Under trees

Phil11

Hi,

I'm trying to find a supplier for the fern Filix Mas Aphenis, as used by Month Don when he planted beneath the trees on one of his paths. I am also interested in plants that might survive beneath my Yew-plus-Beech-plus-fence shaded area. Dry, acidic, and at the moment empty.

Tropical Sam

How sunny and open is it under the trees?

punkdoc

yes definetely Dryopteris. As the name suggests all Dryopteris do well in dry shade.

I have a very dry shady area under a yew tree where I manage to grow: geranium phaeum, Iris foetidissimus, sweet woodruff, Pachysandra, Bowles golden grass, Hachenochloa and Vinca. All these should do well in that environment, especially if you plant them into some good "muck" and water well till established.

nutcutlet

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector%5Cplant?plantid=676

Maybe Dryopteris affinis, different species, same genus, lots of cultivars

nutcutlet

You'll need some cyclamen as well

nutcutlet

I wonder how much space we need to fill Verdun

Honesty goes well in dry shade as well. and Pulmonaria rubra for the first of the bumblebeees.

and some snowdrops.

Most will be happier under the beech than they would be under the yew

Dovefromabove

I have Dryopteris filix mas cristata 'The King' (known to his friends as Elvis) in dry shade under my ash trees and he appears to be happy there.  Cyclamen hederifolium are in seventh heaven there.  Vinca major seems happy there but doesn't want to flower so is going to be hoiked out.  I have some lamiums which will be going there soon and I'm confident that they will be happy.  

We also have pulmonaria and hosta there, but they do need watering in dry spells. 

nutcutlet

I'm not sure if D. affinis is as tolerant of poor conditions as D. felix-mas. I'd choose Elvis if I were you Phil

punkdoc

If you dont mind wild spreading Sympytium species will also do well.