"Technology Graphics" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Can anybody held me with some suggestions?

I moved into a brand new house 18 months ago and I got the plot with the
mature trees in the garden, which I like, however the downside is that
some
of them are sycamore trees.

They look okay but nothing seems to grow underneath them, I wanted to
create
a mass of shrubs for all year round colour and easy maintenance so I've
planted pieris, rhododendron and various conifers. Most of these plants
are
barely alive, the only plants that have done reasonably well are some
laurel
which I am growing into a hedge although even these are half the size of
ones I have planted elsewhere.

The reason for the problem is I suspect the sticky muck that falls like a
light drizzle. Some times the car is covered in it and it is so thick that
it takes a few squirts of the washers to get the windscreen clear.

There are some pictures that I took of the situation last August at this
address......

http://www.sytec.u-net.com/sycamore/index.htm

Any suggestions will be gratefully received!

Thanks
Janet


Have a bit of woodland with the same problems as you.

I find all the Euphorbias do well and thrive as do some bamboos, spring
bulbs such as bluebells and snowdrops.
Other tings that do not seem to mind the conditions you mention are Fatsia-
Epimediums-and a variety of ferns.

If you can improve the soil with plenty of moisture retentive materials and
prune off the lower branches of the trees then you should stand and even
greater chance of growing many more plants.

Have a look at:-
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/faqshade.htm