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Texas Gardening

Plants for partly shady area that likes wet feet

Jasmine Bayliss

16 years ago

I did a search on TXSmartscape and the only plant that came up was Louisiana Iris. I'm looking to put a bed in along the fence between my house and my neighbor. This is on the east side of my house. My neighbor has a slope so when they run their sprinklers it all drains on this side of my house. Right now it still feels boggy out there. Even the bermuda doesn't grow. I need to time how much sun this spot gets, but I'm thinking probably 5-6 hours.

I bought a Blushing Bride hydrangea today from the clearance rack at Lowes ($6 for a 3 gallon container!). I'm going to keep it in the container until I come up with a game plan for where to plant it. Any other suggestions for plants that will work in this area?

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Comments (8)

terryisthinking
16 years ago
If you are into experimentation, you could try Virginia Sweetspire. It doesn't like reflected heat - so the fence might be a problem. I have one on the porch with no sun, and it does good there, but it can take some sun.

Try Butterfly ginger - or a rose.
moogies
16 years ago
I have a boggy area like that and I grow black elephant ears, Endless Summer hydrangea, hostas, white ginger, calla lilies, elephant ears, umbrella bamboo, sweet olive, native redbuds (came up on their own) tradescantia, astilbe, chocolate mint (smells just like a York peppermint patty), and water celery.

Be careful of the water celery. I planted it in one spot and it galloped across the garden to the other side by the end of summer. (even the mint is intimidated by it!) But it's so pretty with its green, white and pink leaves that I just hate to pull it out.

For the hydrangeas, I mounded the soil about 3" higher in a 2-foot circle for each of them to keep them from getting water-logged and they're doing great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Water celery in my bog garden
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Thanks for all the replies! I was definitely thinking along the lines of species and near species roses, once bloomers who won't need any deadheading are perfect for the back fence. My main concern is that I would like to put in an irrigation line for the plants when they are new, but then wean them off of supplemental water once they are established. I know that there are roses who can survive without summer water, I was just hoping for ones that would be able to thrive. Lady Banks is a great idea, the year I fell in love with roses it was Lady Banks Lutea who caught my eye and then my heart. I've been wanting to plant one for years but haven't had the right spot, until now ;o) I also have several hybrid musks in my collection already, but I'm concerned about their ability to withstand drought. Has anyone tried growing these au natural in California? What about Placerville White Noisette? I have one of those in my collection as well and the back story makes me think it might be a winner in these conditions. Madam Alfred Carriere is on my wishlist and I'd love to plant her somewhere along the fence, possibly next to the big shed so she can be trained onto the pergola once it's built. Once again, any experience growing her with minimal water? Since I'm only a few miles away from Sebastapol I was thinking of asking to pick up my order in person, that way I might be able to get a bit of last minute advice and perhaps an extra rose or two. I know everyone is super busy over there now so I don't want to email them a bunch of questions, instead I will pester the kind folks at the Rose forums until I'm ready to make my *sniffle sniffle* last Vintage order. Thanks again, everyone!
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I have just this same situation in one part of my backyard. I received some wonderful suggestions from other GW folks to plant ferns and alocasias and colocasias. They have worked out well even with the rainy season we have experienced lately. I have alocasia Polly and Aurora as well as some hedychiums and costus gingers and several different varieties of ferns. They were just planted this spring and are all growing well but I am hoping for more filling in next year. Oh yeah, caladiums and coleus are also doing great in that environment. I even have standing water for several hours after some of these heavy downpours we've been having this month. I'm in the Tampa Bay area so Fay didn't really dump rain on me here until today :) Kay
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Willow trees grow quickly and like to be near water. You might want to check out some of the Polygonum clan. They have very stubborn roots. Not the most decorative, though, and you will never get rid of them; in fact, some are considered invasive aliens, like Japanese knotweed. Many bamboo also like to be near water, and some are advertised as being good at retaining soil. Some bamboos have ancillary uses as well, such as food (sprouts) or timber (poles). If you really have a powerful current to deal with bamboo might be an answer, especially the spreading kinds, for which much space is needed. For decorative effect, don't forget primroses and lobelia syphilica; skunk cabbage looks like a big hosta and will take more dampness... Then, cattails and other marsh grasses... Sounds like fun!
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We have a yard that has thick oak and maple trees that cover almost the entire yard to the east there are trees about the same size (50-75 ft.) so like you we have almost total shade we also have about 50% to 70% clay soil that is hard to grow much in. The types of plants that are the best for vertical appearance are some types of cattails or similar bog type plants here I've seen cattails grow natively in soil that is nearly entirely clay that is almost always a mud and sometimes boggy. I don't know if you had thought of trying to make a water garden here we have to dig at least 3' deep due to temps below 0 degrees F but we have floating water hyacinths on a pond during the summer and goldfish in the pond that were feeder fish that have become 6"-8" long from mosquito larvae and also provide the plants with excellent fertilizer. If you have stray cats they will get the slow fish and the others seem to survive the same applies to raccoons and oppossums. The water hyacinths can take over a pond but do very well in the shade. Elephant's Ears have to be dug up but seem to do well in our shade and climate too holly has also done very well as a perinial here. Otherwise between our temperature and soil you have tried everything we have best of luck to you.
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elphaba_gw
16 years ago
Yes, I second the suggestion for elephant ears. Get more than one kind, not just black. I LOVE these things.

Also, Wandering Jew seems to like wherever I put it. It would function well as a "mulch" until you have a better idea of other things to plant. It is VERY easy to pull out and eliminate so you don't need to worry when it starts filling up your bed. Try both the green and purple type, both have neat tiny little pink flowers.

If you see some Jew growing somewhere, ask for a cutting. It is VERY easy to root.

Also, most ferns would work - try the standard swordtail fern and Boston fern and many others. They will fill up your bed and also are fairly easy to pull out but not quite as easy as the Wandering Jew IMO.
terryisthinking
16 years ago
Wouldn't 5 or 6 hours of sun rule out hydrangeas and ginger?
sandradee
16 years ago
I also wonder about astilbes being able to take that much direct sun in the heat of the summer.
Jasmine Bayliss
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you so much for the suggestions! I'm going to sketch out a design for that area and will post back.
BriosaFarm
16 years ago
Take a look at swamp rose! Not a pretty name, but a really pretty plant.
cynthianovak
16 years ago
what about the rambling sweet potato vine. It grows fast and when the colors are mixed they are really stunning. I say a reddish purple yesterday with purple flowers.

Do you know bog sage? What about Hibiscus of any kind?

I have both growing in similar conditions where my fountain splashes out. They can take the sun, heat and moisture.

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