Here's the bed with the two trees. It was pretty when there were flowers there. That's why I need evergreens in with the flowers, but don't have any idea what to do.
I have a border of begonias and I'd like to keep them. I'm going to move the rocks, it seemed a good idea at the time
First thing I'd suggest is a soil test so you know what you're trying to work with. If you need to amendments or if the area is acidic because of the trees. You can usually get a soil test kit from your local extension office and the cost is minimal.
Depending on the results should help you make some decisions on what you'd like to put in there that should do well.
What kind of trees do you have? It is always a little dangerous to do much landscaping under trees. The majority of trees' roots are in the top 12-18" of soil. Adding soil for a bed will change that, and the roots will not get the air exchange that they require. Taking soil away does the same thing. It can eventually cause the demise of the tree, although it may take several years. The safest thing to do is to put in a ground cover, or just mulch the bed. Which ground cover you use depends on the kind of trees you have - how much sun it will get.
Well, you can also shallow plant pots of flowers as well.
To me that cries out for a nice short ground cover with pots put in temporay stle for a changing set of colors as the weather and plants dictate. Perhaps different ground covers for different parts. Vinca minor (periwinkle) is a fav with me for under trees. Ajuga (bugleweed) is another. In the right conditions they both do well and spread nicely without climbing the trees. Then when you have all you want you can try trading the surplus with all the rest of us.
I agree. Save your major flower plantings for some nice raised beds with good soil and drainage.
Would it be far enough away from the trees to plant begonias as a border. I did that last year with marigold too.
Also can I put a climbing plant on one of the trees or will that be too close.
I like the ground cover idea, infact I like all the ideas. I just want my begonias (stamping my foot)
Well I don't blame ya, I like begonias too.
So, I get to leave them? What about the marigolds mixed with them? then I like the idea of the pots and ground cover. I have that old wheelbarrow out there to start with. Ok, I'm getting excited now.
What about that place by the steps? The picture doesn't look right, because the dirt doesn't look good. It really is good dirt, most of it from composted leaves, etc. that has been sitting in the woods behind my house for about 50 years
It's sunny there a lot of the day. I was able to grow a big pot of nasturium in a pot on that stump last year. However, most of it is shady
How about a nice hanging basket with out the "hang" on the stump with trailing flowers out of it. Get a big one and mix and match flowers. There are some wonderful examples in the container discussion. That would be beautiful and smell purty too!
Last year I had a big pot of Nasturiums in there and it was really pretty. I really don't think they got enough sun. After a while the leaves weren't pretty
The biggest I have is a #16. I could put caladiums and what else. What hangs down? Maybe the hanging petunias?
Hi Lorraine
How about expanding the area a tad --move the rocks back and plan the area to be slightly irregular. Find a trash to treasure style garden bench...paint it up to suit your tastes etc., hang an oversized birdhouse in the same style as the bench on one of those trees and a small feeder on the other. "Plant" your trellis right behind a pot filled with a climbing favorite, and place one or two more ground pots filled with annual "pretties" and you are done! A perfect reading spot or somewhere to contemplate your next garden project!
I was going to take the rocks out anyway. I just put them there to keep rain from taking all my dirt. It has a little slope about maybe one inch, but it's enough for the rain to take dirt.
I really like the idea of the bench, I wanted to find a place, but just haven't but you're right, that would be pretty. Of course I'd have to put an electric fence around it to keep my daughter's 3 year old twins out of it. They's want to "sit" and everything would get crushed. MMMMHowever, I could put a lilttle trail from my walkway into there. Ok, ya'll are putting me to work, I love all the ideas.
I see Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' spilling over a container under those trees.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/168079/
would Hosta work in and around those trees?
I tried Hosta there but they didn't really do well. Each part of it gets sun and I guess the hostas just didn't like it. I sure wanted them there tho'
What do you think about the creeping phlox. I don't know anything about it I was just looking through a plant book and it showed one that crawls on the ground.
Ok missingrosie, you've got me going now. I love making it bigger with the abench and all. I go look at it to get ideas and the thought of digging more drives me away. But! I'm stubborn, so I'll look at it till I get it.
I need to find a site that shows pictures of flower beds with the names of what is in it.
Oh yes on the creeping phlox if you get alot of sun there. That would look so good!
That's the fun of designing your bed, searching for pictures of what works for other people. Just remember to bookmark those sites so you can refer back to them.
Ok creeping phlox I'll get. That site gets more sun on one end thatn the other, but also it gets dappled shade, will they work in that. I can't wait. I might try different ground covers if I can figure out how to arrange them.
I have this summetrical brain, so everything has to be even and straight which is NOT good when you garden. Doesn't matter if I know it's not good and intend to do diff, seems it always ends up that way.
Lorraine
by the looks of the photo - I thought that not much would do well there having to compete with tree roots etc - even if you have cultivated around the area. That is why I thought you should consider widening the space - so you get more 'garden' around the trees and then going with a funky bench, pots, trellis, bird house etc., A garden space to relax and No Digging!!
