Garden Design Case Study: Planting in Focus

Woodland

Borders directly beneath trees tend to be dry and shady, which limits the range of plants that will grow there. One solution to this problem is to prune the trees regularly to reduce the shade they cast. You can also improve the soil by incorporating organic matter into it, and apply a mulch each spring to help keep the soil moist in summer.

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Viola labradorica
Ideal as a self-seeder, it has pale purple summer blooms and bronze new leaves (Image 1).

Fargesia nitida
A slow-growing, medium-sized bamboo that forms an attractive, upright clump (Image 2).