Under the Conifers

At the top of my garden there's a really shaded border that's directly underneath next doors huge Conifer trees. It's mainly shady until 4pm and the soil is as dry as anything, and until recently has been used as the neighbourhood Cat's Latrine. Hardly anything other than a huge Fern, an ill looking Hollyhock, a Forsythia and several Parsley lookalike plants grow here, and it's a mission to try and get this border looking half decent.

I've bonemealed and composted, any ideas what can grow under them? I've planted a Lady's Mantle and a few Violets but no idea if they'll take.

 

I have a very similar problem in my garden except the conifers are on my side of the fence! I've been told that not much will grow under conifers ......something about the soil being too acidic?
I will eagerly await replies on this post! Here's a pic of my ''problem area''....


Ooops. sorry Archdoodler, I did'nt mean to hijack your thread

 

How about going for some pachysandra terminalis, to cover the ground, with a clump of lily of the valley, to give some white flowers early on, and some solomons seal to give some height. Bleeding hearts, would love some shade, and bergenias, to give something evergreen thorughout the year. You could always try some camellias or rhododendrons, which if you were to plant in pots, you could always move them to get a little light, and then put them in postition when they are in flower.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plantprofile_camellia.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plantprofile_rhododendron.shtml

I would incorporate lots of organic matter before planting, even if the finished soil height is higher than you started, just make sure that the conifer trees don't have soil above their water line, and you should be ok.

You could finish the area off with some feature stones, and perhaps some gravel, as it would help to keep the moisture in the area, and discourage the cats.

Hope this Helps!

 

Cheers! But what about the brown droppings of the Conifer? I read somewhere they can leech the nutrients out of the soil, I'm not sure if that's just someone's suspicion if they get into the earth underneath.

 

Yeah, the conifer droppings are a flippin' nuisance!
I 'm thinking about just tidying up my area.....leaving the few plants that are growing, not sure what they are yet :cnfs: ....putting some chippings down and adding a few potted plants.