Cyclamen in the midwest
Rodger Whitlock (Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:09:23 PDT)

On 30 Jul 2012, at 8:52, Tony Avent wrote:

A very old technique advocated and practiced by E. B. Anderson, the doyen of
the modern enthusiasm for small bulbs.

That the tree or shrub be deciduous is important; you want the soil nice and
damp during late winter & early spring when the bulbs are in full growth, but
bone dry later on after the leaves unfurl and the roots pump the soil dry.

Deciduous woody material also allows the sun in during the growth period; the
shade they throw later on is more or less unimportant because the bulbs are
dormant. Real sun lovers might prefer if you plant them to the south or
southwest of your water pump tree or shrub so that the summer sun can warm the
soil.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate