Does anyone have a good suggestion for landscape design under old CA live oaks?

The area under the oaks is dry, the dirt is very hard clay, and the roots are surface. I want to create a natural looking landscape that is not cluttered. I'm told not to plant too close to the tree for fear of fungus disease. Any suggestions on plants and designs would be wonderful! This is in Oakland CA.

Public Comments

1. If you have the money hire a couple of young 20 somethings in bikinis to stand under your oak trees. At least they will have shade, and your landscape will be the envy of the......neighborhood?
2. Hiya - I'm in N. CA too (Sonoma Cty) and there are lots of oaks around here as well. Bunch grasses might be a good choice - they don't require lots of water and would certainly match the native grassy/oaky N. Cal landscape. And there are lots and lots to choose from - colors, heights, etc. Lavender would be good for color and variety - also low water and tolerant of heavy clay soils. Not too sure about design without seeing what tree layout you're working with, but maybe you could try lining paths and borders with your auxillary plants and just letting the oaks shine solo? Good luck!
3. First of all, you should plant NOTHING under your oak trees (from the trunk out to the edge of the farthest branches). You should NEVER water under a oak tree. Winter rain is quite sufficient once the tree is a year or two old. Excess water will kill your tree and will increase the likelihood of diseases (oak root fungus and root rot being the primary ones). Let all the leaves that fall from your tree STAY where they fall. The roots are very close to the surface and need the protection. As the leaves compost, they become a very rich mulch that feeds your tree and will turn your soil soft. The leaves also hold in any moisture for the shallow roots. (This also saves you a WHOLE lot of work!!). Do not put rocks under your trees. They cut off oxygen for the roots and keep the leaf mulch from getting to the roots. Following these rules will give you a very NATURAL setting. Just look around at oaks growing on hillsides (not yards) near you. You will notice that nothing grows under them, they do not get watered and they do very fine, thank you! Keep in mind that EACH of these trees adds THOUSANDS of dollars to your property value!!! You do not want to risk losing that value. Several of my oak trees are close to our house on the west side and save us hundreds of dollars (more?) in cooling expenses each year. Good Luck!!
4. mondo grass and hosta