On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 19:07:12 +0100, "Mike"
wrote:

~A friend has a small courtyard overshadowed by Sycamores ,as you know they
~deposit sticky residue over everything beneath in the summer .
~Attempts to grow normal plants has failed ,has anyone any suggestions ,as
~the trees are staying put.
~

I've been trying for 6 years now to get anything to grow under the
blasted things in summer. It's not so much the sticky residue (caused
by the hundreds of aphids you get on *every* leaf) but the shade which
prevents both sun and rain from getting through. Pots are my solution,
and a lot of watering... the conditions are shady mediterranean I
guess.

Spring bulbs love these conditions. I have a fantastic display
permanently planted in the soil beneath. If you water them
occasionally during the summer then come leaf drop and the winter
rains, they get going and produce wonderful colour. Then as they die
back naturally and go dormant, the trees are coming into leaf.

I add colour to the garden in summer by window boxes, hanging baskets
and a perimeter of pots, mostly containing ericaceous plants as I live
on chalk, and concentrate on the back garden display.

I do recommend that your friend collects the leaves in autumn. They
take AGES to rot down (I shred mine to help) but given black binliners
and patience, after a couple of years you get a cycle going and lots
of humus for the soil. Again something bulbs love.

Sadly the Wayback Machine doesn't have the photos that were once up on
moonbells or I'd point you there. If you want to see what you can get
under sycamores and don't mind an attachment or two I can send you
some pics.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!