Article: Small plants require smaller holes to be planted in, which will cause less stress to the tree above them. Aim to buy plants with coin-sized bulbs that you can tuck in between the tree's roots. If you want to create a bold effect, plant many small plants instead of fewer big plants, choosing from options like:  Siberian irises, violet-colored flowers with delicate petals Japanese ferns, small plants with silvery-green leaves Columbines, small plants with colorful bell-shaped flowers Japanese forest grasses, elegant clumps of grass with small blooms The area beneath large, mature trees will not get much sun, which narrows down your options for planting. Be sure to select hardy plants and flowers that thrive in the shade. These might include:  Common columbine, or Aquilegia vulgaris, white flowers with green tips. White campions, or Silene fimbriata, delicate white flowers with pink tips. Lungworts, or Pulmonaria, red or blue flowers with leaves with silver markings. Hart’s tongue fern, or Asplenium scolopendrium, a fern with tongue-shaped leaves. Wood anemone, or Anemone nemorosa, plants with white, pink, or blue blooms. Most flowers don't bloom year round, meaning that there may be a lack of color and texture under your tree through most of the year. To compensate for this, choose some leafy plants with different colors and shapes of foliage to create visual appeal all year long. Some examples include:  Ruscus aculeatus (also known as butcher's broom), a plant with long, spiny foliage. Daphne laureola (also known as spurge laurel), a plant with dark green, leathery leaves. Japanese laurel 'Crotonifolia', a plant with large, glossy, yellow-speckled leaves. Continus 'Flame', or Cotinus coggygria, a plant with light green leaves that turn orange or red in autumn.

What is a summary?
Opt for small plants to minimize disturbance to the tree's root system. Pick out plants that thrive in shade to put under big trees. Choose leafy plants with interesting foliage to fill the space year round.