By Isabella Emery, Studioisa
A cherry tree in blossom is one of the loveliest things a garden can offer. We’ve got a gorgeous cherry tree, a prunus avium, in our garden. In fact, it’s not just in our garden, it’s in the centre of our garden. It’s the focal point from the house. The focal point from the kitchen island where we spend a lot of time, and where our guests are likely to sit for at least a period of time when they visit. So basically it’s an important tree. It also provides some (light) shade to the seating area for those warmer summer days.
We’ve built a planter especially for the tree. And tiled it! With tiny tiny tiles that took a rather hefty amount of time to lay. They look great. The tree looks great. But the bark around the base of the trunk? Well it’s a bit meh. It’s brown. It’s bark. It’s not exciting and perhaps even draws some of the excitement and colour away from the rest of the garden. So I’d like to fill it with plants. I’d like to fill it with plants that provide colour, lightness and perhaps even scent to the area, but they must be plants that don’t deprive the tree of the much-needed nutrients and water it needs. So here I’m sharing that research with you, in case you’d like to find a solution to a similar problem (hardly a problem but you know what I mean).
Why planting under a cherry is different
Cherry roots sit close to the surface and spread wide. That means two things. Digging deeply can damage the tree, and any plants you add are competing for water and nutrients. The trick is to choose small, tough plants that are happy in dry shade, and to plant them gently.
Start with spring bulbs
Bulbs are your best friend here. They flower early, before the tree is in full leaf, and then die back, so they barely compete for water in summer.
Snowdrops for the first flowers of the year
Crocus for early colour and a welcome for the first bees
Anemone blanda for a carpet of blue, white or pink daisies
Small daffodils such as 'Tête-à-Tête'
Grape hyacinths (muscari) and scilla for deep blues that sit beautifully with pink blossom
Add woodland perennials for the rest of the year
Once the bulbs fade, tough perennials take over and keep the ground covered and interesting.
Hellebores for winter and early spring flowers, in shades from white to near black
Epimedium for delicate flowers and lovely foliage that tolerates dry shade
Pulmonaria (lungwort) for silver-spotted leaves and flowers in blue and pink
Brunnera for forget-me-not flowers and heart-shaped leaves
Hardy cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium) for autumn flowers and marbled foliage
Hardy geraniums, especially Geranium macrorrhizum, for dependable ground cover
Ferns such as hart's tongue and soft shield fern, for fresh green texture
Colour combinations that work
Blue and white with pink blossom is fresh and classic. Think muscari, brunnera and white snowdrops.
Deep purple and pale pink is more dramatic. Dark hellebores under pale blossom look incroyable.
Chartreuse from foliage or flowers, such as Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, lifts everything around it.
How to plant without harming the tree
Keep a clear ring around the trunk. Start planting about 50 cm out and never pile soil or mulch against the bark.
Dig small holes and work between the roots with a hand trowel. If you hit a large root, move over rather than cutting it.
Choose small plants. Plants in 9 cm to 2 litre pots settle in more easily than big root balls.
Water well in the first summer. The soil beneath a cherry dries out quickly, so new plants need help to establish.
Mulch in autumn or spring with leaf mould or composted bark, about 5 cm deep, keeping it clear of the trunk.
What to avoid
Skip big, hungry perennials and anything very vigorous, such as ivy or creeping mint, which will compete hard and take over.
Need help with your garden?
Every tree and garden is different, from the amount of sun it gets to the soil it grows in. If you'd like a planting plan for the space around your cherry tree, or for the rest of your garden, I'd love to help.
