Thrifty shade landscaping
Yay! So happy to see this com waking up. I didn't do too much gardening last year other than to fill in some spots and very basic maintenance due to being so busy with my part-time gig refinishing furniture but am really itching to get out and get dirty. Also, my husband and I are building an apartment over the garage and it has a small yard/garden that's currently mostly frozen mud, due to hauling material in and not doing anything with it, so of course I'm going to "landscape". I don't want to go too crazy, as it's a rental, but I do want it to look decent. It's a bit problematic, heavy shade in much of it, although parts do get a little sun, mostly morning. And it's heavy clay that's never been worked. And on a slope. I prefer mostly natives and want to keep it relatively low maintenance so when it's rented we won't have to be back there very often. I bought some columbine seeds, different varieties, which I'll be starting inside this weekend. Also some liatris corbs and bare root hosta. I want to get a jump on them so will be starting in peat pots that can go directly in when warm enough. I had put some heuchera under a tree back there that weren't doing very well in the front and they seem to be happy there, so will likely get some more. There's a border area along the side of the garage which shouldn't be too difficult as it gets full sun.
The worst area is under a walkway which will be dry, clay shade. From what I've read it appears that Allegheny spurge (procumbens) should grow there. And as it's native I don't have to worry about it being invasive. I found a nursery not too far from here that sells bare root. I've also been considering green and gold (chrysogonum Virginianum), which appears to be pretty tolerant of said conditions. I was hoping some here might have some online nursery suggestions that offer bare root plants? I've bought from Prairie Nursery and Prairie Moon as well, so I'm familiar.
It'll be a while before I can get my hands into actual outside dirt, but hopefully this should keep me from going to cuckoo for the time being.
ETA - I'm in Nashville, zone 7A