Came across this old thread while looking for suggestions for something I could plant in place of the lilacs under our front window facing NE. I believe these were planted about 5 years ago; we moved here 3 years ago. According to the previous owner, who kindly gave me labeled drawings of the foundation plantings and 2 other long flowerbeds (a nice perk, if accurate!), these SUPPOSEDLY are dwarf Korean lilacs ('Miss Kim')-- but they are obviously not. For one thing, I know 'Miss Kim' from our previous home, and also there definitely ARE 2 actual 'Miss Kims' on the SE side of the house that are doing pretty well, although they do get a fair bit of summer shade from the big silver maple about 20 feet opposite them. (More about this site in a minute!) ANyway, this front-of-the-house NE site is heavily shaded by 2 big purple Norway maples--also planted by the previous owner -- that I have chosen to leave in place since they block a good deal of noise from the rather heavily-traveled county route we live on. I dislike Norway maple on general principles, but equally-detestable English ivy runs rampant under these 2 trees & is probably the only ground cover that will grow there, and anyway I cannot afford to pay to have these monstrosities removed. So, I have pruned these 2 lilacs for the past 3 years (immediately after flowering) in an effort to maintain their size at about 5' since they are right in front of my dining room windows and I do not want them blocking the windows. They bear few flower clusters in the spring--due, I am guessing, to the heavy shade, definitely not due to my pruning technique since I do not touch them after the spring dead-heading and thinning, and so I know I am not cutting off potential buds. Rather than fight these (which already have once more outgrown my pruning, straining to find more sun, I should think!) I'd sooner dig them out & replace them with something more appropriate. It is dry shade, the worst kind, I know. The ground slopes away from the house there so rain scarcely has time to even sink in. I also want these to be a native shrub. From what I have read here & there, it seems that oakleaf hydrangea is amenable to pruning and also will bloom in shade. However, I happen already to have 2 half-gallon pots of sweetshrub, Calycanthus floridus, purchased in the spring. They'd maybe be OK, except that at our previous house I had a sweetshrub in full shade and it was pretty leggy & sprawly. Same for a neighbor's specimen growing under the same conditions. Now, I mentioned the 'Miss Kim' on the SE side of the house... in between them are planted 3 dwarf holly bushes that of course require a soil much more acid than the lilacs! Bad combination..and as one might expect, the hollies are not doing at all well. SO I expect I'll dig them out as well, but want only very low shrubs or perennials there. That area gets a little more sun than the NE site, so I am confident I can come up with something there. SO: my question: oakleaf hydrangeas or calycanthus or has someone another suggestion?

What exposure is that? If it is south facing, that will help since there are so many trees nearby. I wonder why you really think you need another tree in that spot? If something MUST be planted there, I would go with a low spreading conifer like juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Saybrook Gold' but that kinda defeats the purpose of planting a tree as a screen. John Here is a link that might be useful: juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Saybrook Gold'

You say the garden bed is just under 2m wide - is this the air space you have to work with as well? Most trees with a height of 6-8 metres would have a width to match. If you are planting near a boundary, then nearly half of the width (and root area) will be on the other side of the boundary and the owners will have the right to demand that overhanging growth is removed. I am definitely not a lover of pine trees of any description, but the pencil pines sound like the logical choice. The other consideration is time. It's going to take quite a bit of it for any tree to reach 6-8 metres. You might like to consider roll down awnings on these windows to provide shade and privacy until the trees are tall enough to take over the role. I would also suggest that insurance is taken out to cover any future damage by invading tree roots to the neighbouring property. While there are many trees which are not regarding as having invasive root systems, old or damaged pipes which leak are an open invitation to any tree to "come in and have a drink". This step is more important when you are (a) planting near a boundary and (b) encouraging the tree to find its own moisture supply.

Last year a local $$$ nursery put all its perennials on deep discount at the end of October. I know it’s always a gamble, but if the price is right, it can be worth it. I’m trying to get a ring of assorted Pulmonarias around a tree. I like the ones with bright silvery markings, not the all-silver (which I have) or the ones where the spots are muted (which I also have). Flower color doesn’t matter: I like them all. Since the foliage lasts all season the attractiveness of that takes precedence. The 2 Mrs. Moon both died over the winter, Moonlight did great. Though it seems to have been a good year for Pulmonaria in general, at least here. No mid summer drought. (Note: my computer records say “Moonlight”, but online I can only find “Moonshine”. So unless I saved the actual tag – probably, somewhere - I may have bought Moonshine. Though leaf pics of Moonshine don’t look quite match mine. Mine is definitely spotty/splotchy and Moonshine seems to be mostly silver) If there are other reliable fall-planted ones out there I’d like to know. I’ll make a list to take shopping with me. Thanks!