Ornamental trees on the site are an ornament in themselves, but the space under and around them is often dull and impersonal. Our tips will help you decorate it.
Create a neat shape
Many people mistakenly believe that the ground under the tree should go level with the surface of the entire plot, therefore, they create additional embankments when the soil subsides a little. This should not be done, as excess soil near the trunk can lead to its rotting. To keep the unevenness of the tree from being conspicuous, give it a neat look, for example, forming this space into a circle or ellipse.
Remove the sod
If you decide to plant shade-loving plants under the tree, then remove the topsoil before adding soil for the flower bed. Many people mistakenly believe that the grass under the soil poured from above will rot over time and turn into a useful layer. In fact, it can create a barrier through which moisture and oxygen will not pass, and the roots of the plantings will simply die.
Choose the right plants
For planting under the crown of trees, shade-loving plants are suitable, which will have enough of that modest light that the branches will let through. Observe how much sun shines on the roots at different times of the day. The placement of plants will depend on this. Shade-loving hosts and ferns can be located directly at the trunk, and flowering lilies of the valley and bells will grow better in diffused light from the crown away from the base of the tree.
Also read the article about the best shade-loving plants for your garden.
Do not damage the roots when planting
Some trees, such as oak or brown, have roots that go deeper, so it is very difficult to damage them. But maple or cypress has a superficial root system. In such cases, you cannot use the usual tools, it is better to do with a small hand-held spatula, carefully prying the soil between the roots.
Add mulch
The roots of trees absorb huge amounts of moisture. Add mulch to avoid excess evaporation. It is ideal as an interlayer when forming a flower bed under a tree.
Mulch can cover the space near the trunk, even if you are not going to plant anything next to it. If desired, use ready-made mixtures for mulching, or take small pine bark and wood chips, dry leaves.
The main condition is to mulch the soil at a distance of at least 10 cm from the base of the trunk.
Use brick or stone
To decorate the space near the tree, it is not necessary to plant lush vegetation; plants lined with stones or bricks look no less impressive. This method is especially good for those of them that have superficial roots, which makes it difficult to create flower beds. It is necessary to lay out the decorative edging no closer than 20 cm from the trunk.
Discard plastic wrap
When creating flower beds, many gardeners like to lay out the surface of the garden bed with polyethylene to prevent weeds from growing. Under trees, such a method can be detrimental to the roots. To control weeds, in this case, it is better to use manual weeding methods or, in extreme cases, a special breathable coating.
By the way, we already wrote about the best ways to control weeds, be sure to read this article!
Create a patio
The tree on the site can be a key piece of a dramatic patio. If you want to lay out its perimeter with tiles, then the space around the trunk should be left with soil, fencing with a decorative stone at a distance of at least half a meter from the tile to the base of the trunk, so that the tree has room for further growth.
Add decorative elements
It is nice to relax in the shade of the trees on a sultry day. A bench, sofa swing or hammock can comfortably sit under them.The main thing is to track the location of the shadow under the crown at different times of the day, it is better to place interior items where the tree branches will create an afternoon shadow.
Think about the lighting
Backlit trees look very impressive in the evening twilight. For this, garden ground lamps are placed at a distance of no closer than 20 cm from the base of the trunk. You can take those types of them that work on solar panels, if the sun still falls under the tree.
