Yeah Holly, that's what I'm looking for: to fill in under and around shrubs. I think it gives things a nice finished look.
Looking backwhat would you change in your Garden in 2015
OK! NONE of the links are working--in any of the Threads.
Just wanted to let you know....
WHEN will they fix this site--for goodness sakes? G.
Here's a list of native groundcovers, many of them flowering. I have some of them, and there are a few that I'd like to acquire! http://vnps.org/download/VNPS%20Brochures/Alternatives-to-English-Ivy.pdf
They are described as groundcovers for shady areas, but I am growing some of them in full sun and they're doing very well.
Just about any flowering plant that only has basal leaves could potentially be used as groundcover, too.
Thanks for the link Susan, very good stuff there.
You're welcome!
After spending reading about groundcovers, I realize the term means different things to different people. I think of them as plants that never get higher than 6", but some plants that are 2' tall are considered groundcovers by some.
I'm using more mulch and less groundcovers now, especially under shrubs because the green of the shrubs tends to "bleed" into the green of the groundcovers, and all I see is a field of green rather than the shrubs' flowers and structure. I still need it on the shady slope in my backyard, though.
Yeah I hear you. I think that a nice ground cover around shrubs give a shrub bed a nice, finished look and that's what I'm going for. I think I'm going to get that potentilla at Jeeperscreepers. A DG member from the PNW has some and showed pics on a thread there and I fell in love with the nice, thick green mat it provides. I'm also becoming more interested in another plant that I already have called Persicaria affinis 'darjeeling red'. That is a first year plant in one of our gardens and it's spread quite nicely. It too is short and has a nice green mat. The shrub line I'm looking to fill in is mostly Aronia arbutifolia and some other things. Since these aronia are taller and lankier than some other shrubs, it would be nice to have a 'shoes and socks' look like Jill described. Plus the soil there is quite poor and there is intense root competition from a nearby Norway Maple.
That Potentilla looks very nice, and a Persicaria that is attractive should do very well- so many of them are vigorous weeds.
I've noticed that when reading up on them. I planted that one in the spring though and it's done quite well and hasn't been a thug. It seems like it would be one of those things that gently spreads around other things. It would be great to underplant some daffodils too and they would come up through the ground cover. Oh the ideas!!
With the season winding down, I've really started thinking about what I accomplished this year and planning what I want to do next year.
My primary goal this season was to keep up with planting the things that I acquired - it has been a big problem for me in the past. I actually did well achieving that goal this year. I've also been concentrating on acquiring plants to fill in the empty spaces in the large garden areas that I'm trying to cover, and I'm making progress there too. My absolutely favorite thing this year was how the first blooming season for the turtle garden turned out.
For next season:
I want to focus on creating blooming "vignettes". I'm finally getting more familiar with what blooms when, and want to start moving things around so that there are groupings of three or more different kinds of plants blooming together at the same time. I also want to have more than one blooming grouping strategically placed around the garden areas. As it is now, there is usually "something" blooming, but it is a onesie here, another onesie over there... you get the picture.
I want to get some kind of groundcover growing between the stepping stones that make up the path going up the hill from the basement to the kitchen. This year, it was a constant battle with weeds there. I'll be paying attention to the groundcover discussions. I recently saw Erodium 'Charm' at Meadows Farms - one of the "steppables", but $4+ a plant with the volume I'd need is way too expensive:
http://www.sandysplants.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=771&typeID=9
Need to remember to spread the poppy seeds that I've been accumulatinig outside before winter sets in. I think I've heard that it the best way to get them to grow.
Hypertufa Planters for mini hostas, ferns, violets - Craft Day sometime before spring????
Good gosh, I could go on and on - this post is WAY too long already though LOL.
Aspenhill, do you get the Meadows Farms coupons? I think it's usually $10 off $60.
They should start discounting their perennials, soon. I'm waiting for their fall perennial clearance sale. Actually, I know Behnkes always does a fall clearance, but I can't remember if Meadows does as well!
That erodium is adorable. I've never even heard of it before.
I do get the Meadows Farms coupons, but I don't check home email as often as I should and I usually only see them after they've expired. A lot of them seem to be for a one day only event, but I even seem to miss the good ones that are for the whole week. When I was at Meadows Farms the day I spotted that ground cover, I asked them if they end of season discount the inventory. They said they will continue to put the "needs TLC" plants on the 50% off table, but in general they just overwinter their stock. If you see a good Meadows Farms coupon, can you post about it here on DG - probably Plants Addicts thread? I check DG much more often than I check email LOL. Also, if/when Behnkes does a 50% fall clearance I'd be up for making the trip over there.
Sure, I'll let you know on the other thread when Behnkes starts their 50% sale.
I'm surprised Meadows overwinters their perennials. That's a *lot* of perennials! I guess that explains why some of their perennials are just huge and overflowing their containers. Behke's perennial department is totally empty by the end of the year.
Terri--
The only ground cover I think is 'cute"at my HD is Dwarf Mondo Grass.
It is a deep green, non-blooming and looks like grass, but with wider blades.
I bet you could just mow over it--thinking here if you use it beween steppinf stones.
We have a lot left--4" pots--$2,19. Nothing there is reduced yet--but--I bet if
you made an offer for a good quantity--they may sell it to you for half off.
"They" being the Bell Nursery People.
Google it up and see what you think. Gita
Steppables and the competition "Jeepers Creepers" are cute but pricey to be sure! I went through lots of those little pots before I found ones that would survive in my pseudo rock garden.
"Jeepers Creepers" brand Pratia 'Celestial Spice' grew very nicely; I divided it the first year I had it and covered lots of ground. Last winter was really hard on it though; I wasn't sure it had survived at first. Now I see it's only for zones 7-9, so no wonder!.
One thing to look for is larger pots of things that Steppables sells; i.e. rather than get a tiny pot of something for $5, see if there's a 1/2 gallon size in the garden center. That's what I did when I bought Sedum 'Utah', which did great last winter by the way.
2 good East Coast natives to consider are Antennaria plantaginifolia (Pussytoes) and Sedum ternatum (Wild Stonecrop). My "Pussytoes" easily quadrupled in size since spring. It's supposed to be evergreen (I can let you know soon!), sends up a flower spike in the spring, and is a host for the American Lady butterfly. My Sedum ternatum has spread very quickly too.
I thought somebody mentioned in teh "addicts" thread that Behnke's was doing a clearance sale now... ?
I miss those sales at Meadow's Farm also, more often than not. But when I swing by, I always find something at a good price. Which reminds me -- I need to go pick up some pine fines. :-)
I have a big patch of Pussytoes, it is evergreen, or rather, ever-silver. It lays tight on the ground and creeps well if it likes the spot. I've had it in a very moist place with PM sun which is not its preference, and was OK, and in various fairly sunny and normal moisture places, it likes.
I can share..
Critter, they're at 25% now, but go down to 50% and lower at the end of the year.
Sally, I have some pussytoes I got from you. They're such a pretty little silver color, and definitely ever-silver.
I've never had sedum ternatum survive for me. I must have gotten them on at least 3 different occasional from Happy, but they didn't survive my Death Bed. Maybe they don't like dry shade?
My Sedum ternatum are in full sun on a slope, which normally would be very dry. I have so many new plants up there that I kept the area well-watered, however.