Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Flowering plants round the base of trees

InglezinhoInglezinho Posts: 568
in Problem solving
I would like to get some flowering plants round the base of my trees. It's a challenge given the soil is dry and thin. Most of the trees are deciduous. I'm willing to rake off the dead leaves and scarify the soil a bit. The tree roots mean it can't be dug. Also: I'm not willing to risk bought plants, only seed, accepting that the chance of success is low. I'm not bothered about the flowering season, just want to give it shot. I've had several suggestions like hardy cyclamen, aconites ( I have seed and will try it) - any other suggestions most welcome. I am told snowdrops need open ground.
Everyone likes butterflies. Nobody likes caterpillars.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Location?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Marigolds grow easily from seed and aren't fussy about conditions. They will flower all summer long.  I can send you some seed if you like, just send me your address in a PM.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I have snowdrops and aconites that grow under a elm hedge and others under service trees, they flower every year so I don't think they need open ground, I believe they are a woodland species originally, bluebells come on just after the snowdrops are finished. other than that you could try wood annenomies, and solomans seal.
  • Julia1983Julia1983 Posts: 139
    Nasturtium?  They seem to grow just about anywhere in my garden, sun or shade. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    According to his details the poster lives in Brazil ... I know little of the climate he’s gardening in but I doubt whether Northern European plants such as snowdrops, bluebells and our hardy cyclamen are going to be happy there ... but I may be wrong ... 




    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    We plant Spring flowering bulbs under our trees.  We always do this when planting new trees, but for those trees that are established we do have to dig as best as we can before planting the bulbs.  I even have  clematis growing up the trunks of some of our trees - cutting into a few just below the surface tree roots won't kill the tree providing you don't go too deep and not on all sides of the tree - water well after planting and keep watering - trees are thirsty plants and need water to recuperate from any disturbance.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Purple toadflax isn't fussy, so long as it gets a bit of sunshine.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • CreannaphoneCreannaphone Posts: 7
    If you can dig a little, Tiarella is brilliant and it makes a nice clump.  I put under shrubs and trees and it grows contentedly, flowering like mad.
Sign In or Register to comment.