What do you recommend for decorating a shaded back yard in South Carolina?
I am trying to spruce up my parent's back yard as they are getting old and can't really do anything but rake, but want a place to relax. They have several very old oak trees in their yard so there are patches of shade and sun, interspersed, throughout the day. They have a wooden deck (about 12 feet by 6 feet) that opens onto a simple concrete patio (about 15 feet by 8 feet). We are in the coastal region of South Carolina – with very intense summers (drought, rain, humidity, temperatures over 100) and short but freezing winters (several overnight freezes).
I would like to add something to brighten up the patio and maybe something around the trees, to make it more inviting. Most plant care will be little to none, as my parents are not able to water daily or prune.
I was thinking of just getting a few planters to place around the edge of the patio, and finding some simple plant to fill them, maybe make gravel or stone beds (surrounded by bricks or large stones) around the trees, and maybe a bird feeder and a wind-chime. It doesn't have to be fancy or cluttered, or even with flowering plants. Just any ideas would be great. Thank you for any help at all.
if you want something in a planter and there will be little or no watering try an ice plant they like it dry and have little purple flowers,
Try calling a nearby florist and they surely answer your questions. I found a large list of South Carolina florists. http://www.localfloristsonline.com/South-Carolina-Florists.html I suggest visiting a florist near where you live.
Hosta and more Hostas . They come in a variety of shades of green /blue & variegated. IN SPRING THEY WILL POP UP AND BE BEAUTIFUL AFTER A FEW YEARS SOME WILL ACTUALLY bloom. Come the winter they just die back . Very low maintenance.
Azaleas and ferns do well in partial shade. Azaleas do drop blooms though and would require some level of maintenance. I've had hosta and elephant ears grow well in shade too. Jonquil or daffodil bulbs around the tree trunks would be a nice contrast. I've never dug up those bulbs, even in winter, and they do just fine. You could do potted ferns to soften up the deck corners but you would have to come back and divide them when they overgrow the planters. Some colorful annuals in deck boxes would brighten up that area, but have to be replanted every year. Drop cut up sponges in the potting soil to extend period between watering. My granny absolutely adores her hummingbirds. A couple hummingbird nectar feeders (you can buy material from natural cedar wood to colorful plastic) would probably tickle your mom. There's also a hummingbird vine, not sure the name of it, but it's a delicate vine you could grow up on the deck railing to attract birds. It blooms a deep pink color. Wind chimes would be a great addition too. I think it's so nice you're doing this for your parents!