[beestie-crawlies]

A bit of help/ advice require please good people.

I have a tree, approx 4m. It straddles the border and lawn.

Nothing much grows in that part of the border, doesn't help that there are lots of roots close to the surface.

What I'm looking for is some sort of shade loving ground cover plant that will grow in the border under the tree.

Ideally something that is quite low, about 6" sort of size, but will spread to about 10'

[mumofstig]

I have hardy geranium and rockery campanulas under mine if it's any help

[beestie-crawlies]

Thanks, it's a start will have to have a look at what's available.

[Ruby Red]

Ferns will thrive under those conditions as will alchemilla mollis. Hostas as well and they are lovely. I have all these under my trees.

[beestie-crawlies]

I was looking at ferns yesterday, funnily enough.

There seems to be more choice than I first thought!

[HLS]

I have cranesbills (they come in various heights) and wild violet for ground cover (along with other types of plant like spring-flowering bulbs, foxgloves, hellebores and heucheras).  The wild violet is running riot, but so far not to anywhere I didn't want covered over anyway.  Some forget-me-not plants have self-seeded themselves around the edge of the shady patch, which also looks quite attractive at this time of year.

[Sue33]

we have vinca in a very shady border although it's more like a weed now, grows everywhere, pretty flowers though! Also cranesbill and bleeding heart comes through all over the place.

[Stripey_cat]

Some of the cyclamens do well under trees; in fact, any bulbs that naturally are from woodland margins will be fine (anemones are lovely this time of year).  The biggest problem under a lot of trees is summer drought, rather than the shade itself - between the canopy and the root system, the soil can still be bone dry a day after enough rain for the rest of the garden.  Things that aestivate, like the aforementioned bulbs, get round this, but anything summer-growing will need to be tough.  Woodruff is lovely, but invasive.

[mrs bouquet]

Some of the cyclamens do well under trees; in fact, any bulbs that naturally are from woodland margins will be fine (anemones are lovely this time of year).  The biggest problem under a lot of trees is summer drought, rather than the shade itself - between the canopy and the root system, the soil can still be bone dry a day after enough rain for the rest of the garden.  Things that aestivate, like the aforementioned bulbs, get round this, but anything summer-growing will need to be tough.  Woodruff is lovely, but invasive.

I was going to suggest cyclamen as well.  Mrs Bouquet