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what can I plant around the bottom of these trees please?
oliveraustin
Posts: 45
in Plants
I have this place at the back of the garden that faces North and drains very badly (retaining wall behind and big layers of clay in the ground). Cutting the little bit of grass that grows there is a pain and I don't usually bother plus it's mostly moss anyway. In short - it looks rubbish. Please could you share some ideas about how I can cover up the mess? P.S. I'm not precious about the Christmas tree, that can come out. P.P.S. I have no ideas what's planted along the fence.
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Otherwise, whatever's planted there simply won't thrive, and anything new you put in will struggle. It's counterproductive, and expensive, to keep planting stuff if the soil isn't decent enough.
Organic matter added regularly is the way to amend clay and make it a brilliant growing medium. Even a bulk bag of manure, compost or bark will make a huge difference. Definitely make a proper edging of the grass - and incorporating the area around the tree would be even better.
I thought you didn't know what was against the fence? How did you acquire the plants if you put them in?
Round the tree is much easier. Plenty of low growing plants for shade will be fine - ajuga, iberis, brunnera, epimedium, primulas etc. All will spread according to how well they establish. It's still worth improving the soil there though, as the birch will take up a lot of moisture in summer if you don't, and nothing will do well over time.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If you want a border you will have to add a lot of compost to improve the soil. As it's in the shade you can't just plant colourful perennials, you will have to choose plants that are happy with shade.
Is the soil always moist or does it dry out in summer? There are plants that will grow in wet shade and different ones for dry shade. Some manage both, such as Brunnera Jack Frost, dryopteris ferns and hosta. Astilbes like it damp in summer.
If you can shape the lawn as suggested over the spring and summer[yes it will be hard to do] and add some composted bark to cover the borders thickly when you can, it will look tidy. Keep away from the tree trunks.
Overtime the bark will break down and you will see some improvement in the soil. This will be an on going project. If it gets to be too much the bark will at least smarten it up which will help. Over time with the addition of more compost you will have a medium that is suitable for planting. Many plants are happy in shade.
Clay soil is full of nutrients a big positive.
Around the flower beds think I'd loosen the surface with a garden fork, then pile on bags of compost and let the worms do their magic. Next Spring you might be able to work the flower beds, and plant with suitable shrubs, bedding plants. Or Astro turf the whole lot and grow shrubs etc., in large pots.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Soil quality : There's a layer of reasonable but clay-rich soil, no probs improving the quality of that. I've done that in all the other planting spots. What I found though when digging deep holes for the small trees at the back is big chunks/layers of pure grey clay about 1ft /30cm down, there's no way I can do anything about now but I'm sure that impacts drainage along with the retaining wall.
Edge lawn : I sort of had in mind a natural spillover of the planting onto the grass that I'd just push the mower into but maybe an edge strip leading onto bark before the planting would make more sense. Will have a look into it.
Moisture : The soil does dry out in that corner in the summer but no probs with a bit of watering if required. Conversely, it's wet for a good proportion of the year too hence the moss.
Astro turf : I can't visualise how that would work given the rest of the lawn is ...erm...lawn. Either way, not a route I'd like to go down.
Identity of trees : They were dumped by builders on the estate so I rescued them, they're growing well.
Plant suggestions : Brunnera Jack Frost, dryopteris ferns and hosta, London Pride. I forgot to add, it the long frost killed a chunk of the garden, where I am seems to be exceptionally cold for some reason, there are also loads of slugs that I can't get on top of.
I've also got a dilemma about what to do in the triangle between shed and fence. It feels like another 'proper' tree would go in there, but it's truly shaded so I'd need to buy something already big enough to "see over" the fence so the leaves get some sun maybe? The Christmas tree can go, in fact I'll dig it out this week so I can see better what I'm working with.