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Step 1
Decide what type of flowerbeds to plant. If you have several trees, pick a theme and use it on all the trees. For two trees, you may want to use a kidney-shaped flowerbed. Informal flowerbeds look more natural while formal flowerbeds use geometrical shapes and strict organization.
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Step 2
Find plants rated for shade. Most nurseries now label and group shade plants together, so you can compare the look without hours of searching. Choose your plants based on texture and foliage because colors fade in the shade.
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Step 3
Choose the main focus for the flowerbed. If you want the tree to stand out, plant perennials. To blend the tree in with the flowerbed, combine shrubs and perennials of varying heights. Depending on the type of tree, you could plant tall native grasses.
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Step 4
Trim up the tree's branches to expose more area. This also allows more sunlight to hit the flowerbed, which helps the flowerbed thrive.
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Step 5
Smother the grass under the tree to keep from digging up the tree's roots. Anything that keeps the sun and water from hitting the lawn accomplishes this. You can safely dig up the grass around large trees with established root systems.
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Step 6
Consider the mowing edge between the lawn and the flowerbed. Ground covers differ in the time it takes them to spread. If you don't want to mow or maintain the edge, use slow-spreading plants in your flowerbed.
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Step 7
Use mulch to hold the water around the flowers and plants in your flowerbed. Keep the layer between one and two inches and pack the mulch around the plants. If you use seeds, you can place the mulch on top of the seeds.
