A large tree in your garden, or shade cast by a neighbouring tree, can create bare, dry surrounding areas, heavily shaded and filled with tree roots. This often barren-looking landscape is ideal for bromeliads as they thrive in low light and shallow soils and look wonderful when mass planted. For an instantly eye-catching effect, you need to be generous with your planting to create great swathes of colour, texture and life



Begin!
When landscaping under a tree, mark the outline of the bed using an aerosol marker. Then create textural interest by placing a few bush rocks in the bed. Prepare the soil for planting using a mix of compost, to provide nutrients, and fine bark chips for improved drainage. It's often difficult to dig into the existing soil without damaging tree roots. By building up the soil in this way you'll create a raised bed, which is ideal for shallow-rooted bromeliads. Ensure the planting will be 1 m or more away from the tree trunk base. Plant bromeliads in groups or drifts of one variety, and keep the basal leaves above ground level to stop rot.

Bromeliads in brief
With 58 genera, more than 2000 species and new hybrids being developed each year, bromeliads are a truly diverse group of plants. Here are some of the best known:

Aechmea - form a vase shape with stiff leaves that may be patterned, striped or have prickly edges.

Guzmania - strappy leaves with a flower spike that turns from green to red; white tubular flowers and the lower bracts develop red or black stripes.

Neoregelia - leaves may be mottled or striped green to maroon; stemless central well mustn't dry out - before flowering this centre turns vivid red.

Nidularium - have flowers that nestle in the centre of the rosette-shaped leaves.

Tillandsia - leaves may be shaped in rosettes, spirals or they may be branching with silver-coloured scales; stunning flower spikes range from white to purple and green to red.

Vriesea - have smooth leaves and spectacular flower spikes.
|}



Crotons (above left) have brilliantly coloured foliage and look superb en masse. They do best in a warm climate. And for height and colour variation look to hardy sansevierias or mother-in-laws-tongue (above right) and the strappy-leaved dianellas. The new dianellas, 'Border Gold', 'Border Silver and 'Border Emerald', are perfect for dry shade and will grow to about 60cm.

As well as mass planting, you can give plants impact by featuring them in pots within the garden bed. Succulents such as yukkas will enjoy an outer sunny position while cycads tie in well with the spiky themed landscape.



Feeding - less is more
When it comes to feeding, bromeliads are surprisingly self-sufficient so regular fertilising isn't necessary. However, you can feed them during the warmer months of the year, avoiding high-nitrogen fertilisers if you want to promote flowering. Apply a soluble fertiliser at quarter strength or alternatively, add a quarter of a teaspoon per plant of slow-release pellets to the soil surface. Never add fertilisers in the centre 'well' of the plant. It's also a good idea to welcome your new plants with an organic liquid fertiliser such as Seasol and hose-on application makes light work of the job.

Water well
The central rosette of bromeliads traps falling leaves and insects that decompose and provide nutrients, it also captures water to supply the plant. However the mass of tree roots in the bed will greedily absorb any rain that makes its way through the canopy. To maintain moisture levels, consider installing a small drip irrigation system.



Growing your own
Bromeliad blooms comprise colourful leaves and flowers growing on stems from the plant centre.They flower only once, but many produce offshoots or'pups' at the base. Remove these when they're one-third the size of the parent and plant or pot in a well-draining potting mix. Flowers may take two years to bloom but you can grow as many plants as you need.

Some varieties don't produce offshoots for six years, so the cheapest way to mass plant is to propagate from seed. Many bromeliads produce capsules that burst with seed. In a natural tropical habitat seeds remain moist and in place, but in gardens they tend to dry out and blow away. A better option is to grow varieties that produce berries. Simply squeeze out the seeds and sow in pots or trays with premium potting mix and orchid mix. Cover with a plastic bag, inverted plastic pot or put in a mini-greenhouse to retain the moisture, then pot up the seedlings and when they're large enough, plant in the garden.



Tips

• In cooler climates, most varieties like to be protected from frost and although some bromeliads can be grown in full sun, you'll get far more success in filtered sunlight.
  And the good news is they are relatively pest free.
  Just remember all bromeliads have tiny scales or pores on their leaves through which they can absorb moisture, so avoid spraying them with pest oils to smother any insects as these pores will be smothered too.