Too much mulch smothers a tree's roots, a little is OK. Mulch piled up around a tree's trunk can be a vector for diseases that might get into the tree. Some plants can compete with a tree's roots for water and nutrients. It's a tricky proposition. That said, it can be done. Also, easiest to do and least disturbance for the tree is perennials, but a lot of them look great only for a short part of the season. So, then folks plant a mix so that some things bloom when others are through. That can get to be tricky too, planning it all out keeping the tree's health in mind. That said, it can be done. Some plants can actually be good companions to an apple tree. I don't know any for sure, but some I've heard about as general comapnion plants are rue, chives, chamomile and yarrow. Tansy is supposed to be good for apples but I'm not a fan of that plant, it gets big and leggy. Others in this vein are marigolds and nasturtiums. In the line of "keep it simple" might I suggest a ground coverish plant called sweet woodruff. It has cute white flowers in the spring and attractive foliage most of the rest of the time. It's not horribly invasive. You can even dry the leaves and they smell like vanilla. In the olden days folks used to float this plant in wine punch to flavor it and make "May wine." Below is a cute picture I found online of a birch tree underplanted with sweet woodruff and a few other things. Don't overdo it or you're back to square one as I mention above. Google sweet woodruff and you'll find out a lot about it. Some little spring bulbs might be nice that would later get hidden by the groundcover when they fade out. Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet woodruff and forget-me-nots

RE: Alliums. They generally multiply. Different species and varieties bloom at somewhat different times, from about Mid-May to about Mid-to-Late-June here for me. Generally seem to be pest proof, but I lost an entire large planting, over 100 bulbs, of the expensive Globemaster to voles a few winters back, just made me sick when I saw NOTHING coming up in the spring, then realized the entire bed was undermined with vole tunnels. I don't know if they ate them or just chewed them up tunneling through. The species A. aflatulence is about the earliest of the larger, purple globe types. Gladiator seems to bloom a tad earlier than Globemaster if memory serves, but not by much, a few days. A good later one towards the end of the allium season is A. christophii or 'Star of Persia' which can have basketball sized heads and which multiplies incredibly freely, since it self-sows seeds and those seedlings will bloom the second spring.

Martagon Lilies(recurved petals) Orienipet Lilies Trumpet Lilies Limelight and Tardiva Hydrangea Pinky-Winky Hydrangea Butterfly Bushes Veronicas Liatris Balloon Flowers Russian Sage Zebra Grass Showstopper, Rugosa, Fairy Roses Globe thistle (Sea Holly) Hibiscus Rose Campion Various Daylilies Sanguisorba Clematis Tantigua Oakleaf Hydrangea Phlox, Various Agastache, both kinds Periennial Salvias Rose of Sharon shrubs Butterfly weed Gallardia Tall Sedum, flowers almost open, seems early Milkweed in the fields Hostas Mullien Geranium, pink and blue Red allium about gone Lobelia, Salmon Delphinium, new, planted in spring Guess that is more than I thought! I do have annuals interspersed for steady color. Planted a bunch this week after purchasing on sale, $1 a 4 inch pot, very full plants. Added a lot of fill for the price, along with steady color. Got some very interesting morning glory plants with attractive varigated leaves, purple with white edged flowers, get about 12" tall. Used for a whole row of seeds that didn't sprout. Nice colored Coleus, Bonfire begonias, new style geraniums with dark pink, white edge flowers, blue phlox, blue salvia just keeps blooming. I got a lot of soaker hose laid last fall, sure paying off now in watering. We are getting rain, but deep dirt seems dry. Heat is pretty high, need the water. I love the perennials for variety, but count on annuals for being in bloom, color all the time. I do place a number of potted annuals around the place for bright spots. You can change them around or leave in place as anchor color.

Thank you again for the nice comments. I'd like to say that these roses have had little care from me. I was very big into antique roses several years ago. But then rose rosette disease found its way into the garden and I decided I wouldn't add any new ones. These roses have survived with no virus symptoms, although I haven't looked at the big ones closely yet this year. I did find some witches broom type symptoms on a Marchesa Bochella rose that has been smothered by a weeping crabapple. I cut out the cane with the misshapen foliage. I had been planning on moving her this spring, but I'll wait to see if any more symptoms appear. Sidos-House, I never appreciated the rose from my Mom until I was in my late 30s, but I do now. Gean, I guess I'd have to say my oldest rose is my favorite, the one handed down to me, Konigen Von Danemark. I look forward to smelling its blooms every June. I have added a couple additional rose photos on Photobucket, including Indigo, Shailer's Province, Paul Ricault buds, and some more photos of some that I shared above. Carol, after seeing your photos of TS, I'm not sure mine is. I can't see the yellow stamens without holding the petals back. Also, it's possible what I believed is Maiden's Blush is something else. It does have thorns and the foliage has the bluish tint. Ingrid, thank you. I love taking photos of my roses and the insects that inhabit them, both good and bad. I've added some photos of whole bush and garden shots on my Photobucket album. Of course, I've tried to avoid the messiest part of the garden. So many weeds and unwanted plants! I let my enthusiasm for roses overtake my common sense and now it is too large to care for as I would like. Christopher, you could be right--what was labeled Maiden's Blush could be Alba Maxima. I did look at some of the photos on the HMF rose site and it looks a lot like mine. So much for J&P's packaging accuracy. Melissa, the buds of Ispahan look like a modern rose bud, but it opens to many more petals. I do like that look on my antiques. I have to thank mad_gallica for sharing her Apothecary's Rose and Mme. Hardy with me many years ago. :) Sharing one more photo, not a rose though. Here is a link that might be useful: other photos on Photobucket