Sherwood Gardens Landscape Design & Development

It is always a good thing to have trees standing tall near your home to give you shade during sunny days and to enhance your residential landscape. They can, however, have a detrimental impact on the ground around their base. 

Fortunately, you can transform these barren spots of land around the trees by adding landscaping elements that can instantly grab anyone’s attention. Read on as Sherwood Gardens Landscape Design & Development, your local landscaping pros, discusses some do’s and don’ts of doing so.

Some Do’s to Consider

Given that not all sunlight may reach the soil where the trees stand, it is a good idea to select plants that can thrive in varying amounts of shade. Ferns, for instance, can be planted in deep-shaded areas around the trees, while coral bells and lilies of the valley can grow under the perimeter of the trees’ branches.

Adding mulch around the base of the new plants helps retain moisture in the soil, eliminating the need to water them every now and then. It is a good idea since the roots of trees continue to draw in a large amount of water in the soil. Every landscaper would recommend putting two to three inches of mulch made of pine straw, wood chips or recycled dried leaves.

Also, consider adding interesting elements to your landscaping underneath the treetops. It can be a stone bench, hammock or birdbath. With ample space, you can also turn the area into a place where you can relax after a long day’s work.

Some Don’ts to Consider

When creating a garden bed near the trees, be sure not to damage tree roots, especially those that jut out of the soil. For this, use a hand trowel and scoop out the soil carefully as needed to fit your new plants. Don’t forget to remove any existing lawn grass as well before planting. In doing so, the tree roots can still receive nutrients needed to keep the trees healthy.

As for mulching, follow the rule that goes for soil—never place it around the base of the trunk. This can cause the tree bark to rot, leaving the tree vulnerable to disease.  Add mulch as you fit but leave eight to 10 inches of bare ground around the trees’ perimeter.

Turn to Sherwood Gardens Landscape Design & Development for your landscaping needs. Whether it is installing outdoor lighting for your patio hardscape or adding trees and shrubs for your yard, we can handle projects of all sizes.

Call us today at (405) 212-5113 or fill out our contact form to discuss your plans. Our Oklahoma service areas include Norman, OK, and surrounding areas.