Zone 8: What to plant under apple tree.

Ruby_Soho

Hi Ladies,

I'm a regular over on the Bump but just discovered the awesomeness of the Nest!! Love it.

I live in New Zealand, Central Otago to be exact. according to the US zones, we're an 8 so bloody freezing in winter (bit of snow at the moment!), lovely and warm in summer with some hot hot days. It's late winter / early spring here right now. Bulbs are just starting to send up shoots and there's the odd daffodil poking its crazy head out.

I've just done a massive clearout of the bed in our front garden and want to replant it. It is about 10m long by 2-3m wide. It runs North South, it has an apple tree at the South end and some other tree at the North end. It gets sun from the east slightly later morning as the house blocks it first thing and gets the sun right through the day until it sets.

I plan to replant strawberries in the sunny middle of the bed. There are 2 thyme plants already there that I've cut back and will just leave alone. I'm trying to decide what to plant under and around both trees. I was thinking groundcover but I would also like something useful or really pretty or both. Ideally something that looks good through winter and summer and enjoys apples rotting around it! I know chives are supposed to be good under apple trees but I've got them in the back garden.

Any suggestions? Thanks for reading this far!! If I've missed any info, just ask Oh and watering isn't a problem as we live by a lake!

TootsieK

We have periwinkle/vinca growing under a crapapple tree -- strictly ornamental, but they seem to get a long well.  It is evergreen and in bloom as soon as the snow melts.  It forms a dense, dark-green mat with lovely purple-blue flowers.