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Bulbs and Trees.

© Gary Buckley

For the home enthusiast growing bulbs often means reading conflicting information. Depending upon which author or grower's notes one is reading, sometimes one is even left feeling wanting.

As domestic blocks shrink due to population increases it is becoming more difficult to grow bulbs in the traditional ways. By which I mean, special raised beds or dedicated areas within your garden for clumps of particular bulbs.

For me, this seems to be an issue with a lot of gardeners I have contact with, either in person or by mail. People are scared to plant bulbs under trees, thinking the tree will rob the bulb; the tree will inhibit the natural growth of the bulb.

This is not the case.

More by observation than desire, over the past decade or so, I have incorporated more trees to my growing of both Alpines and Bulbs. The success is excellent. I have reached the point where the only special bed I have is a raised peat bed which was built over an existing concrete slad. ( I hate concrete.) The right types of trees for your climate will of course depend on supply and what grows well in your region.

In Tasmania I used a frame work of grafted weeping maples, dogwoods, beech and cherries. Here in hotter Victoria I use evergreen weeping alders which have a dense canopy to give protection to both Alpines and bulbs over the summer months.

For winter growing and flowering bulbs I use weeping cherries, birches and beeches. As I am often fond of saying, there is no fixed recipe for growing, even the summer flowering South African's benefit from dappled shade of cherries and birches here, where the temperature is far greater than in their natural habitat.

If you are digging up lawn or starting a new bed from scratch, try and incorporate good draining soil. This is easily achieved by adding grit or course potting sand to your existing soil. At the same time incorporate leaf mould and peat to the new bed or beds.

The reason I prefer weeping trees to the standard upright versions is two fold. In the first instance it is a matter of aesthetics combined with the knowledge that the tree will not grow too tall and cause problems with powerlines or neighbours.

The other reason is that even if you plant too many trees they are easy to move or dig out in comparison to their upright versions. But better still, with a little pruning of their skirts as they mature; this is the only maintenance needed.

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