Does anyone have any recommendations for a ground cover that will grow in very shady conditions and in soil that has a high amount of clay in it?
Groundcover for clay-based soil?
Maybe liriope? Here's a link for liriope muscari, but you may want to take a good look at L. spicata, too :) Just a note, the PF lists liriope as sun/partial shade. It will do well in shade, though. Sun can even burn it at times. Hope this helps!
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1612/index.html
Hugs :)
P.S. Do not put this stuff anywhere near your perennial beds :) It's a groundCOVER :)
Edited to include this link for L. spicata
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/56769/index.html
This message was edited Apr 2, 2005 11:14 PM
I love Ajuga. And blue star creeper and creeping mint (it won't travel like regular mint. Looks like moss), creeping violets will certainly stay. They grow under my Walnut tree but they need to be kept in line. Mondo Grass of all heights is good. Dichondra will tolerate shade. There are some really pretty gingers. All of these will need amendments. Don't use sand in clay - unless you use a lot of it, you will get a sort of cement. Use organic amendments.
Do you need to walk on this? If you do I recommend miniature mondo grass. Or even regular mondo grass. It doesn't need mowing, you can walk on it and it tolerates almost anything.
I've been amending my clay for 30 years and I'm still doing it. But I can grow almost anything. Just keep at it.
Right now the area is fairly shady. In the summer time, there are elm trees growing directly overhead so very little sunlight gets through. It's so shady, I'm not sure even a hosta would like it there. Very little grass even grows there.
Is it an area that could be turned into somekind of hardscaping? Like a patio, mulched seating area, pond????
You can find Hostas that do like shade. They just have to be the right kind. My azaleas and camellias will grow under the redwood trees - Ferns are great. Ajuga will really pretty much grow in the dark. I've also had luck with Flowering Maples, Astilbe. Its usually the darker Hostas that grow in deep shade although I've had luck with a few colored ones. Yesterday, today and tomorrow grow in shade for me here.
Grass needs a lot of sun. That's why I mentioned Mondo. If even a little grass is growing, you've got enough sun for quite a few things. What have you tried?
The area I'm referring to is between the street and the sidewalk. In the pic, it's the area in front of the burgandy car. How would hostas deal with periodic "fertilizing" by neighborhood dogs?
http://www.q7.com/~erasmus/images/jan_05_ice_storm/Ems_car_and-street.jpg
The photo does help. Something tough. How about Oak leaf fern? (Or holly leaf fern?) The problem with host's is that they're not evergreen. And I don't know about the dogs. If you're talking about taller things, you could put azaleas there. Also Bergenia and correa. Correa is great and very underutilized. It's otherwise known as "Australian Fuschia'. Cotoneaster will grow in some shade - another tough plant. There are grasses that grow in shade like Japanese Forest grass. One terriffic plant. And fringe flower - particulary the red one, I think it's called Razzleberry. The taller ones get huge but you can keep this one in line. And there are always the smaller nandina. I dont think it can be killed. Some people scream when I mention this but they have their purposes. I think if you got the thick-leaved corrugated Hostas they might be OK. Then there's Harbergenia. It's a vine but it makes a good ground cover if you keep it in line. I don't think that you could grow it with anything else. It is prone to spidermites here. Blooms in december. OH, I just got it. Grow sasanqua camellias. They will grow anywhere too, much hardier than the others. They can get tall but I keep mine at less than 3 feet with annual pruning.
I'll continue to think.
This is Hosta "Bressingham Blue" just starting up.
http://www.bloomindesigns.com/product/HBRESSINGHAMB
I wouldn't buy them bare root if I could buy them in pots. It takes them awhile to get established and I don't know this place, but it's a nice photo.
This grows under my Walnut tree in much more shade than you have there. It's in the corner of the fence so only has exposure to the north.
Would a hosta such as "halcyon" work? It's leaves are quite dark and I think it's a beautiful plant.
Doss,
Thank you so much for the suggestions. I'll do some investigation into the plants you mentioned. I wouldn't mind amending the soil for a couple of hostas but I really don't want to amend the entire bed with so many other beds that still need work.
How about the yellow flowering lamium? There is no way the dogs could kill it, and it will cover that area lickity split.
I have vinca minor...common periwinkle...growing in very very dense clay in the shade under sycamores. It's currently blooming and growing, filling in all the spots where I pulled out invasive english ivy.
It doesn't like to be too dry, I think, because it won't grow under my silver maple, where the ground is dry because the tree uses up all the soil. Only thing I grow under the maple is moss, which I think is pretty, too! So it's carefree, if that's what you're looking for.
Hmm... vinca minor is looking like a strong possibility. How poisonous is this plant? Reason I ask is many children pass by this area. Moss? I have some of that growing there now as well along with some grass and a few dandelions. Our spring weather tends to be quite wet (very true this year as well). Still thinking about adding a hosta there as well.
