Beginner Gardening: Planting under oak tree, 5 by purpleinopp

purpleinopp wrote:
I would encourage you to stay away from smaller plants, they can get lost in the leaves. Shrubs and bulbs are virtually maintenance-free, and are right at home in such a spot. The leaves will help the drying to be less of a factor over time, though the bigger the spot, the more effective that is, and may not help nearly as much as it does in a more moist climate. I'm sure you have to have rain occasionally to moderate the speed at which it evaporates!

EE's and Hydrangeas might not work in the more dry conditions in CA, I would go with the natives suggested by other Californians, but offer these pics of a similar spot, under some giant oak trees, runs to more sun by the walkway. Can you guess which spot was 'mulched' with some large white gravel 2 years ago? You'd have to, because the gravel is under leaves now, just like I told Mom it would be. At first, a blower can move the leaves, but eventually there's just too many leaf bits stuck between the rocks to bother anymore. And they're stained brown from the tannin.

The first pic are from a couple weeks ago, and April (why the Hydrangea is schizo! - LOL!)