I doubt you ar going to have much success trying to grow anything right up to the trunk of the tree, particularly given that it is taking all the moisture from the soil. You could ty vinca minor but it can be very invasive.

The saxifrage London Pride will grow in some very inhospitable places. But remember MG's advice to leave space round the trunk.plant

Planting in front rather than underneath the crown would be best. If that area gets sun, then it widens your choice of plants, but choose something that doesn't mind being a bit dry occasionally, because that close to a tree is a dry place to be.

Thanks for your suggestions, I like the idea of vinca minor.

I'd be inclined to do a 'Keith Wiley' and lift her skirts to let a bit more light in. He did this very successfully with a lot of shrubs at The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum.

Wouldn't make the soil any less dry Wagger... and you need to be very careful pruning any weeping tree so that it does not look as if it has been pruned.

Ruta minus would grow there too. Not colourful but very useful in arrangements. Never seen it for sale but could send you a bit.

If you are going to plant Vinca, remember, every year after its flowered, gather all the long, lax stems up in a 'ponytail' in the air and chop it off about 2 or 3 inches from the ground, otherwise you'll have lots of bare stems going off everywhere trailing along the ground, appearing where you don't want it a distance away, with weeds growing around the bare stems...

Good point Bamboo

I really do not understand pruning moon grower! I have had the tree about 10 years now, and all I seem to do is cut off the branches that start to shoot upwards so I can keep the `weeping` appearance. So many of the branches overlap that I really am at a loss what else to do.

Thanks for the offer Steragram, yes I will accept your offer, not sure what it is but will give it a go.

Thanks Bamboo, I will keep that advice in mind.

Hi Andrea yes, if any branches are shooting upwards rather than weeping they need removing. Have you looked to see if they are growing from above or below the graft?

Sorry Moon Grower but that`s beyond my gardening knowledge, wish you lived nearer.