Under-Tree Perennial Collection

Cantabrigiense cranesbill Cambridge is an invaluable perennial that will reliably conjure up a dense and fragrant green carpet in the garden. It naturally originates from the crossing of mountain species coming from the Balkans and Southern Europe. Because of this, it is exceptionally tough and adaptable. It thrives best in full sun or partial shade, where it is perfectly happy with standard well-draining loamy soil. It is a low-maintenance plant that handles summer droughts and severe frosts wonderfully. From the received potted seedling, a compact cushion growing to a height of thirty centimeters will soon grow after transplanting. It will serve as a versatile groundcover perennial. From May to July, striking purple-pink flowers on upright stems emerge from the aromatic foliage. The garden will come alive thanks to them, as they reliably attract bees and butterflies. The flowers are also great for cutting into summer bouquets, where they beautifully complement other species. The Cambridge variety will also delight you with a beautiful autumn transformation. With the arrival of cold days, the green leaves change to impressive red tones. It does not suffer from pests or diseases, and caring for it is a joy even for beginners.

Tufted hairgrass is an undemanding native grass that remains green even in winter. In nature, it grows in meadows and forest clearings. It forms a neat clump of leaves, from which grow delicate thin stems with transparent clouds of flowers. It adapts even to more difficult conditions, such as dry shade or compacted soil, and can handle waterlogging too. The flowers of the 'Schottland' cultivar are brown at the beginning of flowering, later turning gold. The leaf clumps grow up to 60 centimeters, the flower stems up to 120.

Siberian bugloss is a hardy perennial that is unfazed even by the shady corners of the garden where other plants fail to thrive. It earned its name thanks to its tiny blue flowers, which are very similar to classic forget-me-nots and bloom in April and May. Unlike its more famous relative, the largeleaf bugloss, this species spreads a bit more vigorously and forms dense stands. Thanks to its underground rhizomes, it works as a great groundcover plant that reliably suppresses weeds under trees or shrubs. Once the plant finishes blooming, all its energy moves into the large, deep green heart-shaped leaves, which quickly grow to their final size. It is an ideal choice for beginners because it handles heavier clay soils excellently and tolerates short-term drought. Furthermore, the flowers are suitable for cutting into spring tied bouquets, where they look very tender and add lightness to the arrangement.

The Tradescant White wood aster is a charming North American perennial that grows wild in forest clearings and along forest edges. It is an absolutely ideal choice for problematic shady and partially shaded areas of your garden. It can easily handle growing even under tree canopies, where it strongly stands its ground against the competition of their roots. You will receive a grown seedling in a pot from us, which you just need to transplant into loamy or sandy well-draining soil, and you can watch how it thrives. It forms dense clumps, but thanks to the thin wiry stems, it looks very delicate and airy. The Tradescant cultivar is characterized by dark stems and the undersides of the leaves, which forms a beautiful contrast with the fresh green upper side. It grows to a height of around thirty to fifty centimeters and is slightly shorter than the basic species. In August and September, it rewards you with a flood of tiny white flowers that reliably attract bees and other pollinators to the garden. It is an absolutely undemanding plant, does not suffer from diseases or pests, and withstands frosts down to minus twenty-eight degrees without any problems. The flowers on the dark stems look great in summer bouquets and are suitable for cutting into a vase, while in the garden bed, they form an interesting structure even after blooming and bring a beautiful winter effect.

Barren strawberry is the perfect solution for places in the garden where neither lawn nor other sun-loving plants thrive. This tough perennial originates from the forest undergrowth of the temperate zone from Europe to Siberia, and therefore feels right at home in shade and partial shade. It is valued primarily for its glossy, dark green leaves resembling strawberry foliage, which remain on the plant over the winter, thus creating an attractive, dense carpet all year round. Thanks to its ability to spread quickly, it acts as a reliable groundcover plant that effectively suppresses weed growth and retains moisture in the soil. During April and May, the dark greenery lights up with an abundance of tiny, golden-yellow flowers. Although barren strawberry is not intended for cutting into a vase or for drying, its ornamental value directly in the bed is irreplaceable. Additionally, the flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects. It is an extremely low-maintenance and long-lived plant that does not suffer from diseases or pests and handles frosts down to -34 °C. Just provide it with humus-rich, well-draining soil and occasional watering, and you will gain a maintenance-free decoration for shady corners, slopes, or undergrowth beneath trees.

