Oh, look. Oh, look! Oh, look, LOOK!

These come to mind:
Confederate jasmine or star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) for the fence, down there past the tree. Smells good and can be er, contained better than lots of those vining thangs. It's just coming into bloom now, already smells good. Twines, doesn't have those little suction feet like ivy and Virginia creeper.

A perennial dianthus like 'Firewitch' or 'Itsaul White' for the edges of the rock wall. It will crawl over and hang off and has fragrant blooms this time of year, not to mention the wunnerful blue foliage year 'round.

My other suggestion: Sit down and rest a while, you've earned it.

Nell

It's looking really good Caroline, now I'm nit picking, LOL. I would partially bury each rock you have in amongst your plants, a few bigger ones too, if you have them. This will make them look like they have always been there. Look at the shape of each rock and decide which part would look best above ground. Anytime you find an attractive looking rock you can still add a few to your border. A couple of larger pinnacle shaped rocks would also look great. Caroline, you have built yourself a good lookin wall, you can be very proud of yourself.

A......

That looks wonderful! It is exactly what I am hoping to do around a couple of my patio beds. If you have any instructions/words of wisdom to share I'm open ears....I hope you enjoy it - it is really lovely. Jean

Caroline, it looks great! I had Jacob's Ladder in my last garden - one of the plants I miss!

A few of my favorite shade/semi-shade plants, for after you get the fence stained and can plant things closers:
astilbe
jack in the pulpit
solomon's seal
japanese painted fern
autumn fern (stays green year round)
holly fern (stays green year round also)
toad lily
lenten roses
wild ginger
columbine

Nell : thank you for the suggestions. I have 3 of the Conf. jasmine and a whole wall of the star jasmine in the pool area. It needs more sun than I have on the fence. I saw an espaliered Susanqua at Home Depot. It likes the semi shade and would really impact on the fence I think. Do you know of any vines for semi/full shade ? I think the dianthus needs more sun also. Any other flowering creeping things for semi-shade ?

A. _ I am going to let YOU tell my DH why I am re-burying the rocks LOL ! I didn't do it yet as I was waiting to see how it looked to me over the next couple days. I have more big ones and may try to find a really bigger one or two for several places...this is definitely addicting.

Jean : make sure you have good gloves and use good lift form...from the hips and quads ! Really I moved these suckers so many times. I am still moving them. I may always be moving them. LOL. Plus there was the digging out of the ground first...then I scrubbed each one today to see what they really looked like under all the dirt...do you still want to do this ?! I will look forward to seeing your rocks too .

Allison : I have the autumn fern there in the middle. I have a bleeding heart that is waiting in the wings and 2 lenten roses. I can't find the rest of those. I thought the Columbine needed full sun...that is where they have it at Lowes and the tag says SUN. Never trust these tags ! I am making a list. PLease make more suggestions your gardens are wonderful. Caroline

Wow, it looks great. I have a raised bed with bulbs that bloom at different times of year.

-S

"Columbine are very easy to grow. They grow well in partial shade and well drained soil. They will do well in average soils and tolerate dry soil conditions. Add a general purpose fertilizer once or twice a season.

Columbine grows 15-20", and are good in flowerbeds, containers, as edging, and in rock gardens."

I had about 10 planted on a north wall. They received early morning sun, then shade. In our neck of the woods (the south) they can't take the hot summer sun.

You head this way and bring an SUV - we'll go shopping. ;)

Beautiful!

sha sha _ thank you...it all still has a long way to go but I can see the shape at least.

Allison...I have a pick up...you are a peach of a gal !

Linda : thank you !

I swam a 1/2 mile when I got done then cooked Indian Curries for dinner...I am off to bed ! Caroline

I know it's exciting to now be planting, but do pace yourself.

Daphne odora (winter daphne) -- mine bloomed from January through March and smelled so sweet. Evergreen shrub and pretty. Everyone says that they are difficult, but the secret seems to be to plant them high and then ignore them. They're also supposed to be slow-growing and ours have just taken off.

Sarcococca confusa (sweetbox) 5x5, is another fragrant favorite evergreen shrub. There is also a smaller, groundcover variety called sarocococca hookeriana var. humilis (1x4).

What colors do you want to use? I'm a heuchera fan and I love Peach Flambe, Amber Waves, Purple Amethyst. With a shade garden, you can get lots of color with foliage. I like Astilbe Visions with Japanese Painted Fern and Purple Amethyst or Palace Purple heuchera (similar to the color scheme in my planter).

Dicentra formosa 'Luxuriant' is more heat tolerant than some of the other bleeding hearts and has a longer bloom season. It may still disappear in the hottest summer, so having other plants around it will keep the spot from looking bare.

If you want a tall perennial, filipendula is about 4' and will need moist soil in the part shade.

Itea virginica Little Henry (sweetspire shrub) is 2-3', blooms white in spring, nice green foliage in summer and brilliant red in fall (deciduous here).

Tradescantia (from another thread -- Allison's, I think) is a trailing shade plant.

Dicentra exemia will stay as a ground cover with it's blue ferny foliage all summer. It's shorter than the average bleeding heart.
Speaking of bleeding heart, did you know about the bleeding heart vine? It is dicentra spectibilis. Rather hard to find, it blooms with hanging yellow lockets and can grow in part sun to full sun. Delicate as it may seem, it is TOUGH! A sheer netting of filament like thin fishing line on a fence will have it draping everything in no time. Mine is already about 6' tall this season. Lovely on fence but it needs something fine to cling it's tiny tendrils too.

I think the rock wall turned out smashing. Yes, burying the rocks a bit will help them look more natural when everything fills in.

Other pretty plants you could include are the little dwarf crested iris, many types of oxalis which stay compact and lovely all season, emphrials like squirrel corn which is so cute, native mottled evergreen ginger...so many tiny little lovely things to plant in such a nice location. You did such a great job on that wall!

GGG

I think it looks wonderful! I hope you can post additional pictures as you add plants. And as they grow and fill in.

Mary

Wow! How great did that turn our?!! Enjoy shopping for your plants, Caroline. Here is a link to shade vines....

MeMo

Here is a link that might be useful: Shade Vines

It looks great, Caroline!

~Annie

Caroline,

Fantastic, simply wonderful, and looks very natural. Good job. Thanks for sharing your project. You'll always have fun planting it that spot, I'm sure.

bloominganne

Thank you Cameron : I have started a notebook of plants...should have done this sooner. Pacing myself should be a habit , but I never seem to learn ! I have 2 of the Purple Palace...that is all they had. I will look for the others. I had planned on Sweet Daphne . I am still thinking of doing an espalier on part of the fence.

GGG- I ended up with the Bleeding Heart vine yesterday as that was all Home Depot had ! It has a whitish flower on it. I also got a Dwarf Nile Iris that has a blue flower ( it says). Thank you for your kind compliments. I am looking forward to working on this.

Mary and Annie - thank you. I will post more pics as I work on it.

MeMo - thank you for the link. There is a grape that sounds wonderful. I am looking around to see where I can put a grape arbor. I would love more Clematis...I have one and it is beautiful. They don't have very many kinds here and the ones they have want full sun. Will keep looking.

Caroline

Nice bunch of vines at the site MeMo posted! I notice they say star jasmine is shade to part shade. In my experience it grows anywhere. The espaliered sasanquas sound like a better choice since you have star and conf. jasmine elsewhere.

What about Hydrangea petiolaris? I've seen it climbing a tree, very pretty. Has those holdfast thingies, you might not want it on your fence.

You already have Creeping Jenny and moss phlox, you probably don't need cheddar pinks as well. Pinks grow faster in sun, but last longer with partial shade, in my experience.

Don't worry about placement of your random stones. They'll sink, plants will cover them, you'll need a couple elsewhere; they're portable.

It's all fun.

Nell

Caroline - your new rock wall garden is beautiful - definitely take some time out to just enjoy it. I agree with wonbyherwits - the new heurcheras are so gorgeous and some stay pretty all year round in our zone. I have a shade garden that I am filling with heucheras and tierellas. How about adding a nice birdbath or some nice piece of garden art for year round interest. Regardless of what you do it is beautiful already - love your pictures......

Lynne

Caroline,

The stacked rock wall turned out beautifully, and the addition of the natural rock scattered throughout, is a nice touch.

The more I look at it, the more it reminds me of a grotto, a pleasant,soothing, oasis. During the heat of the summer, I bet you will really be drawn to the cooling effect of ferns and rock. Very zen!

The only thing I would suggest is not to make it too busy, perhaps wait a bit to see how much of what you have already planted, speads.

I think you are doing a wonderful job!

Marilyn

Cameron, I had Tradescantia in both sun and shade. Did well in both places.

Caroline, now I'm craving Chilton County peaches!

Nell : thank you for your suggestions. I haven't had any luck finding the climbing hygrangea around here. I agree the rocks will sink and I may move them around...it is all good !

Lynne:thank you..please post pics of your shade garden. I am going to add a few things over time. I definitely feel like resting !

Marilyn :I agree the Zen cool feature will be most welcome in July. We will still be adding the brick patio and I have a fountain in the pool area that I want to move. I am not going to overcrowd the area.

allison : I was reading about the wandering Jew (tradescantia) it seems a lot of folks consider it a nuisance plant. I will have to be careful I think. I hope the peaches survived the freezes, I have heard it is considerably smaller crop this year.

Caroline

We were talking about Spiderwort, not wandering Jew

Here is a link that might be useful: spiderwort

Oh yes I remember...I get so confused with the plant names. They had them in big pots yesterday at Home Depot. I am taking a break today and cleaning house ...it is so dusty here from the pollen. Will start again over the weekend although I have to work both Sat and Sund. will see how much I can get done. Thank you again Allison

Caroline - here is a picture of the shade garden - The heucheras that I have in there are Amber Waves, Key Lime Pie, Purple Palace, Caramel and Can Can - I have a couple of tierellas which don't really show up good, behind the mushroom you can barely make out the solomon seal just budding out and also there is a self seeded foxglove. I also have hostas and astilbe in there - it is still a very young garden....

