Re: help for a Newbie
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] help for a Newbie
- From: R* D*
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 14:57:37 -0500
Sue, Hank's advice is good. I'll add some more--advice I wish someone had
given me as a new gardener years ago. It's taken me years to realize that
native plants are worth looking for and growing. Best way to find them is
to get in touch with your local native plant society; the members will be
very generous in sharing appropriate shade-lovers with you and in most
cases the plants will be happy and multiply freely in your yard. There
are some really neat ones. Try Asarum canadense, the Canadian wild ginger,
for example. Talk about low maintenance and drought tolerant!
Specific non-native recommendations for shade: Hostas, if you like them,
make splendid accents for a native-plant garden (or vice versa).
Epimediums are good, especially in dry shade. Sweet woodruff will take
some shade.
Lastly, if your trees are deciduous, don't forget the hardy
bulbs--snowdrops, winter aconite, squills, etc. etc.
Bobbi Diehl
Bloomington, IN
zone 5/6
