I have a strip of land between a semicircular drive and the sidewalk. It is full sun with lots of reflected heat. It's slopes down from the semicircular drive to the sidewalk, so there are some flat areas where water doesn't drain as well. Ammended clay soil.
What has thrived here--salvias and ruellia (mexican petunia)---constantly battle the ruellia to keep it from taking over. Also battle bermuda grass invasion by pulling it out.
What I've tried-
Creeping phlox subulata--does better for me in areas that get some shade in our summer--rotted in the areas of poor drainage.
ice plant--rotted during our spring deluge last year
Veronica 'Georgia Blue'--does great if it gets some shade--but in this full sun heat island spot, it struggles
stone crop-thought I'd found my answer--but looks terrible right now--sort of wilting.
flowering ground cover for difficult spot
How about pink scullcap? I grew some in an area that retained water and it did fine. Its low growing, mounding though and not spreading and blooms a long time.
I would also suggest zexmenia, that will grow anywhere! It is not a ground cover but will spread to cover a large area. I have it all over and love it. It is a bit tall though, like 16-20 inches.
C
I've got rock rose in part of my full-sun reflected heat strip. Also not a ground cover, but lowish. Would be just dead in the winter. Several of the neighbors use the ornamental (blooming) rosemary, but I think it tends to look peaked most of the summer. Scarlet pea has volunteered itself to hang over the full sun concrete curb.
In our neighborhood, we're still experimenting with the right combination, but for the strips between the sidewalk and the street at th bus stops (that is, places that don't get watered), we've got white and purple prairie aster, three awn, and prairie verbena, with some (taller) spring wildflowers seeded in. Four-nerve daisy should work, but we just can't get it to be anything other than one tiny clump.
Does it have to be all the same thing? If there's nothing you can do about the soggy areas, maybe put something different in there, and let the edges shift as the plants will in drier or wetter years. Oooh! And put some rain lilies here and about, for a little surprise after a summer shower.
How about Frogfruit? It covers well, has tiny little white flowers all summer long, and is native so doesn't need as much water.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/62730/
How about Louisiana Iris? They come in a huge range of colors and are great in full sun and boggy wet places.
Crow
I second Stephanie's suggestion for Frogfruit. And it's a butterfly host plant.
Carla
I vote for pink skullcap. Nothing ever phases it. And that hot pink is so pretty.
You might also consider some "herbs", like greek oregano or some of the culinary sages. Greek oregano grows like crazy and spreads to look nice all season. I sheer it a couple of times to rejuvinate it. Thyme might also work unless the area retains a lot of water in the winter. I grow most ground covers in my heavy clay soil and the ones I have do fine.
I still want to recomend my first 2 suggestions, scullcap and zexmenia are almost indestructible and flower most of the season.
C
Zexmenia would be good, too. Zexmenia is slow to come back in the spring though, if it dies during the winter.
Thanks for all the great suggestions. Will be researching some of those---new to me.
How about some spring bulbs to take up the slack?
Good suggestions everyone.
Lyreleaf Sage, Salvia lyrata would be a good one too and it is evergreen;
http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SALY2
I would second the Lyreleaf Sage or Frogfruit.
Lyre leaf sage is pretty tough and spreads. The leaves are so pretty but to me the flowers are not that great.
C
Thanks for the great advice, I'll probably end up choosing several of the suggestions--I like the diversity and look of different plants mixed together.
Fr your description, this is a contained area, correct?
I have an arch with Skyflower vines (blue & white) & needed something for the ground. Now, you have to know that I have to put chicken wire or some kind of wire around everything b/c of the deer. But I put a border around the arch & put wedelia in the oval below it. The area is about 6' x 3'. It feels the oval, stays about 4-6" tall, & blooms all summer w/little yellow flowers.
Some don't like it b/c it spreads but it will fill up a contained area very nicely. In the winter, I rake leaves on it & it comes back the next spring.
Just a thought!
:~)
Which wedelia are you using? Zexmenia is also in that genus and it does not spread too much for me and it is about 2 feet tall? I am wondering what species you have?
C
Wedelia paludosa - low ground cover, max 4" tall
Thanks all for your help. I ended up planting 'frogfruit' and it has worked out really well. I found some at Rhode's nursery in Garland
Excellent, I think it is such a lovely plant.
It's a great plant, very low maintenance, can take neglect, cold, heat, and it sprawls like crazy!