To get rid of grass under trees before planting a groundcover, either smother the grass with newspaper and mulch or strip the grass.

There are also many types of hostas with different heights and foliage colors that would work well under the spruce trees, but you may want to avoid hosta if you have deer that browse in your garden.

Hostas thrive in total shade to nearly full sun which makes them ideal for planting under trees. I like to plant Hostas in a ring around a tree. It's much better for the tree than mounding mulch ...

Use hostas as understory plants below trees or with taller shrubs. Line a pathway or driveway or nestle them in with other shade-loving perennials in a garden.

Many people love to plant hostas under their trees because they're so good at flourishing in the canopy's shade. But not every tree is a good hosta companion, especially if they have shallow roots.

Will anything grow near spruce trees? Depending on how large the tree is and how close you’re planting you can try several things. I have had excellent success growing hostas under and near spruce.

Hosta is a perennial foliage plant so well-known and widely planted that many gardeners take it for granted. There are over 3000 named varieties, all of them easy to grow and very trouble-free ...

In the perennial department, you’ll find a very long list: ajuga, bergenia, campanula, carex, euphorbia, geranium, daylilies, hellebore, hosta, liriope, sedums and veronica, to name a few.