flowers

13 years ago

Hello, I am in Grand Junction, CO & would like some suggestions for 2 large (3 ft.) containers on the west side of the house that is in shade until about 2 PM, then some really intense sun in the summer. I would like color, trailing over the edge of the container if possible, annuals or perennials. I tried geraniums last year & they did OK but kind of just sat there & didn't spread well or bloom as well as they could. I would like something that blooms all summer long & can take that heat in the afternoon. Thank you!

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Comments (4)

longknife
13 years ago
Look into wave type petunias. I've read where some of them spread over 4 feet.
opal52
13 years ago
We have a similar challenge in summer, the front border garden of our house is in shade until around 1-2 in the afternoon and then full sun. Our summer temps are 90+, and we have high humidity as well. One of best things I have found that blooms early summer into fall,has bronze foliage in winter, and handles extremes is a dwarf Abelia called Rose Creek. It can get up to 3" Ht. x 4 ft. wide at full maturity, but can be kept smaller by pruning in early spring. The Abelia is OK for zone 6A. It is a very tough plant, and requires little attention. Grows well in containers. It is drought tolerant. I keep ours pruned to 2ft. ht. x 3 ft. width. I realize you said flowers, but thought I would mention a dwarf shrub because you have a very difficult growing location.

I thought of wave petunias also, but I'm not sure they will get enough sun to thrive. Certainly wouldn't hurt to try though.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose Creek Abelia Images
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We have a lot of dry shade. I've also had to experiment a lot. A shrub I have found successful in the area that is deepest shade very close to a 50yr old Silver Maple, is Cornus racemosa. It does get a little sun early morning. I don't like to recommend it because it suckers a lot, but it has filled a corner that was very difficult very quickly. It also provides white berries for the birds in a lot of shade which is hard to find. Perennials in the same area that don't seem to have a problem, are bleeding heart, phlox divaricata, Epimedium and ferns. I have another dark corner that receives basically no sun, under a large Maple and I've tried a lot of shrubs there and had to yank them out. I needed a screen for neighbor's yard. I wanted a Rhododendron there and I have one planted right now, but it's not doing well at all. I added a Kerria last year and I am impressed with the amount of vigorous growth this spring. Whether it will bloom remains to be seen. I wanted something evergreen and tried Ilex glabra and that went downhill quickly. I tried a very small boxwood and took that out. Since it is about 3 ft from the trunk of a large Maple in deep shade, I can't dig a large hole to try a larger boxwood. I have Oakleaf Hydrangea along the drip line of that same tree and it is doing fine. But it faces east and gets enough sun all morning to bloom. Oh, and a Clethra 'Hummingbird' is right next to it under the drip line and surprisingly does well there. It's supposed to prefer moist conditions but it tolerates the dry area just fine, but again, gets more sun than you have. I also have a line of spruce 5ft away from my fence in a neighbor's yard, that are difficult to plant near, but that area faces South, so I have more sun then you. I had two Ninebarks in the yard, one on the foundation of the house and the other in this area near the line of Spruce trees and the difference in growth was amazing. I finally cut down the Ninebark near the Spruce trees this spring. I have a Kolkwitzia that is planted north of a large Maple right at the drip line and it does well. It was there when we moved in and amazes me that it blooms every June. So I added a second Kolkwitzia to the area with the spruce trees and it has been taking off. It is the variety 'Dream Catcher' with golden foliage and I really like it. But again, it faces South and gets about 5 hrs of sun. But it is planted very close to the spruce trees and between two of them. Since my original Kolkwitzia grows and blooms in shade, that might be something that would work for you. I've tried hollies in areas near Maples in deep shade and they are doing pretty well. They've been slow to grow but they have made decent growth to screen my neighbor's yard, along with a Taxus that is also growing and holding it's own. Whatever you plant, definitely will need more fertilizer and water than other areas. This post was edited by...
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newbiehavinfun, I have a silver maple, and although it gives great shade in summer you're right that it's very difficult to grow anything permanently under such trees. It sounds like your situation is that the roots of the trees have intertwined to such an extent that they strangle other plants. I only have one tree so it isn't quite so bad, but I've had best success with: - dry shade plants, such as hellebore - bigger container plants have a better root system to compete with the trees. Here's a hellebore at the foot of my maple. It's 5 yrs old and has done very well. These are the standard kind with greenish-white flowers. The fancier colored hybrids aren't as vigorous and I don't think they could compete. The other plant next to the hellebore is a jade plant, but I don't believe they're for zones lower than 8 or 9. The spiky foliage is bearded iris; the round-leaved trailers/groundcover are common nasturtium that disappear once the soil heats up in summer. I have three problem areas. They had plants I've tried that didn't work out for one reason or another, had to be yanked out and started over....several times now, LOL. Front yard walkway: We're on a double slope-front to back downwards, and also side to side. Great drainage but it makes the view of the house from the street quite lopsided. Trouble is, the plantings on one side grew quite a bit taller than the opposite side! I don't have a good picture of it from the street, but you can see from this front porch shot, how the right-hand side is just about twice the height of the left-hand side. When you view the house from the street, it makes the uphill side of the front look even taller compared to the lower-growing half. Moving down the hill, one portion of our side yard is exposed to our neighbor. Houses are very close here, averaging 10' apart. Their house has very few windows on our side - but of course, that was the only place my original plants didn't work out! These new tall shrubs/small trees will hopefully fill those spots in a few years: The far part of our backyard is actually quite private for a property smack in the middle of the city. It backs onto a schoolyard and is the lowest point of the lot. That means it is the furthest from my outdoor faucet and thus almost impossible to water. This area is also heavily shaded in summer by a 60' linden and 40' walnut. It's been a real struggle to find plants that will survive cold wet winters and bone-dry summers along with the shade conditions. I've gotten an oleander standard and Tecomaria capensis to survive, with a variegated euonymus and hardenbergia vine trying to get established this winter.
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How about Osage orange? They are native, thorny (not sure if you want that, but it can be a plus), I think they are fragrant, and they are native. Some others that come to mind: Forsythia Rose of Sharon Hydrangeas (paniculata or arborescens) Tamarix (I believe this actually tolerates salt well) All of these grow roadside in my fairly rural location on a hill where they sand and salt, and do well there. Good luck!
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jodik_gw
13 years ago
Shrubs are actually a great idea... and there are many types that flower quite beautifully. It wouldn't hurt to look into a flowering shrub for an area such as described.

