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Hello! We have an area under a large oak tree where nothing grows. We have tried everything. Grass, grass for shade, shade plants/flowers, everything. It is shaded and we are thinking the oak tree's roots are killing everything as well!? Does anyone have any ideas for this area. It looks terrible as it is my front yard.
We thought about putting a nice rock wall around the oak tree and planting a raised bed? But that's about it. ANY suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! THANK YOU!!!!
I don't know what exactly you've tried there before, but I would look for plants that like dry shade. Many shade loving plants also love moisture and the tree will tend to take a lot of the moisture so plants that do well in dry shade will be a better bet. Or if you've tried those and they don't work either, you might consider just mulching the area--that will make it look neater, maybe put some chairs or a small table in the area and make it a nice shady spot to hang out instead of trying to make it a garden bed. I definitely would not recommend doing the raised bed, many trees (and I'm pretty sure oaks are one of them) don't like having a lot of soil piled over top of their roots, it can cause real problems for the tree down the road.
ecrane is so correct on not planting over the base of the tree...it would suffocate the tree roots. Rejoice that you have such a beautiful tree for shade and place a bench, maybe a few large potted plants underneath it.
what about a ground cover than can be walked on, like creeping thyme? pretty lavender color, and can be walked on, with a few stepping stones where you get alot of traffic, maybe a little table and bench like bugme said too, with 1 or 2 large pots with Hostas or Ferns in them. theres other ground covers, you can research, that would flower, or have interesting textures, that would not be as picky as trying to grow grass...? just a thought
I'd take the easy way out and find a landscape professional in your area and 'buy' an hour of advice. You may get more out of that hour than just that area too. Then for sure you will know if there is anything else you can do besides mulch it in.
Other idea: Maybe you can put soil on that bank and then sod it it. The grass may have a better chance of making it that way - -then you'd just have to mulch the top area if that is what you end up doing. Snug the drive up by bringing the gravel a little closer to the bank too. I'd put a nice colorful substantial birdhouse on the tree and that would add some interest to the area. Seasonal pots on the top of the mound containing annuals would add color and not be hardly any work. An autumn display.. would make those two little guys happy too. I'd make lemonade out of that area and use it for seasonal interest as opposed to permanent plantings. It is nice and open and it would be easy to do every few months.
