an update on underplanting trees and shrubs

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES. Inspired by the underplanting of hellebores and trillium and other earlybirds and ephemerals under the oldest of my old apple trees (above), a year ago I underplanted two more of the big, aging apples.  On their first anniversary, the new areas are already shaping up…No, I don’t like that the plants don’t touch yet, but each little division has more than doubled in size and compared to where we began (below), it’s a great improvement.

Early spring is the perfect time for this kind of project, when divisions of perennials are plentiful and there’s a long growing season ahead for everyone to settle in and get growing.

Successful underplanting involves selecting the right mix of plants, and then being patient: There are 10 things I think about when I am tackling a new area, creating another botanical mosaic to cover the ground beautifully instead of a mass one one thing. Ready to create some of your own?

Categoriesannuals & perennials for beginners garden design groundcovers shade gardening trees & shrubsTagsgroundcover Read more on awaytogarden.com