Lynne

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Lynne : that looks great ! I love the different leaf colors. I have seen astilbe but didn't get it. Will have to look next time. I am going to find the Solomon Seal for sure too. I have not seen the tierellas ...another to look for. Thanks for posting . Maybe I need to post a thread "show me your shade garden" or "rock garden " ??? Caroline

Caroline, love how the rock wall and bed have turned out, bravo! Spiderwort is wonderful...I have the lime green with the purple flower, love it. I did however, move it last fall from the semi-shade area it was in to a more sunny location and it is looking better than ever. I think it does well in sun or shade.

Lynne in NC...your heucheras are stunning and I love the mushrooms. Where did you get those? Vikki

Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow! Carolyn, that is beautiful! Lynne, I'm drooling over your shade garden, too. :)

I'm pretty close in proximity to you, Carolyn. These are the plants that have done super for me in shade:

autumn fern
japanese painted fern
foam flower
coralbells
columbine
hosta (love the BIG ones--sum & substance, potomac pride)
lacecap hydrangeas
mophead hydrangeas
oakleaf hydrangeas
southern indica azaleas
strawberry begonia (as a groundcover)
varigated vinca vine (as a groundcover)
calla lilies
lenten rose
asiatic lilies
astilbe
pieris japonica
winter daphne
tea olive
Then I have a lot of big shrubs that will eventually take up lots of room--like bottlebrush buckeye, red buckeye, anise, banana shrub, snowball viburnum.

My jacob's ladder didn't come back this year. :(

And I love, love, love lamium. BUT lamium doesn't love me. :( Every one I've ever planted died on me. :(

Thank you Bama for the great list. Are you going to Gay Ga for that Craft fair and have you ever been before ?? I am wondering if it is worth such a drive . If you can give an opinion I would be very grateful. Caroline

Caroline, your stacked stone turned out great! You are on a roll, girl! Since you've already received great plant advice from so many in your area, I'll just chime in with a vote for hydrangeas - big, blue hydrangeas. : )

Looking forward to seeing more of your progress pics!

Diana

thanks for the compliments everyone - this is an acre and 1/3 piece of property and each year we creep a little further into the woods with gardens

Vikki - The heucheras are from local garden centers except for the purple palace which I started from seed. The mushrooms were a Mother's Day present from my kids. I think they got it from a local yard sculpter place that has some of the neatest concrete sculpters, That baby is HEAVY......

Lynne

Yes Carolyn, my husband and I go to the Gay, GA fair every May AND October. My husband's brother and his wife are coming up from Florida to stay with us that weekend and go, too. IMHO it's the best craft show around the area. Try it at least once. It's really not a bad drive. In fact I think it's a shorter drive for you than it is for me. :)

I am going to try . Thanks for letting me know about it. I started on a dry creek bed...very short one . Needed something for the small rocks that are leftover. Now I need more stacking stones but can't find them around here. I am going to check at Rocks R Us in Columbus. Have you been there , Bama ?

I'm not familiar with Rocks R Us, Carolyn. We did purchase stones from The Rock Shop for a stone patio we put down three years ago. Those stones are beautiful.

If you go to Columbus, do plan to go to Best Nursery. Its located at 9616 Fortson Road. Phone number: 706-327-1515. You won't be disappointed. You will pass another good nursery on the way to Best Nursery--Tomar Nursery. It's pretty good, too. But don't miss Best!

There's also a neat little Mexican pottery store that opened a few months ago. Let me know if you're interested in that and I'll get you details. But don't miss Best! :)

Caroline - it turned out beautifully. Stacked stone walls have to be one of the most elegant things anyone can put in the garden. This bed is going to have such a sweet woodland feel when it grows in. Definitely put some astilbe in there. I wish I had more dappled shade in which to grow it. I really can't say enough good things about this transformation. I give it three seasons until it looks like it has been there forever. Bravo!

Bama : I don't know about the Rock Shop.I will check out the Best Nursey. I had been told about the Ray Nursery on 431...past CVCC. Do you know it ?

My friend said he has boulders that I can have if I can get guys to pick them up. He owns the restaurant for which my son is the Chef. The land was Creek Indian. The rocks would be imbued with their spirit. Pretty great responsibility.

I think I have to work at the restaurant on 5/5 so I will have to see if I can go to Gay. Ga.

Steven; ,,,,,you don't know what it means to me to have you say this. Your gardens and the spirit in which you approach all of this is so special. I thank you for sharing it with me and all the friends you have on this forum. You are such an inspiration.

Caroline

Sorry to say I've never stopped at Ray's nursery. I've been by it a few times. I really should check it out.

That's great about the boulders. I hope you do manage to get at least one or two.