Subject: shade loving ground covers?

From: Bill <[email-masked]>
Date: 3 Apr 1995 21:11:08 GMT

Howdy Folks,

Just learned of this group and have spent the last hour sifting through
and reading several articles.  Very happy this group exists.  :-)

I have a six-foot fence with one side receiving most/all of the direct
sunlight, while the other side receives indirect to almost no sunlight at
all.  The shady side is in the backyard and slopes away from the fence. 
The way the sun rises and falls along the fence, about 10' ro so away
from the fence will receive direct sunlight, but is part of this sloped
area.  After about 20' or so away from the fence, the yard flattens out. 
I've got an acre in the back for my lawn, but this particular area (30' x
20') I'm entertaining ideas on doing something with.

So, I was thinking about stripping the sod off of this sloped area and
planting a ground cover (not ferns or evergreens) which would be
perennial and or reseed itself each year.  I'd like for the ground cover
to flower and I was thinking of something that would be about 10" - 18"
tall, at most.  Any suggestions?

The area farther away from the fence that does receive sunlight.  Any
suggestions for a different ground cover or should I do something else?

I'm not looking to be tending this area often as I've started 4 other
flower gardens this spring already, bringing the total to 5 seperate
gardens now.  (Glutton for punishment, I know....)  :-)

If I strip the sod and plant a ground cover which will grow from seed,
should I mix in an annual grass with the ground cover seed to help the
ground cover get established?  Would doing such a thing choke out the
ground cover at all?

Thanks in advance for any advice/tips anyone has for me.  :-)

Bill