Planting Under Roof Overhangs In Shaed

Plants can provide shade and act as windbreaks.

Planting under roof overhangs in shaed.

Planting directly under the drip line is asking for trouble. Deciduous plants allow winter sun through their bare branches and exclude summer sun with their leaves. When planting under trees keep in mind that tree roots suck up much of the available water and give a fair amount of shade once the leaves fill in. At my house in the sandhills the roof overhang is about the only place that gets enough water to keep the above plants alive.

In addition to providing shade plants can assist cooling by transpiration. They are 24 plus gutters so about 30 deep. A roof overhang can create a band of dry shade near the house. Blocked shade is when a building roof overhang wall or fence keeps out sunlight.

Meanwhile house eaves often shelter plants from rain and not in a good way. Notice how the trees and shrubs in this foundation planting are placed beyond the drip line of the overhanging eaves. Rain snow and ice will damage any plant in. You could fill the area with river rock mulch bricks etc.

But i don t think i have as much shade as it looks like you have. One thing i didn t consider how dry it is under the roof overhangs. Tolerating dry shade is not the same as thriving in it. I ve noticed how dry it is under the eaves now that the gutters are up.

You could try them they all tolerate a lot of shade. Rain snow and ice will damage any plant in that location sometimes terminally. Note too that water cascading off a roof can damage plants below. By moving out from under the overhang there will be much less maintenance work and the plants will love it.

Planting under evergreens is tough because there s little light and plants have to compete with roots for. A building or fence that blocks the wind may affect the rain direction in windy storms. Dry shade can even be found under plants. It s going to remain as natural and rustic as practicable using native plants where they make sense.

Plants also enhance the visual environment and create pleasant filtered light see landscaping and garden design. Hi i d leave that area as an access trail for painting etc and either move plants or plant outside the eave perimeter. Fixes for dry shady plantings. If you plant beneath an overhang be prepared to water these plants throughout the growing season.