And now for the new shade garden

This area is under a large pecan tree on the north side of the house. I worked for almost three years to get the english ivy out that was planted by the previous owner of this house. You can still see some of the bits on the wall and the damage done to the wall by the ivy. Instead of sanding and painting that wall we will be putting siding on at a later date.

We put up the edging a few weeks ago,I dumped lots of dead leaves there and I have been slowly adding soil to the area from old pots as I cleaned them out. The soil we have been digging up from the rain garden area is also being used to fill up this garden area. And I have two large containers of Peppermint and Chocolate mint that I am going to dump over there and hopefully the mint will take over. I still need to clear some of the dirt off the tree roots and rearrange the potted plants but I have been so anxious to get this one looking good that I jumped ahead of myself there.

When I find them available I am going to pot up several Persian Shield plants to line up against the wall. There are two cinder blocks to hold Sanservias, a couple of Spider Plants on the stands,
the pots on the ground hold a couple of Spiderworts and Dead Nettles. There is something planted around the base of the birdbath but I lost the ID tag and don't remember what it is.

The english ivy climbing the pecan tree is finally dying, Randy cut it and stuck both ends into bags of a weedkiller of some kind. The Pecan trees will be happier without that strangling them.

Main part of the shade garden ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden )

There is a chain strung between the two shephard's hooks holding the Impatients, that's where I am going to hang the Hummingbird feeder. I read in one of the Horticulture mags that hanging the feeder near a pot or two of Impatients will increase the chances of the hummer find it.

Part 2 of shade garden ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden )

This is the front section of the shade garden and will be getting the most sun. I found an unlabled Hydragea on sale last fall and have it planted here, it's in the upper left of the area and is really starting to put out new growth but is still too small to see.
Also the pot of margolds, two potted Sweet Myrtles that I still don't know where they should be and that white pedestal planter contains a sprig of mint and a Clematis...and a pansy until I find a new home for it. I need to make a trellis for the clematis too.




Front section of shade garden ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden )

 

It does look a bit sparse now and when the siding gets put up it will look much better.

That used to be the garage and is now my craft/computer room, with Randy's piano and our really large bookcase. The door back there I eventually hope to prop open and have a vine growing on it, that area does get some sunlight in the mornings. But until I get the front yard turned completely in a garden Randy still has to be able to get the riding lawnmower thru that gate.