Need all summer flowering ideas for largish rock bed - partial shade
I have a awkwardly large rock bed that had become a thicket of traveling plants like sumac and some unknown bushes that spread. It is mostly cleared (except the edges kept with plants for privacy) and I would like to put something back in there.
Initially I was thinking roses and procured a Rosa Rugosa Alba. But then I started reading about the invasive spreading properties of this rose and became concerned with trying to continue to cut out the sumac suckers when they were growing among the thorny Rosa Rugosa Alba suckers.
I am probably having the Sumacs all cut out as I am fed up with trying to kill the suckers.
I already have a vegetable bed. So I'm thinking maybe a rose garden of non-spreading roses. There are a number of raspberry plants that spread from a raspberry bed we had to take out when a new air conditioner unit killed them with constantly blowing hot air. We will try to keep those. I did like the privacy the thicket provided so was thinking maybe some larger non-suckering bush roses at the perimeter and smaller ones throughout the main part of the bed with enough space between to walk around them for pruning. However, I hesitate to add the maintenance of a rose bed and also the trouble of pruning alot of thorny bushes. I would prefer to have no thorns to deal with.
I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what would be good to put there. Ideally it would be low maintenance, tolerate partial shade, and have summer flowers. I'm very open to suggestions.
Please toss out as many suggestions as you have. I need ideas of all sorts.
Comments (12)
Laura (Z5a Fort Collins, Colorado)
6 years agommmm12COzone5
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
Need purple perennials for partial shade garden
Comments (23)I grow Siberian iris in part sun/part shade and they bloom and grow without problem. There are Cimicifuga (AKA Actea) such as 'Brunette' with dark purple/maroon leaves that do well in part shade, and have white spires of flowers in late summer. Some folks have found them fussy, but I've not had problems. They are quite deer resistant. There are some varieties of clematis that do well in part sun/shade - I'd google for clematis & shade or go to Clematis on the Web and either search or see if there is a list of shade tolerant clematis there. I have one (I think 'Blue Angel') that grows on the east side of my house, and only gets morning sun, though high, bright shade the rest of the day. It is flourishing. I also had a clematis 'Venosa Violacea' which is purple & white that grew well & bloomed in the same part shade garden as the Actea & Siberian iris until the voles ate the roots last winter. :>( Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis on the Web...See MoreNeed ideas for perennial cut flowers for east facing bed
Comments (9)Steve, I have a similar bed (well, part of a bed) and in it I put snapdragons. I also found that some annual rudbeckias do well there (although they would probably do better in full sun). I also found out by accident (otherwise known as reseeding from clear across the yard, lol) that chinese asters don't do so badly in part shade either. Sorry I'm only coming up with annuals, not perennials. I'm surprised your lilies are leaning. I've grown some in quite shady spots that do well. Actually, I put a crate or two of lilies in almost full shade last year to stagger bloom times with the crates I had in the sun, and they did just as well as the lilies in the sun. I've had some phlox paniculata in part shade that does okay. Perhaps some hydrangeas for cutting? :) Dee...See MoreRiver Rock Flower Bed For Hostas ?
