Planting under Leylandi.

Hello all

I have a magnificent Leylandi tree at the end of my garden. call me unfashionable but I like it. It's about 60' high. Last year I employed a tree surgeon to remove a thick branch which was leaning across the roof of my shed. He said that nothing would grow under the tree - not because of the shade, (as I thought), but because of the acidity of the 'droppings'.

Although I seeded that end of the garden with grass there is a circular area under the tree where only weeds have grown so he was fairly correct.

Here's my questions:

Just how literally should I take that 'nothing' part of his statement? If weeds can grow what else can?

The current plan includes a Blackthorn hedge - will that grow under the tree?

Many thanks,

Steve.

 

As an individual tree, I have nothing (much) against them - it's as hedges I find them a nuisance, and I guess most people would say much the same. You ahve to have the space forthem, and really, most peoples' back gardens aren't the place! They get so big.....

Anyway - I'd take the "nothing" pretty literally. It's not just what he'said, and the shade - it's got a lot to do with how much water the tree will take t of the soil.. That's why it's always dry and dusty under them (it's the same under something like a privet hedge.)

Wild flowers would probably manage, as they like very poor soil, but I doubt if anything else would.

If you want to grow a blackthorn hedge, you'd ahve to grow it at quite a distance from the tree, I should think.

I knew someone who had a hedge of leylandii which he needed for privacy, as the bottom of his garden led on to the canal path. They managed to grow laurel, and some other shade-loving evergreens in the soil - but they were never very healthy-looking.

I would be thinking along the lines of putting down a mulch or gravel, or something of that nature around the base of the tree, and planting shade-loving plants in those.

 

Cycleman hederfolium, the autumn flowering cyclamen, but don't get them as the corms. Get the living plants in pots. They do like dry shade. I have a lovely colony that has a cherry over the top with a leylandii hedge at the back. I think they would prefer it even drier. I have seen them at Ness Gardens on the Wirral growing at the base of a very tall leylandii hedge where nothing else would grow.