Need help for my friend's planter box

sandih · Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 999 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

OK, my friend lives in a 1950's style house that has a long brick planter that runs the length of the front of the house. She has tried many things in it but they never make it very long.

Here's the requirements and let me kow if you have any favorites you can recommend

1. The planters will be in shade
2. Her husband does not want shrubs
3. She wishes for something evergreen

I was thinking of filling it with sedum but I don't know how much shade they can really take. I know they can take partial...but total?

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Tricky Grama · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:34 am Post subject:

Hostas? There's so many varieties.

Patty

sandih · Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 999 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

True. The only reason I did not mention those to her is that she is horrible about watering.

gsblake · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 43 Location: dallas,TEXAS

I have one of these too. Our house faces north and the bed is covered by the canopy of a mature Red Oak so it's in full shade almost all day getting only a sliver of early morning and late-day sun. We've got a dwarf form of Indian Hawthorne (about 15" tall) in ours and they are doing surprisingly well. Though they don't get enough sun to bloom the foliage is lush and healthy. These came with the house and I haven't gotten around to replacing them yet - I wouldn't have picked them if I were starting from scratch but they are fine really.

Sedum isn't going to stand a chance. Hostas aren't evergreen. Hmmm… maybe Japanese Holly Ferns, though they might get too tall. A smallish shade-loving ornamental grass such as Golden Japanese Forest Grass or All Gold Japanese Forest Grass would be nice but not evergreen. I've tried various forms of Coral Bells in full shade and they just don't do too well. That said, there's one in that family with broad leaves, about 18" in height, with white flowers in late summer that have done very well for me in almost full shade. Actually, it could be perfect. I can't think of the name right now but can report back later when I've had a chance to look. Oh! Helleborus could be very good for that spot, probably my pick if this were my bed (Red Lady, Pink Lady, White Spotted Lady or Kingston Cardinal or Snow Bunting).

Tricky Grama · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:29 am Post subject:

Maybe Chinese fringe flower?

sandih · Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 999 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

Thanks everyone. The spot is too narrow for fringe flower, which can grow to be huge shrubs. I appreciate all the suggestions.