New flower beds

[mbrown]

Last year we had addition built on to our home. I intend to have flower beds on the West, East and North sides.

Can anyone give me some suggestions for perennials for the North side. The bed will be about 8' X 27'.

Thanks.

Mike

[lavandulagirl]

Does it get any sun at all, or does the addition keep it in shade all day?

[mbrown]

The outer edge will get sun. Next to the addition will be shade.

Mike

[lavandulagirl]

If you feel like anchoring the bed with a small tree, I'd recommend a Dogwood (Cornus floridia) or a Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) or maybe a shrubby tree, like a Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syricacus) As to good flowering shade plants, try Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Monkshood (Aconitum spp), Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spp), all the Hostas (check that Long Mountain Nursery I linked in the daylily thread, for pictures of some unusual ones, too), Azaleas and all the other members of the rhododendron family are also a good choice for shade. So are the Hydrangeas. If you'd like to put bulbs in, try Lily-of-the Nile (Agapanthus spp), and Resurrection Lily (Lycoris sqamigera). For your edge that gets the sun, I think a grassy bloomer would be nice, like Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) or Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'). Both of these are evergreen. There are some wonderful Sedums that trail over the sides of raised beds, too, like Golden Stonecrop (S. kampschaticum). Most sedums like all day sun, but they will tolerate some shade. Also, don't forget the ferns that grow in shade. You could put in Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia pensylvanica) and eat fiddleheads next Spring!

Sorry, I got a little carried away there, but if it wasn't enough, I can give you more ideas... have fun with it!

[mbrown]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I will definitely be a fun project.

Mike