Be honest, would this idea be nasty and wrong?

[TheProvincialLady]

I have an incredibly shady garden (small Victorian urban terrace) and have given up trying to grow anything that needs sun. I have just planted a few ferns but unless I do something the local cats will fill the spaces between them with their usual product.

So I just thought, why don't I stick a few logs between the ferns until they are bigger, and maybe a few bark chippings. I could make it look a bit woodlandy (there are already crocuses and snowdrops and a honeysuckle plant struggling growing up the wall behind).

But then I thought, maybe it will look deeply naff to have a woodland in a garden which is the furthest from a real woodland it is possible to be?

If it is OK and not too tasteless, have you any suggestions for what I could grow/do?

Why dont you make a japanese garden. Lots of gravel, rocks, bamboo, a japanese latern, couple of blue mountian pins in pots.

Something like this:

www.atlantalandscape.net/gardens/japanese-garden.jpg

www.bh.emb-japan.go.j p/image/Japanese%20Garden.jpg

www.gardenvisit.com/assets/madge/ngamamaku_japanese_garden/6 00x/ngamamakujapanesegarden_600x.jpg

Looks good all year round, almost zero maintenance.

it's YOUR garden, why do you care what other people will think about it if you like it?? Sounds all right to me anyway but really, do what works best for you.

Shady and woodlandy sounds great to me. On the off-chance that we get a hot summer, it will be lovely and cool. Just don't put any gnomes in the woodland.

No, no, no to gravel! The previous owners of our house had the genius idea of gravelling the patio. It is now an almighty litter tray - even with regularly going out and clearing all the shit up, it reeks.

I like woodlandy. Not naff at all.

Avoid bark if you dont't want cats, they LOVE it!

You need a good ground cover plant. I'm not sure which are the quickest and most reliable but vinca is good, there are others...just to cover the ground up so you don't get loads of weeds.

Stones though, work very well - larger stones, like sea shore pebbles. My parents have it - the cats don't use it for some reason, and it looks very pretty and not pretentious/

Whilst I like the Japanese garden look, it isn't really me (would show up the lack of minimalism and order in the rest of the family house)- but thanks for the suggestion.

Thumbwitch I know next to nothing about gardens so that is the reason for my paranoia I suppose. Maybe as I get more knowledgeable I will get more confident in my taste.

Well I have just been to the park and grabbed a load of pine cones and logs (the tree surgeon has just been) and scattered them amongst the ferns and they look all right to me. I have also had what I think is a genius idea and stuck lots of upright sticks quite close together, which hopefully will be too spiky for the cats' comfort. I was going to buy some bark but maybe I will hold fire for a while to see how they react.

Thanks so much for the plant suggestions. I am going to have a look online now. I have just remembered that lily of the valley is a woodland plant isn't it? And I adore the smell.

Thanks everyone.

You could try building a 'stumpery' like this, or the one at Highgrove and use lots of ferns, hostas, and other shade/moisture loving plants. We have one in a corner of a Victorian semi that gets no sun in the winter and about 20 minutes in high summer and it looks great year round.

I think your woodland idea is lovely.

If you use gravel don't use the little bits - use 20mm (about £35 a square meter) - cats like little bits. If they shit on it at least it will be on top and easy to clean up.

Lily of the valley is larrrrverly. Makes me swoon when I see it.

love the chippings and logs and ferns idea. Do it. And add some solar lights here and there amonst the ferns, will look lovely.

logs are also of course very good for encouraging biodiversity.

Sounds like a really good idea. How about some bluebells to add to the mix? (Make sure you get English ones)

Ha ha they told me mint was invasive but I couldn't grow it . I hope that lily of the valley fares better. I had it in my bridal bouquet.

Bluebells - yes, great idea. I am really in favour of using things that are native wherever possible so was already aware of the Dutch? invasive foreign ones. I am also keen on the vinca now that I know it is periwinkle...such a brilliant name.

I am definitely going to look more into the stump garden idea. Moss thrives in our garden already so it is such a relief to think that we already have the right conditions for growing plants. When I have been in the garden centre before I have just been a bit depressed, knowing that most of the flowers would struggle without the light.

And Hassled, I might not get a gnome but just a little sprite or goblin perhaps?

I think woodlandy sounds good and like the idea of bits of wood in the border, if you pile them up (maybe in the corners) you will be creating insect homes too.
I'd go for some evergreen ground cover to stop the cats.
Evergreen ferns, epimediums, some Geraniums, tiarella, sarcococca, asarum etc.
Have a look here, the owner is very helpful and will give you suggestions if you email him
www.plantsforshade.co.uk/index.html