What can I under plant a young plum tree with..

[Chippychop]

It's in a smallish bed. 2 m x 2m I've edged the bed with ilix (and box at the corners) other than there there is path/patio around the bed. Perhaps something colourful for heavy clay/ rubbish soils. Thx!

[armsandtheman]

I've got alpine strawberries, rhubarb, mint and lemon grass under mine. Seem fine in my clay soil and v low maintainance as they die back in winter. Strawberries have pretty white flowers and my dd loves finding them to eat.

[Chippychop]

Mmm thx I was thinking flowering perennials but given it's next to my herb bed anyway-maybe mint etc would be better. Have you ever grown creeping thyme? Looks pretty on google.

[armsandtheman]

I've got bog standard thyme, but it's survived my dd! Hardy stuff. No idea of the names of my perennials, as I'm a rubbish gardener. I've gone for ones that don't mind getting wet as our clay soil has rubbish drainage too.

[armsandtheman]

Have you looked at wild geraniums. I've just remembered I've got them and those big daisies. Both are fab and easy!

[CruCru]

Tiarella, heuchera, heucherella? Comes in lots of colours and happy in shade, depending on the variety.

[StaceyAndTracey]

Nothing . It needs a Area of at least 1m in diameter to be free from plants . Otherwise it has to compete with these plants for food and water and it won't establish and grow as well . You can mulch if you like

[OwlBeeBack]

Strongly agree with 'nothing'. Let the plum tree have all the nutrients and water rather than compete with other plants.

[AlternativeTentacles]

Wild geraniums are foul. Smell like cats piss.

Strawbs under fruit trees are best. They grow under and alongside fruit trees in their natural habitat and provide good ground cover.

[Greenrememberedhills]

Stacey's right. Leave a metre. After that, definitely no mint, which spreads. Thyme is nice but as the tree grows it'll be shaded out and die.

[Horopu]

I buried a dead possum under my lemon tree and it thrived (the tree, not the possum). We buried a dead guinea-pig next to a bush and it grew like mad. I'm not advocating killing anything by the way.

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

Horopu

[Chippychop]

Given the quality of the soil I reckon Stacey etc may be right I'll leave a ring around it and may gravel the rest and plonk some pots on the top. Thx all

[Liara]

We have strawberries under ours and it has done really well because it gets a lot of water -we are crap at watering young trees because they don't seem to be doing much but always remember to water our strawberries.

[Chippychop]

I opted for periwinkle (vinca)thanks all