In article ,
andrewpreece wrote:


I think this 'no-go' business about the area under conifers is overdone a
bit.
Granted, as I'm in Devon I get a fair bit more rain than areas further east,
but
for instance I have grown Sweet Woodruff and Feverfew under my Leylandii
hedge ( they have 18-24" of headroom to grow into ) without them showing
signs of distress. I plan to try more adventurous plantings in future to see
how they fair.

Yes and no. The area immediately under a dense conifer is essentially
sterile in the drier areas, because it is too dry for anything except
cacti. Where wind-driven rain reaches it, or at the boundary, plants
that like rain shadows will thrive. I was surprised at how MUCH of
a rain shadow Cyclamen coum likes (in the UK), but woodruff is (as its
name suggests) a woodland plant that is also adapted to a rain shadow.

I agree with you that it isn't a matter of black and white.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.