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topicquestion
Privacy screen from Simpsonville SC
May 04, 2013
My neighbor cut down his part of our shared woods so now we see his whole "outside patio area". What kinds of fast growing shade loving trees and shrubs can we plant on our property line that will c...
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Flowers under pine trees from Elkhart Indiana
May 02, 2013
I have a number of pine trees at the back of my lot and would like to plant flowers under the tree. What can I plant?
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Groundcovers & Shrubs for Shade in North Carolina
April 30, 2013
Mr Smarty Pants, My neighbor planted cypress trees as a border between his yard and ours and it is sucking up every drop of water and nutrient. We also have a purple plum in the area which creates ...
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Smoky Mountains Shaded Slope Plant Suggestions
April 29, 2013
We live in a very shady spot in Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. We would like to plant vegetation on a sloped area behind our cottage to stop erosion after building an addition. Our h...
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Vines for Shade in Upstate New York
April 23, 2013
Hello! I am looking for a non-invasive vine that will grow in heavy shade near my house in upstate New York.
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Shady Perennial Groundcover Suggestions for Indiana
April 21, 2013
Could you please recommend perennial groundcovers for Indiana that are low and leafy, self-spreading, non-invasive, deer resistant, and moisture tolerant; and that are good for erosion control on a sh...
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Privacy screening from Phoenix AZ
April 14, 2013
I live in the center of Phoenix, Az. On the eastern side of my house we have some 2 story condos next door. The width of the side yard is about 12'-15' and it gets lots of shade. I also have my powe...
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Plant for deep shade in Pennsylvania
April 09, 2013
Hi! I am landscaping our house and trying to use only plants that provide seasonal benefit to bees, butterflies, birds etc. not the deer though. My question is that I have a fairly steep slope of abou...
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Shade tolerant plants for Waynesville MO
April 09, 2013
We moved to Waynesville, MO (gardening region 6) and when we bought our house there was a nice looking gardening area in front of the house. It is shaded moderately by a Redwood Tree and was "occupie...
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Flower color under large pine tree from South Elgin IL
April 05, 2013
I have a very large pine tree that I would like to plant some flowers under. I have hostas, stonecrop and fern, but like to add some color. What do you suggest? Thank you.
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Replacement for shade grass in El Paso TX
April 05, 2013
We currently have a Honey Mesquite tree with thinning bermuda grass underneath in our front yard. I suspect that the filtered shade is killing the bermuda. I was thinking of planting Buffalo Grass, or...
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Nimblewill grass for a shady area in Dallas
April 04, 2013
i have a very shady backyard and reading some of your post I think Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill) will survive. Two questions: Is it drought resistant? Where can I buy the seeds?
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Plants to grow in shady sand in Florida
March 31, 2013
We live in central Florida (directly between Orlando and Tampa). Our yard is mostly sand for soil and difficult parts in shade almost all day from large trees. What ground cover (grass) and hedges can...
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Deer resistant, shade tolerant foundation plants for Kerrville TX
March 30, 2013
I'm looking for foundation plants for shade that are deer resistant. Tall as well as medium height.
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Deer resistant, shade tolerant trees for part shade in Highland MD
March 29, 2013
Deer resistant privacy trees for partial shady area in Highland, MD.
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Evergreen, deer resistant privacy screen for Villanova PA
March 29, 2013
Looking for something that is deer resistant and ideally evergreen to block a shed and fence that my neighbor recently installed. Live in Eastern PA. Not the best drainage and also shade for most of...
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South Austin Groundcovers for Oak Shade
March 29, 2013
Hi! I live in S. Austin now but used to work at the Wildflower Center! My backyard is shady with several oak mots. Do you have any suggestions as to what if any ground cover will grow in all that sha...
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Plants to grow in shady area near a pecan tree in Maryland
March 26, 2013
I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I have planted only natives in my front lawn. My backyard, which sports a pecan tree, fir, fig tree, and others I can't identify is dirt, just dirt. I have...
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Tolerance of plants in area of Amarillo TX
March 24, 2013
I want to know tolerance in the Amarillo area for Diospyros texana, Berberis trifoliata, and Capsicum annuum where it gets colder, is dry, and intensely hot in summer.
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How to stabilize a slope under Red Oaks?
March 19, 2013
A portion our front "yard" (20x40 feet) is a limestone hillside shaded by 3 large spanish oaks. The small amount of grass holding onto the hillside is now gone from the drought, and the hill has er...
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Native turkscap failing to thrive in Shiro TX
March 19, 2013
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Two years ago I transplanted several native (not cultivars) Drummond's turkscaps in the proximity of water oaks in the front yard. All get shade and some sun. They seemed to ...
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Shade Tolerant Grasses and Groundcovers for Waco TX
March 15, 2013
What is the best shade-tolerant grass? What is the best shade-tolerant ground cover?
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Foundation Landscape Tree Suggestion for New Jersey
March 05, 2013
I need to replace a shrub (boxwood) in a landscaped area directly in front of my house. I would like a tree that grows about 10-15' maximum. However, I have a drainpipe that runs from the house to th...
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Plants for under Oak Trees in LA.
March 05, 2013
What type of plants and grass can be planted under and around oak trees
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Enough sun from San Marcos TX
February 22, 2013
I would like to plant both Lantana urticoides and Salvia farinacea in area that only has morning to 1pm sun..Will this amount of sun be enough?
