Under the Trees
plant pauper
Posts: 6,904
Hi All. Those trees are huge and very far away. They are about 80-90 feet high and I hate them but I'm stuck with them.
Underneath at the minute is bare ground and ivy and wee hairy bits of weedy grass. Is there anything I could put there that could cope with the conditions. Water is not a problem as the whole place is riddled with natural springs.
The top pic was taken at 10.00 this morning and the bottom one at 17.45 this afternoon. The sun comes round about 12 and I could take the bottom branches up to head height to let more light in. I noticed a couple of hawthorn seedlings today so it can't be all bad. What about rhodies or something? Or would something a bit less ambitious like bluebells and primroses do? Is there anything for when they've finished?
All suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks.
Posts
Because they're 80 feet high and it would cost a fortune to get rid. They're falling down at the rate of one a Winter anyway.
Hi, I've planted under mature sycamores, very dry partial shade (for me) as the trees soak up the water.
These work well:
Spring bulbs
Euphorbia robbiae
Fatsia Japonica
Nepeta near the edges to catch some sun-Walkers Low or Six Hills Giant, and wallflowers.
Geraniums
Pheasants tail grass.
Broom (surprisingly).
Japanese anemone and hydrangea struggle with the dryness for me but if you have moisture you could try them. I've also added flowering quince this year.
Also bluebells and wood anemone have self seeded and spread themselves around.
Wow! That's brilliant. I hadn't thought there'd be that many for such a shady spot. I don't particularly want to give myself more work so maybe the wood anemone and bluebells. There is one wee lonely primrose in another part of the garden and I suspect he was mooched in from the hedgerows around here. I could move him because he's definitely not happy. I only ever go there when I'm cutting the grass but I'd love to tidy it up and have something nice there. If I live till I'm 100 there will be a woodland part in this garden with native trees and underplantings, not those things. Maybe I could start there and move this way instead of the other way round.
I always manage to kill Japanese anemone. Maybe it would like the damp bit.
Last edited: 16 May 2016 22:02:18
Yes, but high maintenance working under trees - at least for me on chalk/flint. Only bonus is my trees are deciduous so there's a bit more light during bulb season.
Adding compost, bark mulch, making the beds as deep as possible to catch the sun (ie not planting too close to the trees if poss), and a lot of watering in years 1 and 2. Amazing how much moisture the trees soak up.
Good luck with the wood anemones and bluebells! I've had the odd primrose seed itself and they seem to like it too.
I had high hopes of the trees taking up moisture but even they can't cope with my bogland. I'll swear my willows are drowning. That's one of them in the middle of the lawn in the first picture (I didn't put it there) and look at the state of it.
That humungous thing on the left of the 2nd picture is the world's biggest stand of dogwood and it's up to it's knees in water. The chap who lived here before me either worked with the boggy conditions or put in raised beds....EVERYWHERE! See why I don't want to give myself any more work? When would I get time to build my Ark?
The conifers come out a good ten-fifteen feet from the trunks so there's acres of space. I'll probably keep it simple and go with a woodland glade. I have wild foxgloves as well. They might work. Oh I can feel the enthusiasm overtaking the despair.
Wow!
Those conditions are quite different to mine, I use dry shade plants, you might want to check which ones are good for damp shade
or even boggy.
I think hellebores like damp shade.
Have fun!
Well I just happen to have some hostas spare! It's all coming together.
Can't you remove some of the lower branches from the trees (yourself) and increase the amount of light and access? I believe Corydalis does well in shade and moist soil, might thrive here?
I did some last year Bob and I will do some more....maybe today in fact because it's raining and I might as well. I'm at serious risk of losing an eye down there when I'm mowing!
Corydalis looks like a good option for a bit of summer colour. I'll check that out.
I have a variegated vinca which ran rampant in my other garden but might do ok here. I want things that don't mind so much being hit with a John Deere the odd time because that's the only attention they're going to get.
It's all looking very tasteful in my mind's eye. Lots of low growing spreading things with the odd sticky up bit! It can't be any worse than it is now.
I have Vinca Minor under a conifer, doing fine. But do you really need anything under them? You could make island beds in the lawn and plant pretty perennials.