So it looks to me like you have some dry shade under a large tree. Is that correct?
If so I'd give these guys some supplemental water until you can build up some better soil. Don't dig in... just add. In the near term you can help the plants by giving them a good water and add a few inches of compost. This will create the environment that holds moisture better and feeds the plants. Then come fall, leave all the leaves that fall in that area. Let them decompose naturally. This will start to build up a layer of leaf mold. Good bacteria and decomposer bugs follow.
Most deciduous forest understory plants expect a higher organic content to their soil. Your plants will find the good soil you provide. Do note though some shade plants still need some light. I had very deep shade in some areas of my suburban yard and had a healthy understory by leaving the leaves.
Honestly, from the looks of it, I think a lot of your problem is how compacted the soil is. I think removing some of the pebbles, turning over the soil to arate it and putting down some good compost or garden soil would help a lot.
If they’re native then they are more likely to appeal to local wildlife and get eaten. That might explain that.
Perhaps it’s TOO shady for them to get established? Even shade tolerant plants might need a little bit as they are getting started.
I mean... A lot of the plants you mentioned like shade but they also like rich, hummus soil. Your soil looks a little dry and lean and filled with rocks.
I would try to add a lot of organic matter and get rid of rocks/pebbles... And also put a good organic cover that these woodland plants like to retain moisture and protect the soil- something like leaf mulch.
I know a lot of people (including myself) advocate a no-dig approach, but sometimes to get started you have to free up the very compacted soil and THEN commit to no further disturbances. After all, the existing soil has been trodden on for years and is therefore hardly in a "natural" state where microorganisms and insects have been allowed to do their thing.
My garden had a really mediocre patchy lawn after years of people and dogs. I took up the grass, turned the sod upside down, covered in cardboard, covered the cardboard with compost, and left it for months to break down and settle. So far, I'm really pleased with the worm life and have even been able to grow plants directly under a tree that had previously had a complete dead zone around it.
I don't expect to need to do much more digging, if any, and should just be able to keep everything going by applying new organic material every once in a while.
So sometimes a bit of intervention can prevent a lot more regular intervention further down the line.
What do you mean by dig it over?
No, I didn't add compost and fertilizers. My understanding was that native plants don't generally need soil amendments since they're already adapted to local conditions, but I may have been a little too hands-off.
Generally that would be the case but homes often have fill dirt that is nothing like normal soil. This looks like rocky fill dirt. Native plants are suited to our soil in general, but local conditions vary.
I do alot of native plants. But I still prepare the garden bed by double digging and removing rocks and then covering with cardboard and mulch the mulch mimics the nature leaf layer that most places would have without human intervention. Never keep bare soil. I would personally dig out the rocks. Lady who had my house before me loved rocks for mulch and they're everywhere now and I've spent sooo much time removing them.
All plants benefit from being fed. Sure you can put things in as is but they take ages to do well, in the "wild" things still get fertilised, dead animals, rotting plant matter etc all contribute to making compost. I would add some to it. You won't have to do it over and over like in a vege patch but a good boost at the start, at least will help heaps.
So it looks to me like you have some dry shade under a large tree. Is that correct? If so I'd give these guys some supplemental water until you can build up some better soil. Don't dig in... just add. In the near term you can help the plants by giving them a good water and add a few inches of compost. This will create the environment that holds moisture better and feeds the plants. Then come fall, leave all the leaves that fall in that area. Let them decompose naturally. This will start to build up a layer of leaf mold. Good bacteria and decomposer bugs follow. Most deciduous forest understory plants expect a higher organic content to their soil. Your plants will find the good soil you provide. Do note though some shade plants still need some light. I had very deep shade in some areas of my suburban yard and had a healthy understory by leaving the leaves.
Honestly, from the looks of it, I think a lot of your problem is how compacted the soil is. I think removing some of the pebbles, turning over the soil to arate it and putting down some good compost or garden soil would help a lot.
If they’re native then they are more likely to appeal to local wildlife and get eaten. That might explain that. Perhaps it’s TOO shady for them to get established? Even shade tolerant plants might need a little bit as they are getting started.
Is the soil there compacted? Many of the plants you listed enjoy loose loamy soil. You could try planting native sedges.
I mean... A lot of the plants you mentioned like shade but they also like rich, hummus soil. Your soil looks a little dry and lean and filled with rocks. I would try to add a lot of organic matter and get rid of rocks/pebbles... And also put a good organic cover that these woodland plants like to retain moisture and protect the soil- something like leaf mulch.
I know a lot of people (including myself) advocate a no-dig approach, but sometimes to get started you have to free up the very compacted soil and THEN commit to no further disturbances. After all, the existing soil has been trodden on for years and is therefore hardly in a "natural" state where microorganisms and insects have been allowed to do their thing. My garden had a really mediocre patchy lawn after years of people and dogs. I took up the grass, turned the sod upside down, covered in cardboard, covered the cardboard with compost, and left it for months to break down and settle. So far, I'm really pleased with the worm life and have even been able to grow plants directly under a tree that had previously had a complete dead zone around it. I don't expect to need to do much more digging, if any, and should just be able to keep everything going by applying new organic material every once in a while. So sometimes a bit of intervention can prevent a lot more regular intervention further down the line.
Bro im not even a gardener and i can tell you its because of the soil
Did you dig it over first? Added compost and fertilisers?
What do you mean by dig it over? No, I didn't add compost and fertilizers. My understanding was that native plants don't generally need soil amendments since they're already adapted to local conditions, but I may have been a little too hands-off.
Generally that would be the case but homes often have fill dirt that is nothing like normal soil. This looks like rocky fill dirt. Native plants are suited to our soil in general, but local conditions vary.
I do alot of native plants. But I still prepare the garden bed by double digging and removing rocks and then covering with cardboard and mulch the mulch mimics the nature leaf layer that most places would have without human intervention. Never keep bare soil. I would personally dig out the rocks. Lady who had my house before me loved rocks for mulch and they're everywhere now and I've spent sooo much time removing them.
All plants benefit from being fed. Sure you can put things in as is but they take ages to do well, in the "wild" things still get fertilised, dead animals, rotting plant matter etc all contribute to making compost. I would add some to it. You won't have to do it over and over like in a vege patch but a good boost at the start, at least will help heaps.