Along and around a split rail in partial shade

last year

I'm trying to figure out how to landscape around this fence in my yard, which faces east so gets some morning sun but is shady. I wouldn't say it is totally shady but a little more than partially shady.

The plan is to plant excess black raspberry bushes along the fence, I already have them ready to put into the ground. I'm just not sure what else to plant. Given there is a bit of sun there and I have limited sun, I had always planned on one fruit tree, but I think aesthetically it might look better with small trees or large bushes on either end, sort of a "C" shaped design with some wildflowers/herbs in front.

Anyone have suggestions for a shrub or tree. So far my candidates have been some type of highbush blueberry but I don't think I have the soil conditions for that, not acid or enough humus. This is along a river, very stony soil and not acid at all. The other is elderberry, which grows wild here all over the place. I'm only concerned about the aesthetics on that one. Another is nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) which I have no experience with as far as being edible.

I already have a bunch of witch hazel so that's out. American hazelnut intrigues me but I don't see myself harvesting many nuts from that, just doesn't fit my lifestyle. Squirrels might be happy with that choice though, but they are doing find with all the oaks on my property.

I do see myself using the elderberries but I can also forage them nearby. The other options are a dwarf barlett pear or some type of plum but I think too shady. I need advice from some folks who might be familiar with fruit bearing trees and shrubs for partial shade. Quince would be great but I think too shady for that . . . Thoughs?

Not sure how it would look with just one fruit tree out a ways, in front of the fence. From a landscape design aesthetics perspective. Perhaps two parallel beds, one with the raspberries against the fence, and then a path between, and then two fruit trees or shrubs with some low understory plantings?

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Comments (5)

l pinkmountain
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Note, the black electric line to the generator is going to be painted. I don't want anything up close to the house. The goal is block the view of the generator from the road, and create a pleasing lower maintenance landscape that also helps provide at least some food benefits for us. I'm not wedded totally to all edibles but I'm always trying to work them in when feasible. All plantings will be mulched so as to create islands to mow around rather than individual specimen plants.
cecily 7A
last year
How do you feel about paw paws?
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Load your pictures into photobucket or some other photo site that gives you the html code (the one that starts with ) copy the full code and paste into your message. you won't see the picture until you preview your messge. do you want a full fence around your yard so that there's a fence even between the separate beds? Or are you just looking for fence sections at the existing beds. I'm thinking you could do brick or stone pillars with some wrought iron sections between them. or sections of white picket fence anchored by evergreens
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-High bush or half-high bush blueberries provide blooms, fruit, and autumn color if your part of MN has acid soil. -There are several other native Viburnums besides high bush cranberry that could be used such as V. acerifolium which likes shade or V. lentago or V. recognitum. All also have short-term spring blooms, fruit and fall color. -Aronia (chokeberry) also has blooms, berries and fall color. -Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) has nicely scented foliage and waxy gray berries that provide early spring food for birds -Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) has smooth green deciduous leaves and holds its bright berries on bare stems through most of the fall around here. -Crabapples might not work in your hedgerow, though I have a couple of bird-planted ones growing in quite a bit of shade, but they provide food in early spring as they thaw for robins, grouse, and cedar waxwings IME. -Pagoda dogwood also might be a bit large but has the same combination of spring flowers (small and lacy not like typical flowering dogwoods), bird-friendly fruit, and nice fall color. Several of these plants have 1 sex per plant (holly, many Viburnums, and the bayberry) so you will need to have both sexes for fruit. These are all plants that grow well for me in half-day sun, give or take a bit, but you are a bit colder and so should check hardiness. I have several of the plants already on your list, including elderberries, Techny arborvitae, Juneberry (Amalanchier), and hazelnut, some growing wild and some planted in garden areas. All are doing well.
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l pinkmountain
Original Author
last year
Love the tree. Had several at the last place I worked, a children's garden. The fruit, not so much. I wish I liked them, but I just don't . . . Same with persimmons. But paw paws are super cute looking IMHO. Exotic and also the flowers are very cool. I just don't see myself using the fruit. I didn't for years at work. Not from lack of trying. A whole bunch of babies sprouted up from the unused fruit dropping.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
How long is the fence? To me it looks as if a few raspberries would fill it. Planting anything in front would shade the fruit and affect yield and ripening. The situation looks pretty shady already with those big trees. .
l pinkmountain
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
The plantings would go on the sides of the fence. The reason I said "C" shape is that I would plant them somewhat away from the fence edges to account for crown spread. Maybe "bracket" shaped might be another way to describe what I am thinking about for the island around the fence. Against the fence will be solid black raspberry, I'm just trying to integrate that into the big picture inclusing the sides/corner plantings around the house. If I do one tree, it would have to be way in front of the fence, more towards the road, as to not shade the black raspberries. But they can take partial shade. But no, I wouldn't plant anything high directly in front of them.

I also have to add that I'm not interested in planting goumi or jostaberry or current shrubs and I also already have serviceberry and witch hazel trees on the property so that's out. For a whole host of reasons I have to exclude those classic partial shade shrubs. I am considering aronia and/or bayberry for under the trees. Just really puzzling about the small tree/s and tree placement for both tree growth and aesthetics.

Edited again to add that I planted a shrub plum on my property in partial shade and it didn't thrive, it languished. So I'm hesitant to try that one again . . .

Along and around a split rail in partial shade

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l pinkmountain
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cecily 7A

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Along and around a split rail in partial shade

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l pinkmountainOriginal Author

cecily 7A

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