[Totty]

Brought a self pollinating apple tree yesterday and i am going to plant it in the middle of a small square bed made from timber. I would like to make a feature of it so will cover the soil surface with bark chippings and was wondering if there were any plants that would look nice growing under the tree, flowering year on year and preferably evergreen?

Totty

[Kleftiwallah]

The purists will say keep the ground around an apple tree free of grass, weeds etc.  But I suppose some low growing annuals won't do any harm.   Cheers,   Tony.

[Yorkie]

I am no purist but I agree with their views as expressed by Tony.

The apple tree has shallow roots which are very hungry for nutrients and water and will thus compete with the permanent planting you're considering.  The tree canopy will also shade plants below it once it is established.

Annuals or bulbs are the way to go.

[Trillium]

One of the reasons we don't really recommend underplanting, other than spring bulbs which I do with mine, is that apple trees need annual feeding, usually with rotted manure - something you don't really want to spread over your summer flowers.

If anything, you could just do an attractive mulch over the manure.

[RichardA]

shade and the demand of teh apple tree is the problem, If well fed and kept tidy could try a few strawberry plants or a few bee friendly flower mixes.
R

[Yammer]

In my garden, where looks are more important than produce, I underplanted apple cordons with saxifrage. It flowered exactly the same time and exactly the same shade pink as the apples.

On the allotment i just mulch though
 

[Sweet Pea 2]

I am guesing I have missed daffodil planting time again, haven't I?

[Kleftiwallah]

Bang 'em in and keep your fingers crossed.   Ensure you plant them at the correct depth or they may come up 'blind' (leaf but no flower).    Cheers,   Tony.

[Sweet Pea 2]

Thanks, I'll do that at the weekend. 

[Spana]

I am guesing I have missed daffodil planting time again, haven't I?

Gardeners Question Time did a trial with tulips and found the bulbs planted as late as Feb flowered just as good as the earlier planted bulbs, altho they were a little shorter, not a bad thing as some tulips are really tall.  So might be worth trying if you can get hold of some bulbs.