My neighbor across the street has vinca minor in her front yard and it is quite lovely. I'll get a photo of it next time I take my camera out. I don't think that it does very well in clay though. You'd have to buy one and try it. I know that she had a hard time getting it started but to tell you the truth, I think that it just gets too much sun. Anyway, she kept at it and she won.
doss, I think that ajuga is a great idea, mine grows in extremely shady and wet conditions and has spread like wildfire, but looks simply gorgeous right now. I also have the vinca minor, but it is too invasive for my taste but definitely grows well in red georgia clay. emilyrasmus how about creeping jenny? It has such a beautiful chartreuse colour and mine grows in damp and shady conditions, but my neighbour's does well in a much dryer area, just a thought. A bigger groundcover could be himalayan sarcococca, but you would definitely need to amend the soil, but it grows well in full shade.
Here's the fringe flower I was talking about above.
Here's creeping mint and a little Ajuga. This is just a little patch. It does spread but is very easily controlled, not like the mints you think of.
This is Bunnera 'Jack Frost'. I'm going to put more in. It has lovely little blue flowers held about 12" high right now.
I don't know if you like variegated plants, but heres a vinca that is. You know that there are quite a number of daffodils that will grow in quite deep shade.
http://www.dutchgardens.com/gardening/content.asp?cm_ven=e-mail&cm_cat=Content&cm_pla=Apr05&cm_ite=content&SC=HKA70027&Copy_id=5380
This is Heuchera and Japanese Painted Fern. I think that Heuchera might be just sturdy enough.
Ooooh, love that Brunnera, doss :) I'll have to remember that one....
Sorry that I didn't get the photo close up. You can see the general image of the vinca minor on the other side of the street behind the trash can. It's in full sun, but it would be better in shade. I promise that I'll get a better photo.
It actually looks like their gardener just gave it a haircut. I'll check.
This message was edited Apr 10, 2005 11:04 PM
I also have heavy clay soil....in my shade garden, along with the hostas, I have become quite fond of Lamium as my main border ground cover. Lamium comes in different leaf colors, and flower colors. I also have Ajuga, periwinkle, and creeping veronica.
Maxxy
I promised you some photos of vinca. I am pretty sure that they had to amend heavily to get it to grow, but it's in full sun. Not great for vinca in zone 9.
It's just beginning to bloom. It has a long bloom time and is covered with the blue flowers.
Here's the vinca from a little farther away. It's a very pretty effect.
The vinca is really pretty. I see it here, but rarely in the nice masses above. Something nice and that low to the ground like that would be perfect. Our climate here is very weird. It rains like crazy from about mid-October through early June and then nothing but dry heat and sunshine through mid-september. The Japanese painted fern is beautiful. I just tucked a couple in with my hostas.
The people who own the vinca ripped it all out at one time to amend the soil because it was having such a hard time. And it does love to be irrigated. You want something that is xeriscaping material. You can get some ideas from this website. Don't know why I didn't think of it before. Guess I never put Oregon and dry together.
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/
AJUGA!!! ITS A BEAUTIFUL GROUND COVER...AND IT REALLY HARDY AND ALL I HAVE IS CLAY SOIL! IT DOES BEAUTIFUL IN POTS ALSO. IF YOU LIKE, I CAN SEND YOU SOME. I GOT SO MUCH, I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
SYLVIA
Stay away from Liriope! ...unless you like it running everywhere. It grows deep and pulling it up dont stop it! Its growing all into my neighbors yard ... I have been fighting this battle for years! Concrete dont stop it, it runs under the concret and out the sides. You can tell I hate the stuff! lol
I love Ajuga too and I have it everywhere. I'd vote for it. But it doesn't like being dry. Can you keep that strip watered?
Ajuga is looking like a good candidate and I really like the blooms. I just bought a new hose that will reach that strip. Right now all that's growing there are dandelions and some grass. Sedrick, I would be happy to pay postage for a bunch of it.
Here it is blooming around the fountain in March. You'll love it.
Yes Doss...thats it!!! ...and its in such a beautiful setting. My plants have beautiful bronze like leaves.
Emily, now is good time to send it to you, its almost finished blooming.:) How do you send private emails here? I forgot. A guy in New Orleans sent me a walking Iris's about two years ago, I havent done anything since.
btw Emily do you know a source where I can buy that Black Rose I read about in Portland? Anyway just email me. :)
Sylvia
There are a lot of very lovely Ajugas including the bronze one and the chocolate one and some with very dark purple blossoms. Some of the fancy ones aren't as hardy as this one though - although the bronze one is good.
sedrick,
you have mail :)
Emily, I got your email....will send on saturday. :)
Doss ...whats the name of the chocolate brown Ajuga? you guys got me starting a new project. I decided to plant small sprigs in cute little pots to give as gifts when they are in bloom. :) I also found another barren corner in my courtyard, so I threw three or four bunches over there. Dont worry Emily, there will lots left for you. LOL!
SYLVIA@WORK
DOSS ... I just saw your lorapetulum in all its glory!How long did it take yours to flower like that? I had mine for about two or three years and its growing beautiful as is, but I would love to see mine flower like that! Do you cut yours back? I am attaching a pic ... tell me what you think. :)
Sylvia
Sedrick, I think that your Lorapetulum is probably in too much shade. How much sun does it get? I cut back the red ones some after they bloom but not much - just to make them look right. They are smaller cultivars. The green ones you can almost take a hatchet to. One stand of mine must be well over 8 feet tall.
Yours could use some shaping depending on where you want it to go. I think that it would be a darker red if it had more sun too. Although it's very pretty just the way it is. It's a nice foliage plant for a dark corner.