Outdoor dead space

[hamster]

The addition has created this awkward space in our yard, and I could use help brainstorming ideas. 

The big window is in our living room. An HVAC unit will be under it. 
The pump house stays for the foreseeable future. 
It's going to be really shady. 

We don't need more patio space really, grass will be a pita to grow I suspect, and view is a factor with the living room window. Any ideas? 

[mrsukyankee]

Fake grass?

[lessel]

What about a paver “patio” — where there are square pavers and gravel or fake grass in between?

[thatgirl2478]

what about a shade garden so you have something to look at out the living room window? Looks like you probably have partial sun there, so you could probably put in some interesting plants. You can find some interesting ground covers too (including many plants that AREN'T ground cover but that will naturally spread themselves). Maybe some yard art if you're into that sort of thing?

[InBetweenDays]

Rain garden? Our city will actually offset the cost of installing one if we install one to manage our roof/stormwater runoff.

[ladyfern]

Hosta garden!

[aprilsails]

I would fill that corner with shade loving plants and a central pathway of pea gravel with walking stones. I wouldn’t do mulch since it won’t dry well if it’s always shaded. Hostas grow anywhere and fill in a lot of space in a matter of 5-6 years.

[hamster]

I was thinking about a shade garden of sorts!

We actually have a hedge/tree that should be in more shade than it is and would look good there, but I wonder about roots since our water line now runs in this area.

Not that I need more landscaping, but I can envision something like that in this space.

[simpsongal]

Ditto shade garden - I'd try to pick a specimen plant or 2 to build around. Yews are one of the few evergreens that do well in shade. Some varieties of Japanese maples do as well.

[treedimensional]

Nov 12, 2019 10:26:50 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

Ditto shade garden - I'd try to pick a specimen plant or 2 to build around. Yews are one of the few evergreens that do well in shade. Some varieties of Japanese maples do as well.

There are MANY shade tolerant evergreens beside yews here in zone 7, where are you?

Azalea / Rhododendron
Kalmia
Boxwood / Sarcococca
Fatsia
Camellia
Gardenia
Hellebores
Yucca (yes, yucca)
Some species of viburnum (some require protection / are semi-evergreen)
Windmill palm / needle palm
Hemlock
Holly
Osmanthus
Autumn fern
Ligustrum
English Ivy 

[simpsongal]

Nov 29, 2019 9:20:03 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

Nov 12, 2019 10:26:50 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

Ditto shade garden - I'd try to pick a specimen plant or 2 to build around. Yews are one of the few evergreens that do well in shade. Some varieties of Japanese maples do as well.

There are MANY shade tolerant evergreens beside yews here in zone 7, where are you?

Azalea / Rhododendron
Kalmia
Boxwood / Sarcococca
Fatsia
Camellia
Gardenia
Hellebores
Yucca (yes, yucca)
Some species of viburnum (some require protection / are semi-evergreen)
Windmill palm / needle palm
Hemlock
Holly
Osmanthus
Autumn fern
Ligustrum
English Ivy 

zone 7 - sorry I misspoke, I think I meant to say shade tolerant conifer evergreens. I’m probably still not being precise - I’m vaguely recalling something I read in adrian higgins’ gardening book.

[treedimensional]

I forgot Daphne. There are a lot of shade tolerant evergreens.