Comments (13)I am not anti-rock. There are a lot of variables, koffman, such as the heat density of the rock the transfer qualities, size etc.. As far as pushing through the rock, that is handled by keeping the rock away from the crown of the hosta. Since you are in 7b this would be a decent zone for growing hosta. Adding rock, depending on how much sunshine the rock will get and your exact conditions, elevation, size of the rock, material of the rock, etc. you would increase your 'zone' slightly or maybe a one half zone (????). I like rock, big rocks, I don't like it as a mulch. However, personal preferences aside, Rocks are an incremental increase in your 'zone'. Will it slip you from 7b to an 8a? Perhaps if you are close to the line. In any event in your location I would look at any increase in heat as a negative for growing hosta. The more rock, the bigger the rock, the greater the heat coefficient the greater the solar heat gain. In cold climates using rock would extend the season, maybe extremely slightly, maybe noticeably; only a real life test would tell. Passive solar using stone or concrete to store solar heat in homes is very effective and was even used by the Anasazi Indians thousands of years ago who carved out their homes in cliffs facing South and such that the sun shone in to heat the dwelling when the sun was low in the winter and the dwelling was shaded when the sun was high in the summer. I wouldn't worry about pips getting through as long as you don't cover them with heavy rock. I have had hosta that,over many years, grew through landscaping fabric and squeezed the fabric into a solid block of plastic with the hosta eyes growing and thriving through the holes they poked through. Unbelievable!!! If you like a rock bed and are willing to trade off less optimum growing conditions for the hosta, then that is a personal choice that no one can say is right or wrong. In any event rocks can be removed, albeit not easily in many cases. Jon PS, a few years ago I watched as a contractor used a wet/dry vac to vacuum up pea stone behind a rock wall. The stone was for drainage behind the wall, however it kept falling into the hole as the contractor was digging it out for a deck footing. If removing the stone you may put in and eventually get tired of becomes necessary this might be a good trick to remember. OK, I have shared enough of my ramblings and potentially useless thoughts.....for now....See MoreNeed help with landscape in partial/full shade areas.
Comments (6)Ramon, I have no idea where you posted previously but the suggestion to repost here was way off base :-) This is an exchange forum intended for the trading of plants or seeds. It is not intended to discuss landscaping issues or plant selection - those would be far better addressed on either the Landscape Design forum, Northwestern Gardening (our regional forum) or the Shrubs forum. These are all very active forums and you would have gotten dozens of responses to your request after this length of time instead of just 4 comments. I am very active in all of those but never look here as I don't trade plants - I just saw this in the listing of recent discussions......... Just for some clarification, you state you want a more "solid piece of landscaping" and then ask about annuals and perennials. Annuals and perennials are generally considered just window dressing in a landscape - the solid stuff is the trees and shrubs that form permanent year round structure. Do you just want to add some temporary seasonal color or are you more interested in a good, year round look? I am a professional landscape designer and consulting horticulturist by trade and live on the west side of the Sound (after living in Seattle for many years) so I'd be happy to help you fill in your garden if you would like more specific suggestions. You can message me directly if you like (just click on my username and look for the message button) or you can try reposting this on one of the other forums I suggested to get even more input from a broader selection of responders. Sorry you were sent away to very lightly trafficked and inappropriate forum and not receiving the info you needed in a timely manner....See More
Faith
6 years agommmm12COzone5
6 years agommmm12COzone5
6 years ago
Alyssa C
6 years agommmm12COzone5
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoAlyssa,
Salvia is an excellent idea. Unfortunately we've got more than we know what to do with. However I don't think it is the same variation as you have.
Usually it is very showy but it has struggled the last few years. I think something changed when cedar mulch was applied to the bed. We did not intend to mulch it because the plants always reseeded and did splendidly but there was a mix up with our gardeners and mulch was put in. I probably should have had it all pulled out but decided to see how it did. Since then they don't seem to be as good of bloomers, not as purple and not as showy. But it could just be they need fertilizer. We sort of ignore them other then to try and battle them back into the bed. You can see where they've been in the lawn and been cut out.
This year there is something else mixed in. I don't know what it is. It looks about to flower so I guess I will find out. It is sort of salvia looking but the leaves are slightly different than whatever variation we have for most of the bed.
Alyssa C
6 years agoHere are the pictures! Entire plant, growing next to some feverfew:
And a close up of the leaves and buds:
mmmm12COzone5
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoAlyssa,
Thank you for the pictures! I got very excited and ran out to take pictures of these growing in my salvia bed. But alas they may not be your plant. I was thinking I should have these taken out as weeds and when I saw your pictures my hope that they would flower returned. I've pulled apart the things that look like buds on mine but it looks to be just more leaves. If anyone can ID this plant in my yard it would help me determine whether I should keep it.
Hard to get good close up photos. Lots of bees running around this bed.
mmmm12COzone5
6 years ago
Alyssa C