What Type Of Plant/flower Would Be Best

[andydingdangdoo]

Hi,

I have moved to a new house which has a large garden with lots of flower beds, trees and bushes. It is really a wild garden but I would like to plant my own flowers/bushes or whatever that can fill up blank spaces in beds that don't get out of control but are hardy plants and look nice all year round, green in winter flower in summer. The places I want to plant them are near to large trees and bushes however so I would imagine they are fairly starved of light and water because of the tree roots.

I am not really a gardener so not sure what to start.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

[woofgang]

What is the soil like? acid, alkaline, clay, sandy? what is growing there already?

[Jennykenny]

Poppies are great. They grow almost anywhere, and you can keep the seeds for next year, and then grow hundreds more.

[andydingdangdoo]

Hi, I believe it is sandy and acidic.

Are poppies like bulbs? Or do they flower once and then need to be replanted. Ideally I am looking for something will plant and spread meaning it fills up the soil around trees and bushes but is pretty.

[woofgang]

heathers would look good, periwinkle is great for spreading and looking good, especially the variegated one.

[woofgang]

poppies need a lot of sun and won't do well under trees.

[Buenchico]

Have a play with this:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Search-Form

[boxtops]

Poppies self-seed each year, you don't have to replant them. Our gaps are filled with ferns, bergenia, primulas, none of which need any attention apart from a bit of water in dry weather. Just now, bung in some nasturtium seeds - they thrive on poor soil ad will climb up the bushes - and they reseed too, year after year.

[ladybirder]

Dicentra known as Bleeding Heart is one that springs to mind. It lives on the edge of woodland so should be happy there.

http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.Dicentra/sort.0/

[ladybirder]

Here is a list of plants for acidic shade.

http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.Plant-Combination-Acid-Shade/sort.0/

[andydingdangdoo]

Thanks all, very much appreciated!

[woofgang]

I can't do nasturtiums at all. If the blackfly don't get them then the cabbage whites do.

[Chipchopper]

If I was you, the very first thing I would do is to look around the neighborhood to see whats growing well in other folks gardens. this could save you £££'s and disappointment.

Just for starters, you may like to consider under-planting the trees with low maintenance shrubs such as Mahonia or maybe a variety of ferns.