| My garden faces a western exposure and gets a few hours of hot afternoon sun. The biggest problem is that my neigh- bors have a large old silver maple tree that borders my garden and the roots have invaded my garden. Nothing I have tried so far will grow. This area is in the shade most of the time . The soil is mostly clay though I have tried to amend it. What can I plant that will survive this dry, hot shade? |
| It is very difficult to grow things around the roots of a silver maple tree, I know...I have one. Dry shade is also a challenge for gardeners. There are some shade loving, drought tolerant perennials to try: Alliums, Arabis, Artemisia, Aruncus, Baptisia, Echinacea 'Magnus', Festuca, Helleborus, Hemerocallis, Lamium, Monarda, Penstemon, Sedums, and Tovara. Keep trying to amend the clay soil with organic matter such as compost, leaf mould, and composted cow manure. This will help whatever you plant there have a better chance of thriving in those difficult conditions. |