You might want to consider ajuga if you really want something to grow and cover the ground in that area - I can't tell you which but I remember having a hot sunny space and one variety did well and one did not (I think the better one had ruby or red in its name and it was more plum color to the leaves than the other.) We covered it up unfortunately (it looked great in bloom all around the katsura tree) when we put in a brick patio so I can't take a photo for you. If you go with the ajuga, you can buy plugs and so won't have to dig deeply.
I was just thinking how pretty ornamental sweet potatoe vine would look too. Margarite and Blackie would be stunning! I have pictures of mine but I'm on the wrong computer at the moment to show you. I may even have tubers for you too, I'd have to look.
Cordeledawg, I love the silver stuff. Got to have it. Is there a good seed site, or do you think I could get it in a trade. Won't know till I try huh? We live in itty bitty town so you're just gonna find the usual, marigol, vinca, etc.
Also thanks for looking for the tubers. I've been trying to find some around here but haven't been able to. I fon't know why I look, should just find stuff online and order
I bought seeds of Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' from Swallowtail Gardens. If you want instead gratification, lol, check out the big box stores in their hanging basket section or house plant area. I see several species of it every spring.
Okay, I know you've seen this before , but I have another question.
I want to put begonias as a border, really thick all the way around. Then my mind goes to marigolds around them. So you see the problem. Two lines of plants.
I know to stay at least 2 ft from the trees, so I'm going to find something to put there, containers or something,
NOW, in order to not do my usual everything in a straight line, 1, 2, 3, 4, I want to mix it up so it looks like all the ones ya'll do.
Can I just put stuff in clumps, nothing tall, just like marigolds, dianthius, impatients, I guess something like 3 hostas together and some kind of small bush somewhere.
Could I do that with this.
By the way, all those ugly rocks are gone. I just put the black edging stuff around.
I know ya'll have nothing better to do than help me fix that bed.
Got Sweet Williams too, and daisies, all kinds
Hi Lorraine
Well, my thought is this" Begonias are sort of tight and formal if planted the way you want them to be. Marigolds can be the same. Your space lends itself to a little loose and natural ..sort of what nature would do on its own. I think if you circle the planting area with rings of the same plantings, it will look tight and planned --which is fine for some spaces but I think not for your area around that tree. I think the clumping idea is better. I'd try to find a dwarf wormwood (can't kill it and likes the drought) and sticking with that blue/grey theme...the dianthius (some nice ones at Home Depot here) lavender, lambs ear.. That area is sunny right? I am not sure about hosta in there. Anyway, I'd put a boulder in there and plant some things around it that can take the heat coming off of it and make the entire area less formal. I'd stick to a color scheme too - not mix up too many colors. Blue / grey and pink or blue/grey and yellow and not the pink and the yellow.
There you go. So I don't want to put the begonias all the way around. I'm sure that's better than my idea, besides I 'd have to have a thousand, abut I can still put some, right, just not in a circle?
The bed gets kind of both, shade, sun and then dappled sun. There is one spot that gets more sun so marigolds would do there, ?
I had some rocks in there, there wasn't just one, there was like 5 or 6 piled together. I moved it. lol, I have planted nastur. in ;the wheelbarrow to hang out of it.
I don't know that I've seen a wormwood, but I'll look it up.
What about assylum, (spelled wrong) kind of around tree as a ground cover maybe? Also have blue small morning glory bushes, 12" tall.
What about a butterfly bush? I have so many marigolds, I've got to have something that will go with the yellow. I need some white too, right>
Well, I can see that nothing is going to separate a gal from her begonias! (smile)
Blues, purples and yellows would be very sunny and summerlike.
You could use your white trellis in there too - that could be the white touch.
How big did you make the bed anyway? You have large trees in there and I would guess the roots are pretty much taking up most of the space (as the space was in your photo). Fill it too much and there will be a lot of H20 competition.
Lorraine, I think in your space - less is more.
Maybe you could grow ajuga under the trees - it makes a pretty blue flower and the leaves are a nice deep green/purple.
Could you pot up your marigolds? They would probably do ok in a pot and you could sit them right up against the tree and no worry about the roots and digging etc. etc.
Lorraine
Go to Cottage Gardening Forum --- look at the thread 'What plant combinations are you planning' There you will see some lovely photos and color combinations that folks have posted. Notice the plant groupings and the height changes and interest different textures bring.
I'll go there. Putting all the colors and knowing what goes pretty next to another is my problem. I could use the same thing you do only mine would look like my 6 year old grandson did it. The roots are there, but I just put containers and stuff within a couple feet of the trees. I have some ground covers that are coming back too, so it won't look so strange.
I winter sowed so many marigolds, I'm gonna be in the street begging people to just take them. Instead of "free puppies" mine will say free marigolds.
I saw a picture and anji sent a picture of hers where she had them in separate spots. Like I said, I have this brain that makes me want to arrange things in my little rows, but I shut my eyes and put the marigolds in groups
I'll go the thread you said, and end up taking all of them up!!!lol
If the begonias are doing well (and from the two trees in the photo) I assume this area is fairly shady. If you're looking for shade plants, especially how COLORFUL shade plants, you might want to check at local Home Depot and Lowes and many of the plants will be available for sale by them (in about a month) for $4-$7.
