I have this corner that I really don't want to get to elaborate because it's just going to have a small ornamental tree and the focus will be shifted elsewhere for garden color. However, I don't want grass back there either (not that it would grow in heavy shade).
I was thinking English Ivy because I just adore it, however, I know it's terribly invasive, and very very green.
I was thinking I might want something that gives me year round color or at least one season of bloom (why waste the opportunity).
The only think I can think of is ajuga. I've never been terribly fond of the leaves, I understand it takes a long time to fill in, too.
Anything else I could consider?
PS - I also hate jasmine (only because it's over used to death in landscapes in Texas) - not that I think it would grow in the shade anyway.
What's your favorite ground cover for shade?
You could use Cedar Sage, Salvia roemeriana. It is a Texas native ground cover, evergreen non invasive, and has a lovely red bloom. It can live under Cedars so it can take the shade and it is very pretty.
Here is the link; http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1918/index.html
Josephine.
oxalis will grow in shade and also scullcap. It's not a groundcover exactly, but it is a low growing perennial. And very tough.
I have wild woodland strawberry in 80% shade. It blooms and produces fruit. I bought six small plants and they have just about completely covered the area I planted them in one year (12ftX5ft). This plant loves mulch. The plant performs well in 100+ degree heat and looked great over the winter. Low maintenence, low water use, potentially invasive. I have mine in a contained/edged off bed.
I also have ardisia japonica, sweet violets, labrador violets, and 'metallica crispa' ajuga in the same 80% shade. They all have done well.
Did some research and a post a while back on dry shade ground covers, will try to find it and post back with a link
I found the post, but it was more on shade flowering plants. The flowering groundcovers from that thread are southern wild ginger and pratia. I have no experience with either one. Of note, wild woodland strawberry is reportedly a Texas native.
An easy and bright ground cover that I love is variegated Asian jasmine. Not as overused as the plain Asian jasmine. It mixes well with English ivy (which I like also).
I have some wood violets that have done well for me.They stay evergreen(mostly) and right now are blooming with tiny lavender blooms. They can seed themselves vigorously, but are easy to remove if they come up where you don't want them.I like them because they look so fresh during the summer with such little care.
I have heard varigated ivy is not invasive. I like to plant wood violets too. It was suggested to underplant horseherb(little yellow flowers) with violets so when the WV are tired in the summer there is still something fresh and green. I am trying that this year.
Wish I had known about cedar sage b/c that sounds wonderful.