It's probably not what you're looking for, but on the west side of my garage, which gets afternoon sun and can get quite hot, I've got a Spirea, a Viburnum, Echinacea, Oriental Poppies, Monarda, Agastache, Russian Sage, Rose "Hot Cocoa", a Peony, Gloriosa Daisies, Mexican Hat Daisies, Daylilies, Standard Iris, and a few other hardy perennial types.

Granted, they're all growing in the ground, but with a watchful eye for watering and feeding, you could grow some lovely tubs filled with a mixture of annuals and perennials. I think people tend to think in literal terms when reading plant tags at a nursery, when the truth is, a lot of plants can tolerate some leeway in their light requirements.

As example, I have a Hosta growing on the east side of my garage, along with roses and other sun lovers. It's a variety that can handle a bit more sun than others, but still, it's more of a shade lover. And on the north side of the house, I've got roses and a ton of other sun lovers. I think the reflection of the white house helps somewhat... but what I'm trying to say is that you're not locked into only trying items that are said to be right for that area.

I don't know that I've helped you much... but I hope I've given you some things to think about. You're possibilities are wider than you may think.

Happy Gardening!
opal52
13 years ago
I agree with jodik about plant tags. I have Zinnias that are in shade until afternoon and then in blazing afternoon/evening sun and they do quite well even though the seed package says full sun. (Didn't think of this earlier, the area out front is our biggest challenge and these are in gardens in our back yard with shade from trees until afternoon.) Annual Vinca (common Periwinkle) is another pretty plant that will take shade/sun. Neither of these trail, but they do bloom all summer to first frost and usually are easily found at the Lowes/Home Depot garden depts. Daylilies are a great idea, although they usually bloom a couple weeks or so and are over. Their foliage stays green though and could be interesting in a mixed container. Another plant I have used in mixed containers for visual interest is Spikes (Dracena). They will take sun/shade combo and are tough plants.

Difficult Area for Container Flowers

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longknife

opal52

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