Need Advice - Flowers or Flowering Plants on Sidewalk

[cap1717]

Originally Posted by stone-ground

I'd be inclined to scatter wild flower seeds. (so easy, roughing up the soil, scattering seed, little more roughing and you're done)

Usually a couple of choices in the wild flower seed packet mixes re climate/area. Whatever comes up will be easy growing and low maintenance .. and come back over the years.

Always fun seeing what pops up.

this is a terrific suggestion!

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by Shagbark Hickory

Warning! Danger! RED ALERT!!!
It's not a good idea to plant flowers in the root zone of the tree. Do not pile topsoil or other gardening mediums on top of the trees root zone. IT can harm the tree, if not kill it, and the competition between the tree and flowers not to mention shade & getting trampled on is a losing battle.

Here's an idea. Hanging flower baskets. They look far more professional (when hung from lamp posts or other posts) and do not pose any health issues to trees.

All of my VERY healthy trees have had layer after layer after layer of much piled over their roots for the last 20 years. In addition they all have flowers of one kind or another planted under them. Not sure about the shade and trampled on comment and what it means. All my trees have shade under them (!) and I trample around under them all the time. I do have a commercial service fertilize them every couple of years.

Thank you for the warning....

[cap1717]

I would not worry about doing some modest planting underneath trees. The plants will, in fact, act as a kind of "living mulch". It is important not to pile dirt up against the trunk, as trunk parts are ill suited to constantly damp conditions (root parts do just fine below ground). . . Anyone intersted in the basic anatomy of trees might want to take a look at the books by Alex Shigo. Stunningly correct, and easy to understand, even for an amateur.