If using benches/tables, what are some good things to plant *under* them?

SU2

Omono
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Location
FL (Tampa area / Gulf-Coast)
USDA Zone
9b
I've only recently had a proper table in my nursery and it's been bugging me to think of how much nutrient-rich water is constantly pouring-through the bench into the ground below, am hoping for some suggestions on what to put below (if anything!)

I've got purple bromelaids(sp?) that I think may look ok but hoping for something better, any suggestions/recommendations would be of use :)

Thanks for reading!
 
Tree's that like shade and that need some years in the ground !

Picture of the bench might help tough!
 
My space is cramped, so that's where I store supplies. If I were planting, however, I would go for mosses, small ferns, and over native forest floor plants we have laying about.
 
I've been placing/planting things that bugs/pests/bacteria prefer to avoid. Like citronella, sage, rosemary, peppermint and spearmint, etc. Also, I'm slowly adding dropped foliage or leaves from those into my mulch pile hoping to benefit from their natural repellent properties for next year's organic fert.
 
Tree's that like shade and that need some years in the ground !

Picture of the bench might help tough!
Here's a snap of it after making it, it's all cluttered right now and has a bench on either end of it (so there's now 3 benches running along the rear-edge of my yard)

19700119_132527.jpg

I'd dug-up those bromeliads in-advance thinking I'd want them under it, they were too-tall and took away from the look of the bench IMO so they're still just sitting in buckets of sand, am starting to think of getting rid of everything but the sand (ie zero weeds/grass in the backyard, starting from a few feet behind the bench) and just putting small specimens around the legs, likely just more of the decorative grass that's already there and maybe some spider-plants, I really like the look of grass at the legs!
 
How about nothing -------- it's tidier ------- less interesting to squirrels / cats / birds and other
scavengers, like opossums.

Note ------- pipes are drilling pipe types ------- low rusting etc, since 1986 or so.
Paint job as well - chuckle :D

Also the rich nutrient water goes to the trees, one is an orange tree, the other a mandarin
and the big one is a black heart poui.

Image from our dry season - 25th Dec to around June -------- no rain.
No sky watered trees grow ----------- say 6 month of our winter.

No Johnny, trees do not grow all year long in these Tropics :eek:
Good Day
Anthony

ground.jpg
 
Pitcher plants. They like boggy conditions and will take care of any surplus flies attracted by fish emulsion.
 
Pitcher plants. They like boggy conditions and will take care of any surplus flies attracted by fish emulsion.

I wouldn't. They need full sun and the fertilizer in the runoff would eventually kill them.

Honestly, I'd keep it visually simple and not plant anything under them.
 
it's been bugging me to think of how much nutrient-rich water is constantly pouring-through the bench into the ground below
I just let it go. The grass around my trees grows 5 times faster than the rest of the yard.
 
Create a mini bench underneath for shohin species that like shade such as Yew, Acer etc.
 
I have a garden screen to block weeds under mine below mulch. One day I want to take the mulch off and replace with lava or another landscape rock.
 
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