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phylrae

Help-landscape fabric & mulch for perennial bed

phylrae
13 years ago

I thought I'd ask "professionals"....though this is a question for nonprofessionals like my husband and myself.

I designed a raised perennial bed that runs parallel with our driveway, with railroad ties on all sides. It used to hold shrub roses, but after a 3 year trial, we realized they just weren't getting enough sun, so we transplanted them into the back yard. We purchased these plants @ B'stone the other day while in Ohio & he put them in.

3 Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle)

2 Heuchera Midnight Rose

2 Dicentra Burning Hearts

2 Weigela My Monet

He 1st put black landscaping fabric down for weed prevention, then inserted the 9 shrubs/plants in a nice arrangement. Now he wants to put down mulch for looks. We always use medium dark brown wood chip mulch...though he does have a lot of small stones out back.

#1 I like the look of the pine mulch (I like a natural look & the rest of our 13 gardens are mulched this way). #2 I'm afraid the stone mulch will retain heat that will be detrimental to the plants. Is this correct?

#3 I've read on here that some of you have had problems with the black landscape fabric NOT letting the needed water in (though it is advertised this way).

Should my husband remove the landscaping fabric (I don't mind weeding) & should we stay with the natural wood mulch?

Thanks SO very much!!

:0) Phyl

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