Flower Beds

Q. I have just moved into a house on the West Coast of British Columbia. It has a well established yard; however I noticed that the flower beds under the fir trees are not doing to well. What can I do to the soil to make it more productive and which type of plants should I grow there? Any help you can give me would be appreciated. (I live on Texada Island.)

A. Fir needles are not hospitable to many plants but not as bad as Pine needles can be. Here are some suggestions to try and see which grow well for you in your climate and location. Remember to trim the lower tree branches and thin the upper ones to allow as much sunlight as possible. Do not water too heavily and give no acidic fertilizer. Pachysandra 'Silver Edge ' periwinkle hostas daffodils grape hyacinth tulips caladium tangerine marigold hydrangea wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) impatiens trillium lungwort Virginia bluebells rhododendron cardinal flower Jacob's ladder Canadian ginger saxifraga heuchera hepatica spring beauties various ferns Campanula takesimana (Korean Bellflower) daylilies azaleas and rhododendrons.