What is a good (green) ground cover for a back garden that is in the shade for most of the year. It is in the north side and even when the sun is higher as seasons change, the shadow of the house keeps the garden mostly in the shade. At this point in the year, late March, shade covers half the area. By summer it will be fully in the sun. When the house was build, the original sod was place over inadequate depth of soil over clay, so what's left now is clumpy grass with bare patches, moss, clover and dandelions. I'm pondering what to do with this area. I've graveled over one end of the garden and I guess could lift the remaining 'grass' and put more gravel over landscaping fabric. However, I like green. I've looked at sites about clover lawns, especially micro clover, but the cons seems to be that even clover isn't happy being in the shade most of the time and isn't as hardy for foot traffic. Can you give advice on options that might give me a green ground cover that is fairly low growing i.e. doesn't look shaggy and will tolerate the shade? Or is best option to lift up everything, lay down proper depth of topsoil and re-sod or seed. I'm a little leery of that meaning endless liming, dethatching, de-mossing, and aeration. In the conditions I've describe, seems like fighting nature to make a decent lawn grown. I love moss and would love a moss garden, but the full blast of high summer turns moss to dead brown. Any suggestions?
Good morning - I am familiar w the region your garden is in (on your profile) and I think you’ll struggle w this year after year unless you resolve to make an attractive hardscape - yes hardscape None of us want to kill moss and use chemicals to try to change an environment that just is the way our sunshine hours and angles and rain etc are Perhaps I missed your yard’s dimensions —- is this the entire back yard or a side yard? If it’s the back yard - is there one corner area that’s the most moss shaded ? I know it sounds like it’ll be industrial looking but there are so many ways after the hardscape to then make it appealing if we are taking about a side yard or small area —- think outdoor room —- it could it be a cool summer shaded seating nook - small scale table and comfy pair of chairs .... with maybe a dribble fountain to make it inviting (I assume there is exterior power hydro avail ) ... the soft splash of water covers up the neighbor conversations etc Or if larger area you could make it a covered gazebo and gas fire area w seating And some well chosen large containers and the right plants — tall and low and in between A fun place to look online is (in my opinion) some of the awkward before images ... then the inspiring after pix on www.sunset.com ... a long well reputed magazine of western North America gardening etc ... I realize the specific plants might be suited to California (and perhaps great dollar input) but you take the concept and make it for our climate in SW BC .... note that Sunset has a very exacting proprietary climate garden zone system (which as I’ve said on other posts here, I find useful and accurate) Then locally - go and look at the hardscape products at the local plant places ... I think the one at top of Pratt nr Tim H coffee place has the best varied selection of hardscape that likely you could do yourself .... I’ve not looked around enough up there to suggest other retail places I also like looking at outdoor displays at the really good nurseries to view how they make those inviting nooks w furniture and plants etc Some thoughts to consider —- does this sideyard get a pile of snow off your roof? Is it the access to your back yard if you’re bringing in garden supplies or taking your lawnmower fr front yard to back yard? Is it flat level? EDIT - I meant to ask if it’s your septic field are or other utility area (for example, your natural gas or hydro meters ). Obviously you can’t be digging around and pouring concrete over a septic drain field etc Does rain water drip off the roof in this area? Does it puddle up and get muddy? Do any of your house windows view this area? Can you use that to an advantage in terms of making it a nice view scape fr inside your home ? Without pictures etc - i would initially suggest that you consider this side yard shade area in a new light so to speak ... make it a nice destination , a garden nook for yourself - I hope this is helpful .
