[kur1j]

https://youtu.be/UyX36o7tA80

The video explains a lot of it but really looking for suggestions on how far out from the house to make the bed, what plants to use that will thrive in shade etc. I also need to consider what I need to do with irrigation system as the irrigation for my entire zone 2 runs next to the wall. Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

maybe try some tiftuf bermuda sod ? I meshed some with my 419 it definitely does better in the shade. That is if you want to try and stay with bermuda instead of landscaping bush/plants

 

[kur1j]

@Nixnix42
Interesting idea. How much different does it look than 419? How much better does it do in shade? I didn't think any bermuda tolerates hardly any shade?

 

[Guest]

https://www.supersod.com/sod/bermuda-sod/tiftuf-bermuda.html

 

[Guest]

http://mcturfinc.com/services/shade-resistant/
some interesting reading

 

[kur1j]

@Nixnix42

I actually saw those after you mentioned it(googled for it). Looks pretty impressive. I still question at how well it would do though and i'm unsure how different it will look. First link first bullet says that it looks a lot greener. So unsure of how they will do mixed. Plus i'm kinda curious how the tiftuf will will invade the tifway.

 

[Guest]

only one way to find out

 

[kur1j]

@Nixnix42 haha the problem is it's a one way street. Once I introduce the tiftuf and even if it looks "okay" and doesn't immediatly die the stuff will creep around the yard and invade and there would no way I could control the spread of it. Hence why I'm so reluctant to do it.

 

[J_nick]

I wouldn't put TifTuf or any kind of Bermuda sod down. Being on the north side of your house it will just be a waste of money.

As for how far out to make your bed I would let nature tell you. June 21st is getting closer, the sun will be at the highest point in the sky. What's not greened up by then likely won't green up.

I'm also looking for ideas around the north side of my house/ garage where the Bermuda doesn't like it. A lot of people around here will plant Fescue on the north side of structures and under heavily shaded trees. While in some instances it looks alright I think for me it would look funny since the Bermuda would be around a 1/2" and the fescue needs to be at 4"+. Even though it might look a little weird I might try it. If I don't like it Fescue is fairly easy to kill off to go another route.

 

[g-man]

@J_nick join the cool side.

 

[MarkAguglia]

Hostas grow like crazy in the shade.

 

[kur1j]

@MarkAguglia

Thanks. How well do they do in clay/moist environments?

Honestly I'm thinking if it's going to be done correctly, to make it look correct I think I'll have to do a decent amount of work.

I kind of feel that planting some hostas it will be unbalanced and that I would need to do a lot more. Wife wants some taller stuff. she also wants some hardscapes in the same area (flagstone and fire pit) on the back patio (out in front of the white concrete).

I'm thinkng of getting a landscape designer to flush out some of the ideas and give some idea on plants and design or if I just want to do the research and do it myself.

 

[MarkAguglia]

We have clay soil here and often poorly drained soil and they still thrive.

 

[gm560]

Hostas and hydrangeas are my go tos for shady areas. Hydrangeas like some sun, preferably in the morning. Hostas do pretty well anywhere except full sun.

Something else to use is heuchera. Can get some great colors mixed in.

Here are some ideas:
https://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/83597-product.html
https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/SHGX.html
https://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/83982-product.html

 

[kur1j]

@MarkAguglia Thsnks for the info. Certainly will be on the list. I'm trying to balance what will work, what my wife will be okay with, how much I want to spend, how much money I want to dump into it, what I want to do in the long term, what will fit into long term plans etc. It's all a balance I feel.

@gm560 Thanks for the tips. It's hstd for me to picture a lot of these and how much space I'll end up needing and what it will all look like combined together with other plants potentially.

Is there any software or something you know of that might be able to map out more of this?

 

[Darrell]

My recommendations -

1. Look at your neighbors' northern exposures. What's doing well, what's not doing well? No info is as good as you get looking at your own region.

2. I'd start with your backbone structure of the beds - evergreen shrubs. Consider azaleas, rhododendrons, fatsia japonica ( my go to), boxwoods, Christmas ferns, cleyera

My thoughts.

 

[gm560]

@gm560 Thanks for the tips. It's hstd for me to picture a lot of these and how much space I'll end up needing and what it will all look like combined together with other plants potentially.

Is there any software or something you know of that might be able to map out more of this?

Hostas come in many sizes. From very small to 3 - 4 feet wide. Most are pretty compact. Hydrangeas are shrubs. I am up in 7a, so different climate. You would need to check if they are hardy in AL, but they can go from massive (10ft tall and wide) to very compact, say 3 ft. Huechera are all very compact, too. I can take a photo of some on my property this evening. Hostas just came up. Hydrangeas starting to leaf out, but still a little bare.

 

[gm560]

@gm560 Thanks for the tips. It's hstd for me to picture a lot of these and how much space I'll end up needing and what it will all look like combined together with other plants potentially.

Is there any software or something you know of that might be able to map out more of this?

Hostas come in many sizes. From very small to pretty large, say 3 - 4 feet wide. They make great foundation and border plants and most are pretty compact. Hydrangeas are shrubs. I am up in 7a, so different climate. You would need to check if they are hardy in AL, but they can go from massive (10ft tall and wide) to very compact, say 3 ft. Huechera are all very compact, too. I can take a photo of some on my property this evening. Hostas just came up. Hydrangeas starting to leaf out, but still a little bare.

 

[Darrell]

'Soft Caress' mahonia