Looking for a fun and easy way to fill some partly sunny ground in zone 8b

[Horseflesh]

I have a partly-sunny area at my treeline which naturally grows tall grass, weeds, and blackberries. I hack it all back and remove the blackberries periodically, but I would like to find something better to do with the land.

Below, you can see it with maintenance under way. It's an east-facing spot so it gets a lot of mid-day sun.

It's not destined to be a great seating area and it's kind of far from the house, but nonetheless I'd like to do something other than let it stay wild. For example, lavender grows well in this area so I was thinking about making a giant lavender patch. I am open to anything that is pretty, low maintenance, and relatively cheap to get started with. If it's good for birds, bees, and butterflies, so much the better.

Thanks if you have any ideas!

 

[oneeye]

I have a partly-sunny area at my treeline which naturally grows tall grass, weeds, and blackberries. I hack it all back and remove the blackberries periodically, but I would like to find something better to do with the land.

Below, you can see it with maintenance under way. It's an east-facing spot so it gets a lot of mid-day sun.

It's not destined to be a great seating area and it's kind of far from the house, but nonetheless I'd like to do something other than let it stay wild. For example, lavender grows well in this area so I was thinking about making a giant lavender patch. I am open to anything that is pretty, low maintenance, and relatively cheap to get started with. If it's good for birds, bees, and butterflies, so much the better.

Thanks if you have any ideas!

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Have you ever had the soil tested?

 

[Horseflesh]

Nope.

 

[oneeye]

Nope.

With the area being on a slope it may be hard to irrigate. How will you irrigate the growing area?

 

[Meadowlark]

I started a pollinator attractor garden this year...all from seeds. The plants I chose were based on their ability to attract butterflys especially but bees and birds also. Also, they were all categorized as perennial.

Lavender was one of them...and I found them difficult to start from seeds, but easy going once they are going.

Black-eyed Susans have done really well.

Coneflowers going very good and just now blooming. They are very high on the list of attractor plants.

Dahlias super blooming and excellent attractor.

Milkweed...I have the swamp milkweed, sandhill milkweed and butterfly milkweed. Of these, the swamp milkweed is performing the best in my climate. These are important plants to butterflys especially the endangered Monarchs.

Garden phlox is outstanding as an attractor and very easy to grow very low maintenance.

However, the very best attractor I have, and I've had this for many years is the Lantana. Easy to grow here and the swallowtails absolutely love it.

Just some varieties that you might want to consider.

 

[Horseflesh]

With the area being on a slope it may be hard to irrigate. How will you irrigate the growing area?

I didn't make it clear enough, sorry... I need something that will thrive in native conditions. It's not practical to irrigate this area.

(It may be ok to water in new plantings/seeds, but not all the time.)

 

[gardenstart]

If you like potatoes, and if the soil is fertile and soft enough, and if you can water it, then potatoes can be easy and rewarding to grow. Try Warbas or Sieglinde. Amend with nutrients.

 

[Horseflesh]

I never would have thought of potatoes, but unfortunately this soil is kind of rocky. I have some raised beds that would work though!

 

[gardenstart]

I never would have thought of potatoes, but unfortunately this soil is kind of rocky. I have some raised beds that would work though!

That would work. We grow ours in those potato bags and are always amazed how easy it is as long as we water and mix in amendments to the soil. Pretty low maintenance aside from watering and fertilizing as they are heavy feeders. But worth it, in my opinion!

 

[MiTmite9]

I started a pollinator attractor garden this year...all from seeds. The plants I chose were based on their ability to attract butterflys especially but bees and birds also. Also, they were all categorized as perineal.

Lavender was one of them...and I found them difficult to start from seeds, but easy going once they are going.

Black-eyed Susans have done really well.

Coneflowers going very good and just now blooming. They are very high on the list of attractor plants.

Dahlias super blooming and excellent attractor.

Milkweed...I have the swamp milkweed, sandhill milkweed and butterfly milkweed. Of these, the swamp milkweed is performing the best in my climate. These are important plants to butterflys especially the endangered Monarchs.

Garden phlox is outstanding as an attractor and very easy to grow very low maintenance.

However, the very best attractor I have, and I've had this for many years is the Lantana. Easy to grow here and the swallowtails absolutely love it.

Just some varieties that you might want to consider.

xxxx You meant to type in "perennial."

 

[Meadowlark]

You meant to type in "perennial."

I did, thank you very much...but the auto spell changed it. Next time you are inclined to spell check leave out the definitions of unintended words when you are fully aware they were unintended.

 

[Horseflesh]

I found a local lab that does affordable soil testing so I'll get that info and update the thread later on. I'm in no hurry, this project has been put off a decade already!

 

[gardenstart]

You could also do beans, by the way, as they are low maintenance, too. Calima and Beurre de Rocqeuncourt are our favorites. They're bush beans so you don't have to stake them, and they're very productive. If you are growing in raised beds you could even look into Mel's Mix as a soil (from Square Foot Gardening), which is just 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 compost, and 1/3 vermiculite. It retains water very well, like a sponge, so it is forgiving if you don't water it, and if you overwater then excess water just runs through it. For a beginner like me it helped me learn while keeping it simple. I also add amendments now, and fertilize with liquid organic fertilizer, despite Mel saying you don't have to, but I think it does help. And, depending on the crop we add things like glacial rock dust or sea minerals for minerals, which are vital for plants, and also bone meal/blood meal/potash for boosting NPK for different vegetables as needed. Anyway, good luck!