Good groundcover with daylilies?

I'm looking for suggestions/votes...for a good groundcover for upstate NY that won't choke out my daylilies.

This is for a four-foot wide area between the house next door and our driveway. I have native/orange daylilies planted every foot and a half or so along the driveway. The area gets a good mix of sun and shade.Part of the area gets quite wet from the drip pattern from the roof; the rest is pretty average in terms of moisture I would think.

I'm anxious to get some cover in this area, because it looks horrible covered with weeds (and I don't always have the time to do something about it).

The daylilies, planted last year, are coming in well (every single plant!) right now. I've considered several candidates (lamium, English ivy) for groundcover, but then I look them up here and read horror stories. Perhaps I should not even be concerned since this area will be bordered by a (sided) house (no masonry for ivy to get an easy grip on) and a driveway...?

I did put quite a few vinca seedlings in there last year, and I see a few out there, and a very few blossoms...Could they be quietly taking over, biding their time for their 'invasion?' It seems unlikely. The few that I still see out there look healthy and have grown, but only by a stem or three.

Should I put bottom-out flowerpots around the each daylilies to give them some protection from *whatever* I plant?

Anyhow, any and all input is appreciated. The most recent and current candidate is Irish moss (shallow roots, so I was thinking they wouldn't bother the daylilies.)

Tom

Some fast growing groundcovers would be ajuga and the vinca you've already started. Ajuga has the pretty purple blossoms this time of year, before the daylilies cover everything up. Then dies back to the low basal foliage the rest of the year. In a mild winter it stays evergreen and can grow in heavy shade or in sun. The vinca is really the same. You can help all of them get started with some organic material.
Another pretty one is numularia or Creeping Jenny. Those wild daylilies will expand to fill the space over time.

You don't need to worry about anything pushing daylilies out of the way. If you can't get to weeding, then lay 6-8 sheets of newspaper down around the plants and put an 2 inches of mulch on top. That will smother any weeds there are.

I agree. Daylilies, especially the natives, are VERY tough. I think they would grow through concrete. I have a thick, mature mass of vinca around one daylily area - no problem whatsoever.

I would avoid ivy.

I would avoid ivy all the time. Even at Wrigley.

Ivy is in a league of its own. (even I'm groaning.)

Surely, you're not proud of that.

I love vinca, but from what I understand it is on the invasive list for New York.

Had not heard that. Certainly not invasive for me. Spreads by rhizomes. Never seen it 'pop up' somewhere distant like seed-borne thugs do.

Not invasive for me and I just "train it" to go where I want it to.

Vinca seems to want a looser soil - I have planted up against the woods and where the soil is hard packed it hasn't moved into that area at all - just stops abruptly. Where leaves fell and decomposed it can get roots down in and does ok. Wild daylilies will push into anything so watch out what you wished for. They are harrrddd work to dig in clay if you want to get rid of them later.

Dave - that was nearly uncalled for. I know you have a sense of humor so maybe you'll find this funny. I was laughing till the tears came. Totally OT. http://emuse.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/195

Very funny.

I'd vote for Ajuga. There are many varieties and they're all easy to control.

The foliage color would be a great backdrop as well.