Re: link to Tricia's pictures.

Marge,
Thank you for the suggestion. I have several small Aucuba's that I got on such a great but I just put them under the edges of the pine. I could probably move a couple of them over. I love the idea of the brightness that would draw your eye to the dark corner.

This is great to be able to show you all pictures of my garden problems and get such wonderful advice.
Thank you Donna for providing your service too.
Tricia
----- Original Message ----- From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 5:16 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] link to Tricia's pictures.


Well, actually, I think a leatherleaf Mahonia would work well in that
location.  They are not the fastest growing shrubs on this planet and
you can whack back any branches that want to extend out over the path
area.  I don't find them all that prickery to work around...one of my
favorite broad leaf evergreens, as a matter of fact.  The slightly
yellow cast to the leaf would work with the Aucuba, too.

Or, to make more of a massing statement at that corner, you could
just get another Aucuba or two - they are also not the fastest
growing plants around, but they will get large over time and can be
pruned back as needed.  There area solid green forms as well as forms
with more solid gold leaf centers available in addition to 'Gold
Dust', which is what it looks like you have. but a group of 'Gold
Dust' is nice...have that in the corner in front of my kitchen window
- they are too huge now and I have got to get out there and whack
them back one of these days; been there for about 25 years:-)

There are not a lot of broad leaf evergreens that will perform well
in as much shade as your pine is casting on that bed.  Aucuba and
Mahonia are two of the few.  Many others, like Pieris japonica, will
grow, but not thickly or if they are supposed to bloom, they won't in
that much shade.  Leucothoe is a lovely plant that might work in the
shade, but they tend to be very wide spreading, so don't think you
have enough room, really.

More I look at those pix, more I think (FWIW) that, if it were my
garden, I'd go for the mass of Aucuba at that corner; would anchor it
and light up the shade from a distance.  Looks like you could get 2
more in there for a nice group of three.

BTW...looks like you have a really nice garden there, Tricia..

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
Shadyside Garden Designs
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I got this message from Tricia:

This is the snowball that I want to replace. The first picture is
a close
up, the 2nd is further out and then even further out so that you
can see how
much room and shade I will have. I am thinking the Leatherleaf
Mahonia is a
good idea but a little worried about the leaves being so pokey...
it could 
be hard to get by some day!
Tricia


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