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Erosion Control for Shady Ditches
January 24, 2013
What plants can you recommend for erosion control along shady ditches in Northwest Indiana?
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Hedge shrub for shade in Jacksonville FL
January 17, 2013
Looking for shrub or hedge ( no Azaleas please )to line front of house that is full time shade in Jacksonville Florida ( something different, on the lines of tropical if possible).
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Plants for water park
January 03, 2013
Hi, I usually have no problem locating the right species for a given situation, but I may need some advice for this. I am looking for plants -- from annual & perennial flowers to shrubs and small t...
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Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio
January 03, 2013
I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help!
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Plants for oak shade from Whitney TX
December 24, 2012
I live in Whitney, Texas and have a number of beautiful Live Oak trees in a portion of my yard providing deep shade. Asian Jasmine grows in about 5 ft circle around them and then nothing! I have walk ...
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Texas native shade plants for metal troughs in Austin
December 22, 2012
Interested in finding Texas natives that would do well in metal troughs in the shade.
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Vine for complete shade in California
December 21, 2012
I'm looking for a vine to put over my back door which is in complete shade.
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Shrub for mostly shaded area in The Woodlands TX
December 19, 2012
What large shrub will grow in a partially shaded to mostly shaded tree area in The Woodlands(Spring), Texas which is north of Houston, Texas between Houston and Conroe? The Woodlands is in the very so...
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Butterfly plants from Austin TX
December 17, 2012
I have a butterfly garden in the front part of the house facing the south side. However it is also mostly under a few Oak trees that cast shadow over half of the front yard starting early afternoon. ...
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Plants under Oak Trees in Austin TX
December 10, 2012
Half of my small yard is in the shade of one big live oak and one kumquat. Nothing I plant grows in this shade. The other half of my yard gets sunlight. It is planted with Jasmine grass which grows w...
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Ground cover under Spruces from West Chester PA
December 06, 2012
Trying to get a native groundcover (or any grass/wildflower/fern) planting established under a small stand of spruces. Established stand (30+ years old), so lots of needles on ground. Just about tot...
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Evergreen Privacy Screen for Maryland
November 19, 2012
I am looking for an evergreen that will suffice to be planted as a privacy screen between my property and my neighbors. Looking to plant a row at the property line. The lot is shaded most of the d...
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Groundcover to prevent erosion in Florida
November 04, 2012
I live on a hill and put in a new side driveway and now I am seeing erosion along the driveway and can see the bottom of my concrete. Grass won't grow because its all shaded. What would be the best g...
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Evergreen shrub for East Texas
October 31, 2012
I am looking for a small to medium evergreen shrub (native to east Texas) for a location that receives some sun in the morning but mostly shade. Something that blooms & attracts butterflys & hummingbi...
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Destructive landscape crews in The Woodlands TX
October 20, 2012
Hi. We need help. We recently moved to a house where landscape crews have been blowing away the leaf litter from the front yard for many years. The underbrush was also cleared long ago. The result...
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Is straggler daisy deer resistant from Austin
October 08, 2012
Is straggler daisy (horseherb) deer resistant? We have lots of deer in our NW Hills, Austin neighborhood, and a lot of shade where not much will grow. Is that plant a good candidate for ground cover...
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Area under live oaks from Austin
October 08, 2012
We have many live oaks in our mostly shaded half acre. While I have tried to plant mostly native plants, often beneath them, the plants are showered with leathery leaves, acorns and sap, while oak sp...
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Lantana failing to bloom from Tampa FL
October 04, 2012
I reside in central Florida. I have planted several lantana the orange,red,yellow type. I don't have proper species name. They have been in the ground 3 weeks with 2" of potting soil around root ba...
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Groundcover for rock garden under large oak
October 02, 2012
I am planning a small rock garden under a large oak tree. I would like a spreading evergreen ground cover that will grow in the shade. Drought-tolerant would be preferred as I live in the high plains...
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Low maintenance grass for shade in Conroe, TX
September 15, 2012
What is the best low maintenance grass to plant in front lawn shaded, no traffic area?
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Ground cover under Juniper for San Antonio
September 14, 2012
I have a shaded area under juniper in the Hill Country of Texas that has many sprouts from the tree. We have to weed whack it to keep them under control. What ground cover could I use to enhance tha...
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Stream Bank Erosion Control for Bryan/College Station
August 16, 2012
I live in the Bryan/College Station area and need a ground cover to abate erosion on the bank of an intermittent stream. The bank is shaded. Do you have any suggestions?
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Deer resistant, drought- and shade-tolerant plant for Pennsylvania
August 14, 2012
Hello, I need a deer/drought resistant, shade tolerant, rocky soil perennial. I would like it to have some winter appeal. I live outside of Philadelphia, PA. Thank you so much for your time...
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Oak leaf hydrangeas from Edwardsville IL
August 13, 2012
Hello, I live in West Central Illinois (across the river from St. Louis) and I am considering planting several Oak leaf Hydrangea's in my yard. The location where I would like to plant them is und...
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Groundcovers for area under blue spruce in Colorado
August 10, 2012
I have a 40 ft blue spruce limbed up 6 ft in my yard on the west in Greeley, CO (50 mi N Denver, zone 4 or 5). It gets some sun underneath in the later afternoon and evening. Can you suggest 4 to 5 ...
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