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I have a prominent spot in my garden (in a raised bed right next to my front door) where I’d like to put a small shrub (ideally 3’x3’). The spot is in shade all morning and then gets 2-3 hours of hot sun in the early afternoon before going back into the shade.
Presently I have a Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea there. It’s a perfect size and I love that its leaves and flowers provide interest in all seasons. I thought with the many hours of shade it would do well here but it’s not thriving as well as it should. Being home all day last summer because of COVID I saw that the plant was wilting in the sun (leaves perked back up when the sun went away) and the flowers quickly turned from white to brown (presuming they just got fried in the hot sun). They didn’t turn the shades of pink and red this plant is celebrated for. I’m thinking of moving it to a spot that gets morning sun only.
That leaves me with the problem of what to put by the door? I’d like something that flowers and has interesting foliage, “interest” in many seasons. I think the sun/shade balance is the toughest challenge. It’s a raised bed so I can change the soil. I’m in an urban area in New Jersey (zone 7B). Hot, humid summers and chilly winters. The spot is pretty well protected from strong winds. I’ve considered things like miniature varieties of gardenia and mock orange but I don’t think they’ll like the shade. Calycanthus seems interesting and adaptable to various light conditions but haven’t seen a miniature variety, they all seem to want to grow quite large.
Any recommendations for shrubs I should consider here? Thanks!
So close to the house, be sure you have a shrub that doesn't have invasive or massive roots. Perhaps a viburnum or a nandina or yew. All can handle the environment and pruning. Another option is to buy/build a frame and do an ivy topiary. A simple pyramid form or obelisk using a tomato cage (with or without chicken wire) would work. I am doing the latter with two large concrete planters I found at the county waste dump.
I have almost the same situation as you although I don't even get those full 3 hrs of afternoon sun there. Maybe 1.5 hrs. When I moved in there were azaleas there and they really did very well, my problem was that the front yard isn't fenced in (it's impractical to put a high fence in the front in this area) and the deer kept eating them. So, I pulled them out and gave them to someone. Now I have 2 blank spots on either side of the front porch that I need to fill with almost the same criteria except the stinkin' deer that are out there constantly. And believe me, I have tried just about every repellent there is. Nothing works longer than 24 hrs. I really wanted some sky rocket junipers there because it's sort of a narrow spot, the deer supposedly don't like them and they're tall/columnar but I do believe they like more sunshine that gets there. I'm also 7b in Alabama.
I had nandina close to there but had them all pulled out as I can't stand them. It's all that would grow at my last place in the forest and they're considered a pest around here.
Maybe it would be easier to find something to provide shade for the Hydrangea? Maybe some statuary or a bird bath or something. Just something to block the sun from hitting the hydrangea directly.
Considering your specifications and the temperature & light conditions for that location I'm suggesting you replace the failing hydrangea with a different species of hydrangea that I believe would be more tolerant of the conditions.
Bigleaf mophead dwarf hydrangea "Pia" - gets to 3 ft X 3 ft
I have almost the same situation as you although I don't even get those full 3 hrs of afternoon sun there. Maybe 1.5 hrs. When I moved in there were azaleas there and they really did very well, my problem was that the front yard isn't fenced in (it's impractical to put a high fence in the front in this area) and the deer kept eating them. So, I pulled them out and gave them to someone. Now I have 2 blank spots on either side of the front porch that I need to fill with almost the same criteria except the stinkin' deer that are out there constantly. And believe me, I have tried just about every repellent there is. Nothing works longer than 24 hrs. I really wanted some sky rocket junipers there because it's sort of a narrow spot, the deer supposedly don't like them and they're tall/columnar but I do believe they like more sunshine that gets there. I'm also 7b in Alabama.
I had nandina close to there but had them all pulled out as I can't stand them. It's all that would grow at my last place in the forest and they're considered a pest around here.
Since we have the same issue and same zone, we should keep in touch and share notes. I also don’t care for nandina (at least not in this garden) and I do have two azaleas already. Fortunately here in Jersey City, deer aren’t a problem.
Considering your specifications and the temperature & light conditions for that location I'm suggesting you replace the failing hydrangea with a different species of hydrangea that I believe would be more tolerant of the conditions.
Bigleaf mophead dwarf hydrangea "Pia" - gets to 3 ft X 3 ft
This is a good recommendation. Thanks for it. I’ll look into this and other hydrangeas that might like the brief but intense sun. Maybe something like Quick Fire or Flare would give the same white-pink-red progression I was hoping to get from Ruby Slippers.
Maybe it would be easier to find something to provide shade for the Hydrangea? Maybe some statuary or a bird bath or something. Just something to block the sun from hitting the hydrangea directly.
Thanks. I gave some thought to this. Thing is, this is a small courtyard garden in an urban setting. With so little space to work with, every square inch counts and I’d rather change up the planting if I can find something that works.
So close to the house, be sure you have a shrub that doesn't have invasive or massive roots. Perhaps a viburnum or a nandina or yew. All can handle the environment and pruning. Another option is to buy/build a frame and do an ivy topiary. A simple pyramid form or obelisk using a tomato cage (with or without chicken wire) would work. I am doing the latter with two large concrete planters I found at the county waste dump.
I have some columnar yew and I love them, but I’d like something a little more showy here. Viburnums aren’t something I’ve thought of, but i see there are some small varieties so I’ll look into them. I’m not a fan of Nandina unless I were doing a themed garden where the bamboo look would fit in.
I’m a huge fan of viburnum, but most only flower once in the spring. Same with hibiscus, which only flowers in the fall.
A wise gardener once told me to buy plants for the beauty of the foliage and the shape, and the flowers are just a bonus.
Last edited by gentlearts; 01-24-2021 at 08:50 AM..
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