[Ice]

I have had a request from a friend to ask what she can grow under her rhododendron bush.  It doesn't have to have flowers but she wants something interesting looking.  Any ideas?

Her front garden faces north and gets very little sun.  I did say that she ought to invest in some nice paving stones, but she wasn't impressed.

[Aunt Sally]

I thought the problem with rhododendrons was that nothing much grew under them.

[sunshineband]

We have yellow bishop's mitre growing under the edge of one of our rhodos and it get virtually no direct light and always flowers (Epimedium)

[Ice]

That's why I suggested paving to the poor deluded old dear.   But I did promise to ask on here.

[Trillium]

I won't put anything under my rhodos simply because they need all the water they can get and due to their shallow root system, they don't appreciate the sharing not to mention the more acidic conditions.

[Ice]

Bishops Mitre eh?  I'll pass that on, thanks.

[Flowerpower136]

I use Alchemilla mollis to underplant shrubs, but it can become invasive, very good self seeder.

[DavidT]

Pachysandra, it`s low growing, evergreen and flowers.

[SG6]

My thoughts were the same a Aunties, I thought that rhododendrons prevented anything from growing under them by producing a poison(herbicide) that killed off other plants. So i wouldn't have expect anythig to do well under one.

[sunshineband]

I do have very healthy epimedium, wild arum leaves and woodruff very happily growing under mine, with bizzie lizzies and bedding begonias very summer 

[Ice]

I also thought that nothing would grow under one.  I'll pass all these on to her.  She lives in North London and the only thing I ever see growing under shrubs there is a pile of hypordermic needle and cans of special brew. 

[sunshineband]

I also thought that nothing would grow under one.  I'll pass all these on to her.  She lives in North London and the only thing I ever see growing under shrubs there is a pile of hypordermic needle and cans of special brew. 

To be avoided at all costs 

[Ice]

I hasten to add that they are not hers.

[sunshineband]

Thank goodness 

[Ice]

She's more of a White Lightning kind of gal.