What can I grow under an apple tree...

[heebiejeebie]

...now that I have ripped up all the ivy? It's a BIG apple tree!

[Snadger]

One of the guys at the allotments lets his pumpkins,marrows etc roam free in his orchard!

[yoanbob]

chickens? ? ?

[Palustris]

If not food plants then low growing herbs. We have Sedum spurium forms, Alliums from Chives to A. schubertii, Nepeta, various kinds, in fact anything reasonably low growing which bees like. That way they are fed even when the apple blossom is not there.

[heebiejeebie]

I like the idea of having chooks, but with 7 moggies that might be a tad irresponsible!

I have sage, oregano and rosemary growing in pots. Would they be OK in the rather shady conditions?

[blue-and-green]

hi, i grew foxgloves under my tree, a few years ago with great success, it was a fabulous display. this year again but its not doing too well, I think its too dry, i think foxgloves needs moist shade.
i have lists of DROUGHT-RESISTANT PLANTS
PLANTS FOR DRY SHADE which is probably what you want to hear
and PLANTS FOR MOIST SHADE
WIND TOLERANT PLANTS
let me know, i can then type it out for you.

[blue-and-green]

PLANTS FOR DRY SHADE
Alchemilla mollis (most)
Coral Plant (Berberidopsis corallina) --good ground cover
Box Buxux sempervirens
Spurge Laurel (Daphne laureola)
Elaeagnus (most, incl. E. x ebbingei)
Epimedium pinnatum --groundcover
Canaray island ivies (hedera canariensis and cvs) --groundcover
Hypericums (most,incl.H. x inodorum "Elstead") --groundcover
Stinking Iris (iris foetidissima)
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica halliana)
Mahonias
Butchers broom (Ruscus aculeatus)
Synphytum grandiflorum --groundcover
Fringecups (Tellima grandiflora)
Periwinkles (vinca) --groundcover

let me know if this helps? or were you after veg?

[blue-and-green]

Rosemary and Lavender will tolerate drought, but i think they both want sun.

[Birdie Wife]

I was going to suggest foxgloves too, they are apparently a good companion plant for apple trees. Lots of great suggestions in the other posts too!

[heebiejeebie]

Thanks blueandgreen that really helps!

I think I'll go for foxgloves for height and colour (and bees), comfrey for groundcover and making stinky fertiliser for the rest of the garden & lottie!

[Palustris]

Funny what different people think are good plants. We spend out lives weeding out foxgloves, they produce a million seeds per flower and every one germinates. Ditto Alchemilla mollis and Hypericum, Iris foetidissima and Tellima. Vinca major is a weed of the first order and I certainly would not put any ivy near fruit trees. Ihave just collected a 2 gallon bucket full of newly germinated ivy seedlings from a tiny area.
Don't even get me started on Comfrey!. Grief, it is the most unpleasant seed weed with roots to Australia, untouchably allergenic leaves of all the ones mentioned!

[heebiejeebie]

Foxgloves are gorgeous though, even if I do have to spend time removing some!

The ivy is always going to need pulling out as there are many deep, thick roots that I can't remove. When we moved in to this house, the ivy was all over the tree.

I got an echinacea whose label said it would be OK in shade. That plus some rosemary should do, with some bedding plants to fill up the gaps this year, and I'll save the comfrey for a dedicated bed at the back end of the lottie.