Rockery plants

[tearinghair]

We've just cut down a tree, which has had the effect of extending the rockery area. There are still a few trees which keep the sunlight out for much of the day. What would be good plants to put in there? The soil is quite poor, but does support snowdrops and violets in the spring. I have a mixed selection of sedum in the current rockery, and they seem to thrive quite well; but I've had no success with aubretia. I prefer low ground-cover plants if possible. I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

[sallybb]

We have a dry shady area, which we originally planted only ferns and hostas. Because it is dry I water the centre of the plants in the summer. Slugs aren't a problem because the rest of the ground is dry. We have since added some other plants trying to keep to a colour scheme of blues mauves and whites which work well trogether in a shady inviroment. These include phlox, campaunla, perennials and rockery, clyclamins, huechera's, wild bluebells, alliums, busy lizzies in the summer and daffodils white shades. If you are only looking a low growing plants. I would suggest the smaller varieties of hosta, some of the saxifragas and rockery phlox. Dodecatheon, jeffersonia, tiarella,Omphalodes Chiastophyllum,.Miniture bulbs which will probably bloom very well if the are not too shady in the spring. Unless of course your trees are evergreen.

[sallybb]

Also meant to add , it may well be worth investing in some well rotted manure or humas rich compost to dig in before planting.

[tearinghair]

Thanks Sally. The remaining trees aren't evergreen, so there's certainly a bit more light in the spring. I'd forgotten, there are some bluebells there already. I really need some summer/autumn colour and cover. I'm not personally very fond of alliums, but will make a note of your other suggestions and see what I can find in the garden centre.

[muff13]

Although not strictly rockery plants, I would suggest pansies. This year I have grown pansies in a dry border by the house which gets the sun (if there is any!!) for about 30 minutes in the morning. They were self seeded, or seeded from seeds I scattered from previously flowered plants. They are growing in a peaty mix as the previous owner of the house put compost in the beds they made around the house. I never water and they have thrived!! A fantastic show all summer (and I even won 1st prize for pansies at our local show yesterday with ones I had picked from that corner!)

[tearinghair]

I wouldn't have thought of that, muff. It would certainly be a splash of colour. Thanks for the suggestion.