Some of us are lucky enough to have a few mature native trees as part of our garden. It can be a challenge knowing what to grow around and under trees and what will thrive in soil deprived of moisture and light for most of the year. Gardens don't always have to be manicured and laid out to a rigid plan. In those areas where you have a number of trees growing, why not do a bit of research and create a semi wild woodland area. Our native woodland plants can be both beautiful and delicate, and left to their own devises will quickly colonise an area so that all you really have to do is enjoy it. Here are some of my favourites.
Spring woodland plants
Spring in a woodland setting is probably the most stunning time of the year, when the trees are just beginning to bud but haven't yet blocked out the sunlight with their leaves. Dappled light hits a woodland floor to reveal carpets of spring flowers. Perhaps the earliest bulbs to appear in a woodland setting are Galanthus nivalis or the snowdrop. These delicate bell shaped white flowers appear in January to February and are little jewels in an otherwise winter landscape. Plant clumps of snowdrops in the green for best results the following year. Also flowering at this time of year are winter aconites which carpet the ground with their bright yellow chalice-shaped flowers. Another yellow gem to be found at this time of year is the lesser celandine or Ranunculus ficaria. It has dark green heart-shaped leaves and glossy yellow flowers.
The delicate blue of Anemone Blanda appears in March and will flower over a number of weeks. These are followed in March to May by the pretty nodding white flowers of the wood anemone. Perhaps the one bulb which heralds the start of spring in our woodlands is the bluebell. There are many different cultivars of the bluebell, but you can make sure that you have the native English variety or Hyacinthoides non-scripta by looking for a bent stem with flowers borne only on one side of the stem.
Daffodils are often naturalised into grassy areas but they are just as at home in a woodland setting. Try and get hold of the wild daffodil or Narcissus pseudonarcissus which is slightly smaller than most garden daffodils but no less spectacular.
Summer woodland plants
Although we associate spring as perhaps the most colourful time in the woodland, the summer months don't have to be a mass of green. There are many summer flowering plants you can naturalise around trees for all year round interest. Snakeshead fritillary is a beautiful little flower with nodding speckled blooms coloured from purple to creamy white. Lily of the valley, or Convallaria majalis are a must. Flowering between May and June, their bell shaped white flowers emit a lovely scent. Combine these with clumps of wild cyclamen with their delicate pale pink flowers of upturned petals which flower between August and September. Aconitum or Monkshood has dark blue flowers on tall stems. Beware though, as this plant can be poisonous.
Other plants you might like to consider for a shady wooded area are hellebores, aquilegia or 'grannies bonnet', ferns and for those who want something a little unusual, Arisaema, which has a single leaf with a number of other leaflets and a purple spathe striped white. There is also no reason why you shouldn't dot a few garden planters around the area, as long as they are planted with compatible plants such as primulas or daffodils.
Planting tips
Once you have planted you woodland area, make sure you water all the plants in well. It is then essential that you cover the area with a thick layer of bark chippings, well rotted manure or compost to conserve moisture and keep down the weeds. Then all you have to do is sit back and enjoy what I am sure will become a very tranquil retreat away from the rest of your garden.
Garden Planters source unusual outdoor and indoor planters, and other garden related gifts - whatever your taste, be it traditional, modern or just a bit quirky, we will have something for you. Run by two qualified and creative gardeners, Garden Planters will also plant up your chosen planter with an arrangement of your choice. We believe garden planters are an integral part of any garden - they enhance the overall design and say a little something about the person to whom the garden belongs.
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