637463 Fri Jul 17 17:30:29 -0700 2009 6 62 Gardening 0 4868695 Here's a photo of the abandoned well: http://jimandcaralien.phanfare.com/4151150_4153787#imageID=71794775 We've had many ideas, including making it a smoker, fishpond, etc. I recently learned that a lot of herbs grow well in the shade. So my new thought is to make an herb garden--even if I use good topsoil in the bag and opened only for the transplants. Has anyone done this in an abandoned well? Does it work? Our backyard is shaded but on the south side. The well is off of the porch, which attaches to the kitchen. Recommendations? We were thinking of chives and cilantro to start. Fri Jul 17 17:30:29 -0700 2009 224238 Caralien 1 4868792 As far as I know, there are some herbs that grow in the shade and chives and cilantro do not in my shady garden. I grow both in my zone 6A garden but they survive only in a sunny area. The herbs which do grow well in the shade are: Sweet woodruff: a beautiful groundcover that smells like freshly mown hay with lovely white flowers in the spring. May wine is made from Sweetwoodfuff. I grow it in the borders under confers where it's thrived for years.. Anise hyssop: makes a delicious and refreshing tea and can be used as a substitute for anise. Wild ginger: Is another groundcover that does well in the shade. It has pretty heart shaped leaves and can be used to spice up sweet or savory dishes. But take care to just snip a few rhizomes below ground then add soil to cover where you've dug. Parsley: You know what that is...LOL Shiso (Perilla): I grow the purple variety and it reseeds vehemently! But I like the color among the other plants so I just pull it out where I don't want it. I use it for savory dishes once in a while. But I really just grow it for the color. Spicebush: I don't grow this... no room. It's a tall native plant and that's a plus. It's fragrant and has yellow flowers in the Spring and little red berries in the Autumn. I would caution against buying top soil in a bag. For one thing you don't know where that soil has come from. Perhaps an excavation in an area which has polutants.... I would, instead, buy bagged composted manure and if possible, aged ( at least 3 years old) compost. Sounds like a super project for you. Good Luck!! Fri Jul 17 18:25:21 -0700 2009 4868695 75332 Gio 2 4868813 there are some local farms here which have topsoil, and I'd rather go there first (http://corner-copia.com/ is what we had previously named "habanero farm" on our GPS, but they seem to have a lot of what I need!). The back space does have sun, and next summer we might prune some of the larger trees. I like that it's shaded out back and sunny in the front, as well as learning that even here in P-town that some of our neighbors grow produce on their front lawn (we're newbies to the whole thing). The most we've done so far is getting a push mower, and it works splendidly. I do want to do something with the old well. We won't tear it down, of course, but need something to do with it. Thanks for the ideas of plants. I've heard that sweet woodruff is also good to repel bugs? Fri Jul 17 18:40:31 -0700 2009 4868792 224238 Caralien 1 4869846 There are herbs that grow in part-shade (yes, chives & cilantro, also parsley, tarragon, mint, and some others), but they do need at least some sun or you'll just get weak, leggy growth. Judging from the moss and the weak grass & weeds, I'd say that well is just too shady. Find a sunnier spot for your herb garden and plant some truly shade loving plants in your charming old well. It could be lovely filled with an explosion of impatiens, for instance. Sat Jul 18 08:58:37 -0700 2009 4868695 19542 Karen_Schaffer 2 4870701 if the well is in that much shade, even impatients may be a no go, sunwise. we have a simliar edifice in oue yard (ours is an ex fispond which is also in total shade) and our is planted mostlywith violets of varios kinds. We've got regular violets, confederate violets (white with blue eye (does anyone here know why they're called confederate violets.) delfts (white with blue speckles) a few straight whites and a couple of labradors. besides that and some wild orchids (not pretty ones those greeny sticklike ones that grow of thier own accord0 very little else whe've put there has taken. Sat Jul 18 17:08:50 -0700 2009 4869846 24492 jumpingmonk 1 4870712 Herbs, no! Some kind of above ground kalua pig pit. Sat Jul 18 17:15:32 -0700 2009 4868695 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 4872085 my husband is very much in this light. We want to use it, but don't know how. No removing of the old bricks, 5 feet of dirt, and then? This year it is likely the base for our hibachi. Next year? I'm taking everyone's notes. I'd like edible things, as I'm not a plant person (sorry Mom), but try. Sun Jul 19 14:04:06 -0700 2009 4870712 224238 Caralien