ground cover from seed???

[janey]

I have a large area in full shade due to large pine trees. Grass underneath is sparse due to the shade and the competiton w/ tree roots. I'd like to sculpt out a curvy area around those trees w/ a nice ground cover and eventually tuck in some spring bulbs and things for a little color in the summer.

Transplanting from flats will be too massive a job and too expensive. Any thing I can start w/ seed?

j~

[Tigger]

I think the reason that not much grass will grow beneath your pines is because not much of ANY groundcover will grow beneath pines. The world over, pine forests are pretty bare on the ground. English Ivy may make an attempt, but that's not one to grow from seed. I would just go with some ephemerals (bulbs and whatnot) and see how that does.

David

[janey]

OK, after your response and doing some digging---so to speak---I came to the conclusion (that I hoped would be different from the one I suspected) and am thinking a
Plan B.

Tigger, thanks for your reality check. Have decided to simply tuck in some larger English Ivy plants here and there and let that spread as it will.

Question: the large kitchen window looks directly to this area and I need to have something there that soothes my soul....can I randomly plant annuals there? Do I need to sink them in pots? I'd really like at least some touches of summer color.

Thanks!