what will grow under conifer hedges

[tessamay]

8 months ago moved to new house have 8ft conifer trees at back of garden, but grass lawn bald at bottom of conifers therefore what will grow underneath conifers to make garden more apealing

[Clanad]

Not only does the lack of sunshine inhibit (prohibit) several varieties of plants from growing under pine trees, the constant dropping of needles alters the PH balance and makes the soil quite acidic.  Here are some plants that do well in acidic conditions:

Azaleas
Hydrangea
Rhododendron
Bleeding heart
Hosta
Variegated ivy
Groundcover strawberry
Lily-of-the-valley
We've also had some luck with vinca, which is a spreading creeper and has a small blue flower in the spring.

If you want to put some extra effort into the project, adding lime will help the PH balance and then, in some cases, even grass will grow. Best to check with a garden store in the area on how much to add, but 30 pounds for an average size (20ft tall) conifer wouldn't hurt... work it in all around the drip line. Remember, takes a lot of water for anything...Good luck!

[nfn]

I've got a minature fuschia, carnations and forget-me-nots under one row conifers. I have low growing herbs, esp mint and parsley, under the other row. They do appreciate extra feed and water to the rest of the garden.