I'm very excited to start planting in my abandoned front "yard" area in Park Slope. It's completely dead, brown and yucky so I'd really just like to start with a cover of greenery to liven up the brownstone.

I've noticed a few different solutions on my walks around the neighborhood, but unfortunately I don't know the names of any of the leaves/plants/grass, etc.... There some bright green big leaves and some darker green ivy looking leaves.

Any suggestions would be great! Also, is right now a good time to spread the seeds?

So excited!

Thanks,
Karen

Thanks! I guess I'm not doing seeds...was thinking hosta or pachysandra since they seem hardy and maybe I won't kill them! Conditions are mostly shade, more than likely bad soil as I don't think anything has been planted out front or at least survived.

In your opinion, what's good for tough soil and partial shade in the area? Something that are very hardy and will have little chance of dying in my amateur hands. :)

Thanks,
Karen

I'm also in Park Slope. (Technically Windsor Terrace.) My garden is on a big deck in containers. Hasta does beautifully - love it. It comes back without fail every year, and you'll probably have more hosta than you know what to do with in a few seasons. If you wanted to mix up the groundcover, I've done well with carpet juniper (it's a dark evergreen that sticks close to the ground). If you wanted to put in a shrub for interest, I think boxwoods are nice. Mine are beautiful and stay green all through the winter, even in pots. (Pretty plants too.) Beware the ivy unless it is in pots - it is really invasive and bad for the bricks and pointing when it starts climbing walls.

I was just down at Lowes ("down-slope" at 2nd Ave and 12th Street) and noticed they had sixpacks of different groundcovers. All the things I suggested I have seen there in previous seasons. I like Lowes best, but you usually have to go to a nursery if you're looking for somthing uncommon. I go to Shannon Nursery on Ft. Hamilton.

If you're on the South end, there is a corner deli store at Windsor Place and Prospect Park West that always has lots of seasonal plants - really, a decent amount of good stuff. Right on the corner. I buy a lot of annuals there.

Pachysandra is a nice plant, but I see TONS of it all over Park Slope. Get in there, get dirty, and show 'em up!

I have all of these I mentioned in a pic from last season at the link below - there are small hostas to the right and left of the chair, carpet juniper to the right of the hosta, and boxwood to the right of that in the terra-cotta pot.

Best of luck!

hostas are great and there's a ton of variety out there. you can also consider vinca (perwinkle) although you also see that everywhere and in some areas it is considered invasive. i'd also highly suggest thinking about some native groundcovers (sweet woodruff, some sedums, some carex, etc). there are more that aren't technically "groundcovers" but that do naturalize nicely, like our native columbine. just beware that you don't get anything invasive!! (BBG has a good list online for reference.)

as for sources, i will be mail ordering most of my stuff, but definitely check out the farmer's market in grand army plaza on saturday morning! one farm in particular (don't remember the name, but i think they are from new jersey and they usually have the largest stands) is very good and i've bought one hosta there (blue umbrella) that so far is doing great. also remember that the BBG plant sale is coming up soon!!!

if you ever want to go to the market or BBG let me know as i'm addicted to both and the more the merrier!! :)

If you want a little color to liven up your greenery, I highly recommend an old fashioned bleeding heart. They do well in partial shade or sun and are very winter-hardy (my 4 from last year went from 1" sprouts to 18" and fully blooming in less than a month). The greenery is fern-like and lovely but it does die back in the summer, so many people plant it with hosts to cover the die back. The Grand Army farmer's market has them now--I got another one last weekend.

Have fun starting your garden!