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Wildflower under apple tree?

Mpearce2000Mpearce2000 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hi, I have an apple tree on the edge of my garden and I've always struggled to get the grass to look decent underneath the tree. Outcome is a bit of a messy area that never looks any good, approx 2m * 2m. I was thinking of using a wildflower shade mix this year to see how it looks. Preferably in purple/blue themed.  

Does anyone have any suggestions on either good solutions for this,  or alternative suggestions for coloured flowers in spring/ summer that work well underneath an apple tree?

Thanks
MP

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Spring bulbs will co-exist happily with fruit trees, so I would start with those.  Many other flowers can compete with the tree for nutrients, but I'm sure some suggestions will come along.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I have bulbs under mine, and a nice large chunk bark mulch that looks good the rest of the year.  I sort of regret the bulbs though.  They look beautiful in the spring.. but then spend six weeks ungracefully dying back.  Mine are in the front, so looks rather unsightly during the prime early summer.  
    Utah, USA.
  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    I read somewhere before that comfrey can help to improve the yield of fruit trees by sending roots even deeper than the tree and thus bringing up nutrients that can become available to the tree when they rot into the ground when they die back naturally or are chopped down as a living mulch. They also can have blue, purple or white flowers and in looking for where I read about it being a good companion for fruit trees I found this page that also offers some other suggestions. I like the suggestions for chives and nasturtiums in particular. This video clip shows two types of comfrey which are doing fine in shade but are upstaged by the forget me not blooms when the video was made. I usually let them die back themselves but I have increasingly chopped down shoots where the flowering might be finished and this seems to encourage fresh flowers when it is warm enough for them to be actively growing.
    Happy gardening!
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • Mpearce2000Mpearce2000 Posts: 2
    Thanks for all your suggestions,  I'll do a bit more research over the coming weeks.  
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Hesperis matronalis (Dame's Violet) might be quite nice.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • what_am_i_doingwhat_am_i_doing Posts: 6
    @Mpearce2000 what did you decide to do in the end?  Really interested as have a similar problem.
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