We have a rather small backyard in a suburb. We have one tree which is a live oak and it is right behind our bedroom window. No grass grows there because the tree provides so much shade - too much shade - that nothing grows. I think it looks terrible! Half of our yard is grass and then the grass just stops and becomes dirt and if it rains it becomes mud which is a total pain in the butt because our dog gets filthy. I want to do something - some kind of substance on the ground under the tree so it isn't just yucky muddy nastiness all the time. Any ideas?? I've thought of the over abundance of pine needles that drop into our yard from our neighbors trees that we always have to rake and I thought of putting layers of those all around the area because nothing grows anyway but then when it rains it would more than likey just wash away. What would you do with a yard like this?
You could place flagstone ( or similar path stones) down and make a little shaded patio. DG ( decomposed granite) is also another great ground cover, once it is compacted and watered it turns hard and you can put chairs, table on it (like a patio). This might be another good choice: http://www.peekskillnurseries.com/pachysandra.html Raised planter beds with vegetables or flowers are great for small areas and surround the base of the tree with potted plants that do well in the shade. If you do the beds then place the pine needles from your yard down around them so it covers any dirt ( so there is no mud mess).
I'm far from a landscaper , but could you put a brick border around the tree and perhaps fill it in with some type of stone or pebbles? You wouldn't have to worry about mud and you still be able to rake in the fall. As I said, I'm not a landscaper....just a suggestion!
I'm not sure if you still want to have access to "hanging" out in that part of the yard, but perhaps a combination of stepping stones and hostas? Hostas love shade. Carol
I need to clarify - it isn't just a small area around the tree. The tree is really big and the area of dirt is really large. I would actually love to do some sort of patio with potted plants surrounding the tree but we alreay have a wood deck and dh said no to a patio.
If you want plantings in the area, I would suggest Japanese Spurge for ground cover. It is shade loving, low maintenance and only gets about 10 inches high w/ tiny white blooms. If you are wanting a more significant plant I would suggest Cast Iron Plant. You honestly can't kill these. I have some under one of my oaks that have been growing there for over 15 years. I never even water these and they thrive, once established. Check your zone to see if either is suitable for your area. LR
There is also a tire swing hanging from the tree dh put up this past spring. I need something just to cover the ground. It doesn't have to be a plant. I just have no ideas at all.
if it's shaded why not cover it with moss?? Moss loves shade, and it's strong and can be walked on. It also is very soft.
Moss? Interesting. I hadn't thought of that. Lucy - I am going to have to look up the things you mentioned because I'm not familiar with them. Thank you for the suggestions! I raked pine needles this afternoon and it just irks me to look at that muddy mess of a yard. The other half looks great though. I spent the afternoon thinking of what I could possibly do with that area while I cut back my rosemary and dh put up the new portion of fence.
We have 2 fairly large areas we just filled in with, well, essentially - gravel. Except its larger - we chose it from the gardening center and the kids love it. We took 2 plastic swimming pools - the smaller one has sand and the other one is to go over the top at night. the kids can play in the rocks, the sand "pool", and I have a few potted plants on the rocks - they drain into the rocks - no problem. The pine needles might be a problem - but if you plant some shade plants, and then border off some and then maybe a tiny bit of cement - it becomes a nice area for chalking, art area, swing and jumprope area......
I would build a bench around the base of the tree, then I would put a mulch or gravel around the remanding area of the muddy mess. Then through out the area I would put some potted plants that like the shade. This way it is still useful for the tire swing, you have more sitting area for kids when they play or waiting for their turn on the swing. Then the gravel would stop the mud mess and the flowers/potted plants would be appealing to the eye as would the round bench round the tree.
In the South East US, especially South Carolina, they sell pine needles by the bail, like hay, for landscaping!!!! Part of it is because of Azaleas being so popular AND acid loving, but it's spilled over into pretty much all landscaping. not fun to run and slide on though, for under a tire swing, but great ground cover. If you're worried about them washing away, edge the area with bricks or one of the gazillion things suggested by the others. I love the Moss idea...not sure about strength under a tire swing though. The gravel/sand pool idea is really cool too. I might be adopting that for my problem square. If you go with gravel or mulch or anything, you can usually find a company that will bring a truckload much cheaper (and easier on your back) than by-the-bag from the garden center--for that large an area definitely. JoAnna's idea sounds pretty. I can picture it. Maybe I just plain vote for that?
Is your yard St. Augustine grass? We have that, and I've been told that is does not lie dormant. If it dies... it's gone unless you sod it. We have two live oaks, and they do have grass under them but I have to keep it watered. There is one bare spot that I can't seem to revive. Having very little rain for 2 years doesn't keep anything growing well.
Yes where we do have Grass is St. Augustine. JoAnna I love you idea! I am going to discuss it with my dh when he gets home from work today. I can picture it too and it sounds so pretty!
I love Birbitt's idea of moss!~ The plant ideas are really good too....but it becomes the question of how the area is going to be used. If there is a tire swing, that tells me kids running around. So I dont know how well plants would hold up. If you are just wanting to cover the dirt, there are alot of ground cover options.... You mentioned pine straw. Frankly, the only thing I would recommend pinestraw for is azeleas and rhodes since pinestaw drastically affects your soils' PH. Pinestraw is also a perfect enviroment for ticks. So with mentioning a dog, unless you want to be chemically treating it, I would avoid it. Innexpensively, you could use any wood mulch. The finer, the softer it is.....I mix ceder in mine to discourage any ticks or most bugs. If money isn't much of an object to you, I would suggest rubber mulch, especially with having the tire swing. It's soft, doesn't decompose and now you can get it in a range of colors! Let us know what you decide!
Tiffany, I love Joanna idea I see that alot down here. But, rain girl what you talking about haven't seen any kind of rain here in south Texas in over a year. I keep telling the neighbors if we don't get rain soon I will do a naked rain dance, since my other rain dance didn't work and if that don't scare drops out the clouds nothing will.
put moss and stepping stones or find some grass that is supposed to grow in shady areas. shade tolorant grass: http://www.shadegrass.com/
