Do You Want Around-the-tree Landscaping in McLean, VA? Here’s What to Know!

Mature trees are a wonder for any property, bringing shade and beauty to a residential landscape for years to come. They bring shade, privacy, accent, texture, color, and scent no matter where they are. Moreover, they help sustain the micro-ecosystem living on your property and the environment as a whole. Unfortunately, however, the ground around tree trunks is usually barren, and most homeowners neglect it. From the thirsty tree roots drawing up all the water to the heavy branches preventing light from reaching the soil, the areas around the trees are not a landscape’s forte. Fortunately, our experts in landscaping in McLean, VA, are here to give you some tips to turn those empty, sad spots into colorful and textured landscape elements, all the while protecting the trees’ health.

Maintain the Soil at the Trunk’s Level

According to our expert landscaping company in McLean, VA, homeowners make frequent mistakes when revamping the areas around their large trees. Creating a raised border around the tree to fill it with soil for designing a plant bed can lead to many problems. The more soil you pile up around the trunk, the more risks you face for the bark to rot, encouraging diseases or insect infestations. Our landscape design and architecture company can help you with the creation of a raised bed. Our technicians will most likely suggest constructing an inside border (1-2 feet from the trunk) to keep the extra soil smothering the tree base.

Select Plants Adapted to the Conditions around the Tree

Some trees with rich canopies (consider maples or magnolias) allow some sunlight to reach the areas of their base, but others permit little to no sunlight to reach the soil beneath, such as most evergreens. Our landscaping company in McLean, VA recommends homeowners take some time to observe the shade amounts under each tree at different day times. Then, pick under-the-tree plants depending on the light conditions favored by the tree. For example, ferns and hostas thrive under thick tree canopies, but other plant varieties need less dense trees to thrive.

Mulch the Plants You Add under the Tree

Landscaping around the tree can mean raising an entire bed or adding a few ferns here and there. First, however, you have to know the trees’ roots will absorb a fair amount of water and nutrients. For this reason, our landscapists in McLean, VA, recommend adding organic mulch around the trees to keep a satisfactory moist level in the soil, so you don’t have to water frequently.

Ask our experts in landscaping in McLean, VA, for their advice and help no matter what landscape revamps you have in mind!