Hi, instead of reseeding the lawn and fighting the weeds I started thinking about some lawn alternative/groundcover to repare the steep patch and make it look nice too. It's full sun and clay soil so I'm looking for something undemanding and drought tolerant and possibly evergreen. I thought of spreading juniper and also could transplant my snow-in-summer but I'd love to have dense and thick mat of several different plants to create a tapestry effect. Please LMK if you have any suggestions or plants available, I'd love to trade or send postage. I really have to do something about that worn-out spot by the end of the season.
p.s. My zone is 5a. Lavenders would be great too, wouldn't they?
Groundcover WANTED!
Hi
I Have a Huge Clump here of triple kwanso all washed cut up & ready to ship if you would like them for postage
they make great ground cover Just let me know .
creeping phlox, sedum, or dianthus would be nice.
Thanks for the suggestions, these are good ideas. I love dianthus but will probably have to get LOTS of plants because it spreads not so fast... Creeping phlox looks gorgeous in pics but for some reason not for me, probably prefers a better soil. But I'll keep trying! Hope daylilies will do well although it would be a good idea to amend the soil too. Besides my Lowes has a very nice Blue Rug juniper plants and they are said to spread really well so I'm getting these too. But it's a loooooooong patch`so any other ideas would be much appreciated!
You wouldn't have to amend the soil for the Kwansos. They grow at old homesteads and out in open fields that are untended and never amended. They're the toughest plant you could ever have and they spread well despite everything.
YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT BUTTERFLY SO IF ANY ONE WANTS ANY JUST DMAIL ME . :) i HAVE PLEANTY .
SUSIE
Hi Maria,
I have tons of vinca/periwinkle that I'll be clearing out over the next few weeks if you want it. Just let me know.
I have some snow on the mountain, if you would like some of that. Don't know how it does in full sun, but mine is in real crappy soil, no amending and does fine. Heavy clay, with some rocks mixed in, lol!
Is it Euphorbia?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55456/
A beautiful plant but it's said to be annual. Does it reseed for you? I'd love it if easy to grow and low maintenance
what is Kwansos??
It's a very nice daylily:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/40824/
It's Aegopodium podagraria, has a variegated leaves, spreads like mad, to the point of almost being invasive, so I surrounded mine with a cement border to keep it in check. I also rarely water mine, which probably helps it from spreading too much also. As a matter of fact, haven't watered it once this year. It gets watered when it rains and it's fine with that.
Finally I learned the name of this plant! My neighbour has it growing under the tree. It doesn't seem to be invasive and looks really pretty but when it dies back the spot looks so empty... It's not a problem under the tree but in the open space visible to many neighbours.... something like vinca will work better. Thanks for educating me about the plant though!
No problem! I learned about it here too, lol! We inherited it with the house, and I had no clue what it was prior to DG! It definately is not an evergreen, and is virtually non-existant during the winter, but here, we have so much snow cover it really doesn't matter, lol!
I have Pachysandra - It is slow to establish, but forms a groundcover of vines topped with evergreen foliage. Autumn leaves just sink doen & fertilize them - No raking, mowing, etc. One of the "first year it sleeps, second year it creeps, third it leaps" plant.
Another plant is Vinca Major. Thius vine is usually seen inhanging planters. I have some that I transplanted to a difficult bare spot, & it formed a low groundcover of vines. I have a non-variegated variety.
I have plenty of both if you wish to try some~
Julie
How cold hardy is it Julie? Sounds like something I might like to try in a spot or 2 if it would winter here, :-)
Is Pachysandra terminalis?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1146/
I like the comments on it, definitely something to consider. It's said to be hardy even in Z3. I always thought of it as a full shade plant though. But if the full sun is OK I'd love to try it!
Wow, thanks for the link! That stuff sounds really nice, and I think I may have to try some too!
It may be the Japanese or Allegheny Pachysandra - The basic stuff sold in nurseries. It grows in full to partial shade, can tolerate some sun (maybe half a day or so) & is drought tolerant once established. Some people consider Pachysandra an invasive like English Ivy, but it does not grow nearly as fast as the ivy. If you have that certain spot where few plants will grow, then you would probably appreciate Pachysandra! We planted some (maybe 6 plants!) to edge our yard years ago, & it formed a lovely & neat perimeter. We mow the strays that pop up in the lawn as necessary, or yank them to plant elsewhere. PlantFiles tells us it is hardy to zone 4, but one person wrote a comment that it grew well in zone 3, while another wrote that it does well in Manitoba - Which is zone 2.
I have plenty to share :)
Julie
I'm looking for groundcover too..I want somethin that will tolerate heat (full sun), doesn't have to be drought tolerant cause it's in a flower bed...but I want it strong enough t be walked on!!! in otherwords...a living mulch!!! something that will play nice with other plants without choking them out...something I can dig a hole in the middle of the patch to plant something new...doesn't mind being disturbed...
I know this is gonna take alot of thought from even the experts...and I am patient enough to ((get my way even if I have to )) wait till spring!!
this is where I need real good mulch...regular wood mulch sucks...hubby bought over a $1000. worth of rubber mulch a couple years ago for this bed...but as I move plants so often...the rubber pieces either get buried or tossed and it doesn't look good at all anymore...that why I need LIVING mulch worthy and sturdy enough to be walked on.
Ajuga Bronze Beauty.
Dirtygirl71
Have you ever looked at the website for Stepables? That might help you find something, and then you could ask for it in a trade.
http://www.stepables.com/
thanks pollyk...I'll look it over!
Great site and nice selection, thanks Polly! I discovered a few interesting plants, too bad they are sold out... but now I have something to ask for
Dirtygirl, the sedums might work well for you, they are easy to grow and pull, offer nice colors, just make sure to pick the right ones for your zone. One of them could be Senecio kleiniiformis, it's quite water tolerant and spreads well:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/63965/
You're welcome.
Here's a sedum I love, in case you are interested in sedums.
http://www.waltersgardens.com/plants/view/?plant=1701
most important thing in living ground cover for me...I have to be able to walk on it!! Like a lawn..high usage!!
Mexican petunia (ruellia) reproduces quickly and has filled my garden bed. It is evergreen here in Montgomery. It takes traffic, full sun, and drought very well. It can be dug up easily and transplanted elsewhere. I'll send a picture tomorrow morning.
I know what the reg'. Mex. Petunia is...invasive! I have Dwarf Mex. Petunia..LOVE IT!! yes, it can be invasive...but easliy pulled and it's short ..but not short enuff for a 'lawn replacement'