If there's enough sun, then grass around the tree. If there's some sun, but not enough for thick grass, then I will recommend planting some shade tolerant groundcover, or just use what I call outdoor duct tape = Mulch!

I recently re-circled 3 trees at a client's front yard with black mulch. The reason is partly shade related, but mostly large root and uneven terrain related, so mulch is best there I think.... besides, these are large trees in a sidewalk strip, so planting groundcover isnt really an option and grass wouldnt work there.

I had 2 old clients who had large groups of trees in spots on their property that were heavily shaded and covered large areas, one being about 35' x 18' and the other was larger at about 75' x 35'. There was no grass at either area, and poor soil, and neither client would do any watering there. So I just turned both of these fairly large, wooded dead zones into clean and neat looking mulch beds! I eventually planted many plants in the larger area, spreading them out, including this huge-leafed plant called Fuki, which grows leaves the size of elephant ears, and spreads out rapidly, and covers a large area.

Did you move again or are you re-landscaping your current house, Whaas?

Thanks, like to see what other people are doing with their lawn trees.

Jon, just plugging in some shade trees in the grassy areas. I might be stuck here for the long haul!

I do the mulch ring around all my trees. Most are around 3-4 ft, and a couple much bigger. The bigger is for shade perennials. I must admit it can get expensive with lots of trees and seems never ending, like the tree roots are eating the stuff within a month. I have some groundcovers also, they help some.

I always think of mulch as a temporary groundcover until the 'real' groundcover takes over. A groundcover should be installed with the mulch. One way to do it is to plant the groundcover on little mounds with the deep mulch all around it. Less weeding maintenance that way, and less mulch to put down later as the first application deteriorates.
Mike

What kind of perennials or groundcovers are you rolling with?

I'm thinking something along the lines of drought tolerant, and then sun/part shade adaptable. It would be 30 years min before the plant (which it likely wouldn't survive that long anyhow) would cast a deeper shade. Hostas seem so cliche but woudl like to use them but its too dry for them.

Hi Whaas, for a project here I really wanted a flat of plugs for its value. I scoured the net and finally found a place that had what I had been looking for and shipping is a great deal due to them being located in Iowa - so shipping would also be inexpensive for you.

Maybe they might have plants that interest you. On the 50-flats, I think each is .78 cents each or $39 a flat.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Swift Greenhouses

Well, first of all, I don't plant trees out in the lawn. It's a design issue with me, and apparently, I'm almost the only one that feels that way. I think of the lawn as being liquid and the shape of it should reflect that. A tree in the middle with a circle of mulch around it interrupts the 'flow' of the lawn and the design starts to fall apart.
A tree with other trees, shrubs, and a groundcover or two is much better and can be looked upon as an island. Being an island, it should have an irregular shape and can have a rock outcropping or two on the leading headlands. Irregular in this case doesn't mean wiggly. The island should 'fit', not just plunked down.
My lawn is small and I feel I don't have enough room for an island to work without it looking contrived, in the way, and out of place.
Mike

of all the pix i have seen of mikes place... i have never seen a lawn ...

i was thinking about this.. i would actually do a 3 foot ring.. and RUp 6 inches around it ... [which is the extra foot with 6 inches on both sides ]

and throw out the weedwhip ... like i did a decade ago ...

i like to say.. if you cant outsmart a babe who poops themselves.. you arent trying hard enough or losing the battle ..... along those lines.. if you need a weedwhip ... you havent mastered garden design.. that requires the use of such ....

it didnt take me long to figure this out.. when i moved to 5 acres .. from suburbia... after spending 5 hours mowing .. who needs 5 hours of whipping ... so began.. large beds filled with conifer ... shrubs.. trees.. etc ... and throw the whip away .... now i can mow it all in about 2 hours ... and no weedwhipping ....

sedums are good ground cover in mulch ... most are not overly aggressive.. and if planted with the tree ... will be as drought tolerant as the tree .. inside the year or two.. you need to water for the transplant ... [just be careful not to end up with another collection... lol]

ken

LOL, Ken. I have a lawn. I have two lawns, and I can mow them both in 15 minutes. The grass in the middle of my driveway that winds around my 10 acres takes more time than the lawn.
You may remember this picture of my lawn.
Mike
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Or this one.
The lawn is nothing more than a wide path or 'stream'.
{{gwi:131420}}

I'm right with ya, Mike!! Trees springing up in the middle of a lawn just don't look right to me - unattached, isolated and ungrounded. They need something to give them context - a planting bed with a shrub or two, maybe some perennials and a groundcover. And as with your photos, bigger is better in my book. Incorporating a tree (or 3 or 4!) into a larger planting area with an assortment of other plants is a far more natural look than a big tree plugged into the middle of a lawn. That, together with the concept of a 'lawn' period, is something US homeowners "borrowed" from European gardens or should I say 'estates', as most had piles of acreage, not to mentions hordes of minions to tend such, where these landscaping concepts made sense. With today's urban lot or even as much as an acre, it is stretching it to follow the same design sense that applied to the properties of the landed gentry - the appropriateness and relevance is missing. Different time, different situation.

Dax, thanks for the link. They have some sedums I has after.

Mike/GG, I think its all relative to the actual layout, design and needs. Currently my lawn is mainly a flowing curve. And I'm with you to a point and thats why I reached out as I really don't like the circle of mulch as it does interrupt the flow. Thats why I was thinking about going all grass starting next year or use a grass like perrenial so they blend. These plants are strictly for shade and I'm unable to create an irregular bed. Plus I need this space for the kidos and pets.

The circle is not completely out of line though as the convex curve is placed to fit the concave curve.

{{gwi:401403}}

I love the island bed idea, once my oaks provide more shade I want to add understory plants, in some areas. I would love to do that under all my large trees, but money doesn't....... grow on trees. I hope to have some oaks simply shade out most weeds, so I can just mow under them, I would love mulch rings under all, but lets get serious here, I have lots of trees. Mike or Botann, do you use rock as mulch? That may be a way to keep a island mulched without breaking the bank. But it doesn't help the soil, by breaking down into organic matter. But then in a moist climate the wood mulch would be in need of replacement very often. Your trees in your islands seem to be smaller varieties, not oaks, so I can see how you can add many different plants to your beds. I guess for the original poster, it depends on how you design your yard, if you want grande shade trees, or a variety of plants in a large bed etc.