Question
QUESTION: We have an area on the north side of our house with a 3 to 5 foot overhang/soffett.  It gets very little rain.  The area is shady for most of the day (we have tall trees to the east but none on the west), but the west end does get hot afternoon sun.  What plants can I grow successfully here?  Some plants that have come up from seed are tall phlox and black-eyed susan, but these flowers are too tall for my purpose (I have to stake them 'cause they flop over onto the adjacent sidewalk).  I do have some lilies of the valley growing on the east end and they do well so I will leave them.  I also planted short marigolds right next to the sidewalk all along the area but I would like some taller plants right next to the house.  What plants do you recommend?  Thank you very much for your help.

ANSWER: Hey, Kathy.

Before I answer, can you tell me what city/state you are in? That will help me provide you with a better answer.

Thanks.

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QUESTION: Sorry I didn't think to give this info before...  We live in Owaneco, IL (35 miles south of Springfield).  Thanks again.

Answer
Hey, Kathy.

If I were as far north as you are (I'm in San Diego), I would definitely look into the hosta family. There is a wide variety of them with beautiful leaf variations. The flowers appear on stalks, and while they are not awe-inspiring, a lot of them together to have quite an effect. I don't know if the plants themselves will be tall enough for what you're wanting to do.

Outside of that, I don't have a lot of experience in far north environs, but if I were in your situation, here's what I would do: First, take a couple of hours, get in the car, and drive around some neighborhoods and look at the houses that have north-facing sides. Note what others have planted and whether or not they are doing well.

You might also consider something different, like some well-placed containers, some climbing vines, or some hanging baskets. The containers would give you some height so you could plant just about anything in them. The nice thing about containers and hanging baskets is that if you get bored with the landscape layout, you can just rearrange some containers or baskets, and they come in a variety of styles, colors, and designs, so you could really add some pizzazz if you wanted.

There are probably some very good books at your local bookstore for plants that do very well in your area. They usually are in the "local interest gardening" section. They should give you some very good ideas for your specific locale. I have also found that the small mom-and-pop nurseries are quite good with recommendations, far better than Home Depot, Kmart, and the other garden centers at home improvement stores.

If you find some plants that you like, get the names of them and I can get you more specific information about those specific plants for you.