Perennial Shade Plant Suggestions Needed

TOO true! The previous owners "fixed" the boiler by jury-rigging it to run 24/7. That broke some parts, which had now been repaired. I suspect that the previous owners preferred to pay for their DISH and other luxuries, instead of their mortgage. DH (atty) used to handle mortgage closings. HIS advice to the girls was that it's all about your budget. You don't want to get into any property where 75% of your income is gone for payments every month. Real estate agents will convince you that you can afford MORE house than you can. Sometimes other people aren't any help. DH's associates was home with her kids, instead of practicing until her DH got a pay cut (6 years ago), and they couldn't afford the $5K/year for private school. Then she got a $33K contract and started spending up to her income. She found, ironically a very good agent for my DD's and for her clients, but she was kinda looking down her nose at what my DD's were looking at. She put her OWN in town house up for rent and bought $350K place in a wealthy neighborhood locally, right down the street from a former IL governor, (and his 17 acre estate.) She has expensive taste, and her mortgage payments only work as long as her tenants continue to pay. She moved to get her kids into a safe local school district, but the expensive house was her choice.
It's kind of a FYI. We looked for our own place for 12 years and I fired 5 real estate agents. It was the same story, they would sort of listen to me about what I had to spend, then show me all sort of places that would work, then assume that I was undercutting myself and start showing me places that I could not afford, and then show me junk. One place had both a second floor that bounced, and a barn with holes the size of a jumbo frank with the bun. I was told that those holes would close up when it rained.
REALLY, buyer beware of your REAL Estate Agent!
I found my place, 5 acres, 100yo, 6 bedroom house with minimal problems, barn w/loft, 2 outbuildings, 4 car garage, $89,900
It had old fencing, now new Horse fencing, and I have put together 3 stalls in the barn, which also has an attached 16 x 19 shelter (with a new manger that we built.)
The real estate agent that got the sale had shown be about 5 possible places before I found this one (1999,) and was listening to me about what I could afford.
I think my DD's bought well. If I have a concern, it is that one or both of them might, in the future, turn down a more lucrative job because they love the house too much to move.
BUT, as WE all Know, fixing up the yard makes the house look really nice!
 
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Besides cleaning up this Spring, I will be fixing their wooden fence. I'll take some paper and trace a single panel to get the right replacement parts. It is all wood, but looks a lot like this:
http://www.plasticfencinguk.co.uk/images/imported/z80.JPG
We'll repair the hardware on the gates, and sand and repaint it white again. One full panel has fallen down. They are talking about getting a dog, but, the pvc coated wooden fencing is really expensive, so this is an affordable option. I told them to buy a spray paint adaptor so that we aren't trying to cover every surface by hand, and get the finished paint job done in a day. I have a tool shed at my place to keep anything that they don't have room to keep. Depending on how many panels need replacing, I might be able to buy a single panel, and then cannibalize it. I know that you can ask these questions at the store before trying, but I'd like your ideas on that.
Is this hard, and would I split wood? I know that trying to pull apart a pallet is almost impossible.
 
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Dutch honeysuckle comes to mind. It's a full sun to partial shade climber that I've grown before. It's pretty determined and when in bloom is wonderfully fragrant.

Usually if it can get going in the shade it will climb to the sunnier spots and make its presence felt. You may want to wait till you see just where the shadows are before getting too crazy.
 
Another vote for Dutch Honeysuckle, I have the late Dutch Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum 'Serotina'.
DSCN0791.JPG
DSCN0786.JPG

Mine gets a bit of morning sun and then it's in shade the rest of the day. Jared is right it has a wonderful fragrance especially on a warm evening.
Annette
 
ducks4you said:
I need plants for zone 5, even though we are a little further south. Will dutch honeysuckle grow this far north?
Click to expand...

From what I've read, yes, it will grow in Zone 5.
We have to cut mine right back, putting in a new fence and gate this spring, I hope it can take a severe pruning, time will tell, fingers crossed.
Annette
 
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