Need Advice - Flowers or Flowering Plants on Sidewalk

sarahharris

Hi Everyone

I'm in Brooklyn, NY.

The City of New York just planted a tree in front of my house. They dug and prepared a 4' x 6' area for the tree. I would like to plant some flowers or flowering plants ( not too tall & very low maintenance) in the the area beneath the tree.

I'm not a gardener and don't know much about flowers, but I do love to look at them. Please give me some ideas of what I could plant.

Thank you in advance.

sweet tea

here's some good basic advice: http://www.treesny.com/resources.html?#treetips

sun-loving annuals (e.g., marigolds, impatiens, dahlias, etc.) are a good choice with a new tree. be careful of perennials, because you don't want to end up with something that competes with the young tree for water. you are probably ok with perennials that don't send roots deep, but that is riskier and requires more knowledge. stick with the showy flowers they put out from at hardware stores, and you'll be fine. don't plant them right up next to the tree trunk, as you're more likely to injure roots that way.

new trees need a tremendous amount of water in their first year or two, to encourage deep roots. (otherwise, roots will stay shallow -- where rainwater is -- and tree will likely die v. young.) if at all possible, you'd be doing the tree (and the city) a great boon by giving it 15-20 gallons/week, ideally at a slow pace (very gentle hose, bucket with holes in it, gater bag, etc.).

tybur6

Yeah... I'd say cheap annual flowers would be best. If it's a slushy / icy winter the tree boxes may end up being filled with salty salty crap. The tree can handle it, but a little flowing something or other may not.

I second the hardware store purchases.

anastasia beaverhausen

I'd put up a small garden fence with a mesh top on it if you'd like to keep it puppy-dog-pee free.

tybur6

Another suggestion... fake flowers. A little cheesy - but it would brighten up the spot and really no maintenance. You have to change 'em out once in a while when they get tattered.

From a distance (and not the far), they look real.

tybur6

And I mean a real looking amount of flowers... not some huge arrangement.