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Message |
    
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 652
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 11:25 am: | 
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I'm looking for your favorite low mainainence Shrubs with/without flowers or Grasses that have worked in Maplewood, partially shady area? |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7698
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 11:43 am: |
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We have a mix of spirea and holly in partial shade. I love them and they are not the ubiquitous yew/arbor vitae. I see a few boxwoods around, but I don't like the way they smell. I never touch the spirea and prune the holly every few years, nostly because I want to keep it short and bushy.
Azaleas seem to do well, too, but I think that they have become kind of common. |
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 589
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 12:52 pm: |
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You see a lot of pieris around -- I think it's very handsome. I also love mountain laurel. Aucuba is somewhat common but also quite handsome.
Some nice decidous shrubs are the new hardy crape myrtles (tho so far, mine is just sitting there!), red-twig dogwoods and the small scale magnolias. (Magnolias and dogwoods come in all sizes, from big trees to foundation-sized shrubs, so make sure you know what you are buying.) Rose of Sharon is very common, but thrives here; there are some nice newer varieties which are sterile and drop their flowers neatly. You could also consider one of the many dwarf Japanese maple cultivars.
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KRNL
Citizen
Username: Krnl
Post Number: 56
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 5:19 pm: |
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We have a couple of varigated euonymous that seem to survive well in our partially shady yard. They keep their leaves in the winter, adding year-round color and nice contrast to the greens of holly and evergreens. They are relatively easy to trim--and soft, unlike the hollies.
I love my magnolia, but it grew to be a giant so you have to be careful to get a variety that is truly small scale. |
KRNL
Citizen
Username: Krnl
Post Number: 57
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 5:22 pm: |
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Also, don't ignor the Rhodendrums (sp?) and Azalias. Wonderfully bright in the spring and both keep their leaves during the winter. As it gets colder the leaves of the Rhodies curl into a cylinder--we peek out the window and use them as a substitute for an outside thermometer! |
Maplewoody
Citizen
Username: Maplewoody
Post Number: 1201
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 11:32 pm: |
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HYDRANGEAS
I ALSO PLANTED A CHESAPEAKE "VIBURNAM" (bought at Williams)
& CAROLE MACKIE "DAPHNE" (bought at Orange Garden Supply)
THIS SPRING.
BOTH HAVE A WONDERFUL SCENT IN THE SPRING! |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1422
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 7:39 am: |
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I've done a few kinds of grasses (mostly maiden grass, but other kinds too) & like that they add shape in the winter & are deer resistant...they definately grow bigger with sun but can do fine in part shade. Also have euonymous, which I like - I mostly go for evergreens & just planted a few types of smaller junipers, bushy yellow & green cyprus (sungold thread-branch), as well as crimson barberries. Also did a great scotch-broom (think that's the name) |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 655
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 7:40 am: |
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Great suggestions! What about small trees? |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1423
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 7:42 am: |
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Japanese maple (dwarf/weeping)?
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Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 430
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 10:38 am: |
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I want to get one of those hibiscus bushes that gets really tall, and blooms in late summer. Light purple/blue or white blooms...I don't know where to get one though. The hibiscus I got last year turned out to be an annual...Anyone know where to get one? |
Elizabeth
Citizen
Username: Momof4peepers
Post Number: 71
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 12:07 pm: |
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Shanabana - it sounds like what you're looking for is a Rose of Sharon bush. Any good garden center should have them, or you could order online. |
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 591
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 12:37 pm: |
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In my last garden, I had a dandy Rose of Sharon called Diana -- pure white flowers which dropped neatly off the plant rather than hanging on like used kleenex. They're also sterile, so the shrub doesn't self-sow like its commoner relatives. I think it's pretty widely available. I recommend it highly. |
lynn199
Citizen
Username: Lynn199
Post Number: 27
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 12:57 pm: |
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It is a 'hardy hibiscus' you are looking for; I actually got one this year at the Maplewood plant sale; I bought some last year at Cardinal Garden Center on Milltown Road in Springfield...it is sprouting as we speak at the neighborhood garden at Prospect/Garfield/Tichenor triangle. I've seen them in various garden centers in the last few years...just ask for 'hardy hibiscus'. |
Daniel M. Jacobs, PP, AICP
Supporter
Username: Conrail
Post Number: 116
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 1:35 pm: |
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I planted seven chinese chestnut trees and four have survived the first year (one was vandalized by kids and the other was eaten by a deer). They were planted in the area of SO near the river. |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 433
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 5:21 pm: |
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thanks for the hibiscus tips!
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Euclidious
Citizen
Username: Euclidious
Post Number: 25
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 6:19 pm: |
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I've just moved here from further South and need a large, fast growing holly. Do Burford holly's grow well up here? How about Witch Hazel? And any suggestions for camelia's that grow well up here? Thanks! |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 4728
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 7:12 pm: |
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Here's a zone map. Start with that. http://www.blossomswap.com/zone.html
At the garden centers it should say what zone the plant is hardy in on the ticket.
Here are lots of holly varieties with descriptions. http://www.wavecrestnursery.com/hollies.html
I personally have some American hollies (they can get leaf spot though), japanese holly (deer resistant and good for a hedge), blue holly (also deer resistant and great for a hedge, prune often).
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Walt21012
Citizen
Username: Walt21012
Post Number: 9
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 7:32 pm: |
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When it comes to small trees, there are a number that work well in Maplewood:
Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) has wonderful white camellia like flowers in summer and exfoliating bark in the winter.
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), especially 'Emperor I' (red leaf) 'Butterfly,' 'Ukigomo' (green, white and pink leaf) or 'Autumn Moon' (yellow leaf).
Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), 'Forest Pansy' has pink flowers in spring and deep purple leaves turning dark green.
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ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 4730
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 8:02 pm: |
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Kousa Dogwood is nice too
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kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 1251
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 8:10 pm: |
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Mountain Laurels grow where rhodies grow and they are the envy of our European friends.
They are beautiful, indigenous to this area and very hardy as well.
We love our Winter berry holly because of all the winter color and the holly hedge (no thorns) in the summer.
We just planted 4 Amalanchier bushes/trees that were lovely this spring.
Our property is VERY, VERY shady. |
Seagull
Citizen
Username: Seagull
Post Number: 104
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
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We planted a weeping cherry tree which has done very well. |
chroma
Citizen
Username: Chroma
Post Number: 39
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 12:23 pm: |
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We were told about Rare Find Nurseries, where you can find beautiful, rare rhododendrons, plus azeleas and other shrubs. We put in some rare rhodos a few years ago and they have thrived and look gorgeous.
It would be great to go now, since things are still in bloom.
http://www.rarefindnursery.com/ |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3840
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 2:12 pm: |
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My most favorite and sumptuous shrub: Variagated Weigela.
It grows and spreads fairly rapidly and can fill a lot of space. Every spring it has piles and piles of lovely pinkish white little flowers all over it. It has grown and thrived in spite of my brown thumb in my predominantly shady back yard.
Do a google image search for lots of beautiful pictures of the shrub in full bloom!
http://www.parkseed.com/product_images/46010.jpg |
Maplewoody
Citizen
Username: Maplewoody
Post Number: 1226
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 11:22 pm: |
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....don't forget about Peony's
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Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 911
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, May 28, 2006 - 11:39 am: |
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Smarty, the "Flower People" have taken over your thread.
Allow me to bring it back to shrubs.
BOXWOOD is the most elegant shrub, slow growing, so not a lot of pruning, but it tolerates pruning so it will look neat and organized with an occasional trim.
Is there a garden in the world that wouldn't look better with this stuff?
J.B. |
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