Return to the Plants for Difficult Places Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Water Maple Issue
| | |
Posted by ukbradc KY (My Page) on Mon, Jan 25, 10 at 9:36
| I just purchased a home that has a smaller back yard (about 70ft by 60 ft) that has a huge water maple (70ft high or so) growing in the middle of it. The tree shades almost the entire back yard and the ground underneath it receives very little to no sunlight (MAYBE 2 hours per day in some places, none in others). Is there anything I can plant that will cover the ground, look decent, and be able to withstand foot traffic of myself and my large dog? I know very little about gardening, I am a newbie, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Water Maple Issue
| | |
| The nice thing is that, in KY, you have shade. Beyond that, it depends on what you want. If you want some simple and little-or-no-maintenance groundcover in lieu of lawn, that's probably not going to happen. There are plants that could make nice areas of garden, if you are interested in that. Let us know. If you just want something that looks neater, and helps with spring mud, you might want to mulch the area with a wood mulch. Let us know what kind of thing you are looking for. |
RE: Water Maple Issue
| | |
| To cut thru the clutter and give you the straight truth, nothing is going to grow. Just like under a low deck, the grass stops and nothing grows there. Is the yard fenced in? If so, make a little walk way (stepping stones, or something informal since it's your back yard) going to the back gate. Just off the base of the tree, place a bench. In front of that you could put a little bird bath. Use a fine mulch around the tree/bench/bird bath area--one the will thatch together and stay put so your dog doesn't track it in. Then use 3-5" river stone around the rest to minimize mud and stagnate water. (Place week cloth under the river stone to keep the dirt out of the rocks). What do you think of this idea? |
|
|
|
|