Symphytum grandiflorum will bring light even to the darkest corners of your garden. This perennial herb is characterized by creamy, tubular flowers that appear as early as April and gently contrast with dark green, hairy leaves. It is an ideal choice for planting under mature trees, where many other plants fail to thrive due to lack of light and root competition. Here, the comfrey will create a continuous, vigorous undergrowth reaching a height of 20 to 40 centimeters. Besides its aesthetic function, it also fulfills an important ecological role, as its early flowers provide valuable food for waking pollinators. The plant is fully frost-resistant and does not require any special care or support. Keep in mind, however, that this is a species that is poisonous and not intended for consumption, but it will make a great show in the flowerbed.

Sweet violet Royal Wedding is a messenger of spring that will perfume the shady corners of your garden with an unmistakable sweet scent. This tiny but hardy perennial naturally grows in the deciduous forests and groves of Europe, where it forms dense carpets in the spring. In the garden, it will thrive best in partial shade or shade, ideally under the canopies of trees or shrubs, where it has plenty of moisture and humus-rich, well-draining soil. Thanks to its low maintenance and extreme frost resistance, it is a great choice even for beginner growers who want to liven up darker corners of their property and create a natural ground cover. The Royal Wedding cultivar enchants with pure white flowers that contrast beautifully with the deep green, heart-shaped leaves. The plant spreads by runners and over time creates a continuous, fresh green cover. The flowers are edible and can serve as an elegant decoration for desserts, salads, or can be candied. Even though they are tiny, they are suitable for cutting into miniature vases, where their fragrance stands out best. The violet is also a valuable early food source for bees and other pollinators waking up after winter.

These asters are perfectly suitable for low-maintenance plantings as undergrowth between shrubs and trees. After establishing, they cope very well with drought and root pressure. They are therefore also recommended for large-scale plantings in public greenery. The cultivar 'Stardust' blooms with tiny, slightly purple-tinted flowers with yellow centers. Its advantage is a very long flowering period and resistance to powdery mildew. It tolerates even drier soil and has no problem blooming in light partial shade. It lasts 7 to 10 days in a vase.

Carex muskingumensis is a reliable perennial that brings a fresh green color and interesting texture to the garden. Its native home is the humid floodplain forests and banks of watercourses in North America. That is precisely why it handles best in the garden in places with plenty of moisture. It thrives excellently in humic, loamy to clayey soil, both in full sun and partial shade. In the flower bed, it catches the eye primarily with its specific growth, where light green leaves are arranged on the stems in a shape resembling small palms. It grows to a height of sixty to eighty centimeters and produces inconspicuous but elegant chestnut-brown flowers from June to August. It stands out ideally in group plantings near ponds, in rain gardens, or as a groundcover.

The sky-blue flowers of the Scilla bifolia (alpine squill) are among the most beautiful discoveries of the pre-spring garden. Unlike its Siberian relative, it has a much smaller and more delicate appearance and a slightly earlier blooming period. During March and April, its inflorescences, standing only ten to twenty centimeters tall, hover over the lawn, yet they reliably attract the attention of even the first waking bees. For the best visual effect, we recommend planting the bulbs closely together to create an impressive colorful carpet. You will receive the largest bulbs from us, which are perfectly suited for planting in permeable loamy soil under deciduous trees or directly into meadow areas. There, they gradually naturalize and grow naturally. Even complete beginners can manage to establish such a spring-blooming oasis. This squill reliably resists diseases and survives deep frosts without any difficulty.

Spring navelwort is a groundcover woodland perennial native to southern Europe. It naturalized in our gardens as early as the 16th century, and in suitable places, it can form dense carpets of fresh green leaves. Thanks to this, it works as a reliable undergrowth beneath shrubs and trees, where it naturally retains moisture and prevents weed growth. The sky-blue flowers, strikingly similar to forget-me-nots, appear early in the spring, from March to May, and attract the first bees and other pollinators. The plant thrives in partial shade to full shade and requires humus-rich, loamy soil. It is a completely undemanding and frost-hardy perennial that is not bothered by pests or diseases. Although it is a lower plant, its tiny flowers can also be used in delicate spring arrangements.