Problem-solving plants for your trouble spots

Virtually everyone who has a yard has some — those embarrassing spots we want to hide or improve because they are too wet or too dry, too rocky or root-infested and so forth.

Jean Bragdon, operations and marketing/special events manager at Lurvey Garden Center, 2550 E. Dempster St., Des Plaines, has many suggestions to offer.

“You really can turn any area of your yard into a nice garden area with some direction and helpful products, as well as the right plants for each situation,” Bragdon said. “For instance, if you have poor soil, there are even products out there designed to improve it.”

But choosing the right plants for the right problem areas is the secret.

“There are perennials, for example, that can tolerate standing water for days at a time. These ‘wet feet' plants are generally native plants that thrived on the prairie, which would also periodically flood. They include cardinal flower, sedges, ferns and ogon grass, also known as ‘sweet flag,' ” Bragdon said.

If your wet area is also shady, opt for ferns, she added. A good test to see if ferns will thrive is if moss is growing on nearby trees.

Homeowners with large wet areas could also consider planting certain trees that require lots of water and tend to soak up much of the excess. For instance, weeping willow trees work well in these areas (but plant them well away from your home because of their insidious root systems), bald cypress and river birch.

On the other hand, yards that have the opposite problem of dry, rocky ground where the hose just won't reach, require plants that are drought-resistant. Bragdon suggests purchasing succulents like sedums (which flower in a variety of colors) and yucca. In fact, if you overwater sedums, they will rot.

Other plants that thrive in hot, dry, sunny areas where the soil may not be the best include Russian sage (a tall, silvery gray plant with purple flowers) and allium, a shorter plant that flowers early in the season but looks nice all summer. It is actually a flowering onion, Bragdon revealed.

Ground covers are the smart choice for beneath trees where there is plenty of shade, as well as issues with tree roots close to the surface, making planting difficult. Vinca/myrtle grows well in these situations because it has shallow roots that don't interfere with those tree roots and it thrives in shady spots.

Both pachysandra, an evergreen ground cover in the boxwood family, and “winter creeper,” which grows a little taller, are also good options for these challenging situations.

Oftentimes homeowners who have plantings near driveways, sidewalks or streets, Bragdon said, search for plants that are tolerant of the road salt we use each winter to keep areas clear of dangerous ice. For these situations she suggests Norway maples, ginkgo, bald cypress, Yugo pines, Colorado spruce or serviceberry to people who want trees. Never choose arborvitae, she cautioned, because they can't handle that punishment.

Those who prefer shrubs for their individual situation should opt for chokeberry, mock orange, viburnum or gro-low sumac (which is also great for stabilizing banks).

Some people also have old fences, sheds or utility boxes they want to conceal. Consider planting climbing vines in these instances, Bragdon suggested.

Climbing hydrangeas have a white flower and the vines look nice, even in the winter, because of their woody texture. There are also many varieties and colors of clematis, which puts out tendrils that grab arbors and fences and climb beautifully. Some varieties of roses also climb and cover. So does honeysuckle, which produces a tubular flower in a variety of colors and is a favorite with hummingbirds.

If your “problem” is you don't have much space and your entire outdoor space is a patio or balcony, consider container gardening.

“The idea is to make your container fun and stunning,” Bragdon said. “So we tell people to include a thriller — a spike or purple fountain grass for some drama, a spiller, which cascades over the side of the container, and a filler, which is something showy for the center.”

“Mixed containers are great because they can sit on a landing, the deck or at your front door,” she continued. “They can also be moved if you need more space when entertaining.”

If your container is going to be in the sun, she suggests cosmos, dusty miller, geraniums, salvia, asparagus fern, dahlias, petunias, sunpatiens or zinnias, for starters. Those going to be placed in the shade should be filled with coleus, begonias, ivy, fuchsia, impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, spikes and caladium.

Lurvey Garden Center holds free, informative, 20- to 30-minute garden talks at 10:30 a.m. each Friday. Problem areas will be addressed in sessions scheduled during July and August, Bragdon said. Check its website (www.lurveys.com) for the calendar.

For more information, call (847) 824-7411.