For the garden-loving homeowner, mature trees cause a conundrum: no one wants to remove a stately shade tree that took decades to mature, but trees are sun and moisture hogs that won't share their turf with just any plant. Gardeners sometimes compensate with a fresh planting of annuals each year, but this constant root disturbance isn't good for the tree either. Fortunately, there are a number of perennials that you can use to create an attractive and harmonious landscape under a tree. Here are two that we love:
The bleeding heart: Dicentra plants provide textural interest in the landscape even when not in bloom. Finely divided leaves are a delicate backdrop to the pendulous pink heart-shaped blooms that give the plant its name. In hot weather areas, bleeding heart plants can act as ephemerals, which means they enter a period of dormancy in hot, dry conditions. If this leaves an undesirable gap under your tree garden, add a bird bath as a placeholder.
Second comes the Hosta. It is ubiquitous but never bland; the explosion in breeding efforts means you can populate the garden under your trees with mammoth or teacup specimens, gold foliage or blue, and broad leaves or narrow ones. Hostas are very long-lived plants that grow and multiply slowly over the years. Although they do tolerate drought, you will find that water is like fertilizer to a hosta: with plenty to drink, the plants will achieve their greatest potential.
Would you love to give your tree some love, and perhaps plant the above mentioned plants? Contact us for all of your needs.
Comments