Finding a solution isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. There’s a concern for damaging the tree’s roots, dealing with dry soil, irrigation (too much or too little), shade, limited space (those roots!), and dappled light. Keep in mind that not all landscaping requires plants: hardscape in the form of decks, gravel, or mulch might be just the right fix. The traditional way of landscaping beneath or around a tree was to edge it in brick, stone, or rubber. If you wanted to get creative, you’d plant impatiens, begonias, and maybe a few shade-tolerant bulbs—until the area became overrun with weeds, the snails and slugs invaded, or it started to look just plain bad. The results are often surprising: you don’t expect something to be planted in these spaces, but once they are, you realize that it’s unused real estate that is just waiting to be beautified. Get inspired by these smart and beautiful ways to landscape under and around a tree. Coral trees are primarily found in Southern California and Hawaii and are admired for their beautiful flowers that grow in colors ranging from greenish white to yellow to vivid shades of orange and red. Japanese maple trees are valued for their small-to-medium size, making them ideal for raised beds, large containers, and patios. Their leaves provide year-round interest and can be found in assorted colors, like orange, scarlet, yellow, and bright green. Heucheras (coral bells) are compact perennials with roundish leaves that have scalloped edges. Grown for their colorful foliage, Heucheras are striking in rock gardens, in front of shrubs, as masses in borders, and in containers. Colors include light and medium green, deep red, orange, and variegated varieties.
Is It Healthy for the Tree?
Building a patio or deck around a tree can actually help it, according to Austin Tree Experts. Among the benefits of a wood deck surround:
Reduced soil compaction to the tree’s root zone. Years of compaction by foot traffic can be a stressor. A deck provides a buffer or completely eliminates compaction. Elevated wood decks get rid of foot traffic on soil under trees. Small gaps between planks allow water and oxygen to easily access the soil and roots. Leaves will still be able to slip through the board cracks, recycling nutrients back into the soil.
Deciduous flowering plum trees produce stunning floral displays in winter or spring. Some also produce fall color, like deep, smoky purples. Despite the name, dead nettles are very much alive. Natives of Europe and Western Asia, these vigorous growers have tooth-edged leaves and produce flower clusters in white, pink, or yellow. The olive trees, Olea europaea, are Mediterranean natives that grow well in California and parts of southern Arizona. They were introduced to mission gardens hundreds of years ago and prized for the oil that the fruit produces. These slow growers are most attractive when grown in deep, rich soil. If bothered by the sometimes-messy fruit crop, olive trees can be thinned each year, which also displays their striking branch patterns.
