looking for a groundcover plant

I need to find a groundcover plant!

requirements:

zone 8b
shade
moist but well drained soil
less than 8" tall
fairly consistent in appearance, evergreen or deciduous
dark color leaves.

I'm looking for something to provide a nice dark background for Japanese Painted Fern.

This message was edited Jan 9, 2008 11:14 AM

The best combination I have ever seen with fern is Hedera helix 'English' (common name - English Ivy).

The key with showing off your ferns is to install them with plants that have very little detail to the overall foliage and texture. Stick to a groundcover that has more of a broad leaf. A slight yellow or white variegation to the leaf is good, but too much will draw the eye from the fern to it's competition. Evergreen is going to be your best bet.

I recommend these plants:

Ajuga reptans 'Catlin's Giant' (Carpet Bugleweed) - gets up to 7" tall
Ajuga reptans 'Gaiety' - gets up to 4" tall
Hedera helix 'English' - gets up to 18" prostrate height
Hedera algeriensis 'My Heart' (Algerian Ivy) - gets up to 12" prostrate height
Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Spurge) - gets up to 10" tall
Vinca major (Big Leaf Periwinkle) - gets between 8-18" prostrate height

Another key to showing off ferns is installing more than one variety. This creates quite an impact. Hope this helps.

I agree that ivy would look nice, but do yourself a favor and check around and find out how ivy behaves in your climate before you plant it. Here it's a complete nightmare and I can't picture more rain and winters that are only slightly colder all of a sudden making it behave well, but you never know! I had English and Algerian ivy taking over gardens at my old house and you wouldn't believe the amount of time I spent ripping them out, and I'm sure the person who bought that house is still pulling up bits that are trying to come back!

How about Dwarf Mondo (Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana)?
http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.com/productdescrip/Ophio_DwfMondo.html

It spreads slowly enough that you won't have to worry about it taking over, but in my yard it isn't as terribly slow growing as everyone says it is either.

I'm really trying to go for a low profile and a dark color, so shrubbs' suggestion of an ajuga appeals. Have contacted one of the vendors that Dave's linked to, to ask for the darkest color variety.

Sorry, ivy is a no-no in our garden, unless contained!

thanks for all suggestions!

If you like the look of the mondo grass but want one with darker leaves, you could try black mondo grass instead. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/59262/ It gets a little taller than 'Nana' but it's still not super tall (the leafy part probably wouldn't get over your 8" height limit, but if it blooms the blooms might stick up a bit higher)

Where is Olga WA?

Orcas Island, east side, between Moran State Park and Doe Bay.
I think we're actually in zone 8a, not 8b, as we occasionally get down to 10 degrees F.

Hello
Could you grow foam flower in your area? Tiarella. I have it planted with my fern and it actually works well. Flowering time, the fragrance is so clean and sweet and the flower is long lasting. I live in NC so zone is different, but if you can support it, I think it is a good choice.

Shrubbs
I notice that you recommend vinca (on other posts too) so I will assume you have had experience with it. My landscaper put about 40 plugs in a bed where we have a birch and some other shrubbs. The reasoning was that the deer won't eat, they'd fill in the space, and I thought would flower. Well the vinca did grow.....very long... two feet or more but the plants just look like long strings..they don't attach to the ground and when I rake it is a real tangle. The bed is mulched in with hardwood bark (landscaper did this also) ... are these supposed to root? Can they root in the hardwood? If all I can expect are these long vines - I will rip them out. I cut them back hoping for something else to happen (and then the deer ate them!!) They never flowered but this is only the begginning of the second year. Do you mind telling me what to expect? Thanks Dorothy.

Vinca minor / Periwinkle / Myrtle is an interesting groundcover because it can be unpredictable based on soil conditions. If the Vinca was installed in a fresh layer of soil than the growth would be quick and vigorous. Vinca sends out what are called rhizomes (which are stems underground that root at the node) and stolons (which are stems that are above ground and root on existing stems like strawberries). Usually stolons. Over time these little stolons form new plants over the whole area and fill in the empty pockets. The long growth means your plants are very happy. Short growth usually means that the soil they were installed in was way too compact or they were installed in an existing root system (such as your birch) which would take most of the groundcover's water supply. The funny thing is that the Vinca minor would eventually take more water away from the tree, but...keep the ground moist at the same time. (Extra - Never plant any groundcover, perennial, or annual under a newly installed tree - the groundcover, perennial, and annual will take away valuable water the tree needs. Older trees are not an issue because of their established root system.)

As for the flowers, most Vinca minor that is installed in landscaping is recently rooted propagated cuttings. Vinca minor is a no brainer when it comes to propagation. The plant will focus on getting established more than pushing flowers. Some times getting established doesn't matter if the conditions for growing and multiplying are great. This actually occurs in most plant material. In fact, we remove all of the flowers from our Viburnum at our farm (with the company I work for) so that the plant puts it's energy into growing. Also, the deer might have eaten the flower buds.

Hardwood mulch is great!!! I hate when people use that new dyed mulch because all it is is chipped up pallets. Hardwood mulch has tons of twigs and roots (organic matter) in it waiting to decompose and enrich your soil. The Vinca minor will root in the hardwood mulch as it breaks down into a finer form and nourishes your planting beds. Continue to mulch between the Vinca minor, but add only 1" of hardwood mulch tops.

Don't worry about cutting them back - they'll take care of themselves. You will only need to weed (when necessary) and watch them grow till they reach the edge of your planting bed. Here is the best maintenance: in the early spring cut them back 6" from the edge of your planting bed, mulch the bed where you removed the Vinca minor - that's it. It may be one or two seasons (years) before you have to do it again.

As for the deer, well...deer are like people. Some only like certain foods and if they are hungry enough they will eat anything (especially new growth of yucky plants).

Now one thing to remember is that we are in different zones and states which can and will affect the same plant differently. Vinca is Vinca so we should be okay. Another thing, landscapers are professional gardeners so they also have their favorites and rejects. The best landscapers are the ones that can supply a number of different types of plants to fill one given area. Test your's out and see what suggestions he or she has for the area. If they only ever suggest one plant you'd best move on. If they suggest a few different plants, but prefer one over the other then that is great. If they suggest a few different plants, but prefer one over the other and make sure that you are satisfied with their choice then that is a superb landscaper.

Hope this helps.

This message was edited Jan 13, 2008 11:36 PM

Shrubbs
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I just didn't know what to expect and those long long vines don't look so hot. So cut them back I did thinking I could get bushy vinca instead of long and stringy. It is impossible to get the fall leaves out without tripping over or pulling out the vines with the rake. The landscaper worked with us on the plan and we are happy with the outcome for the most part (a lot of hardscape with heavy thick flagstone walkway and a pondless stream and drainage issues..so there was a tight budget for the plants). The pondless stream was a real headache for everyone with the actual gravel bog not being big enough to support the long wide stream and three waterfalls..... evaporation and pump shutdowns, etc. So the business owner sent out his workers - including a supervisor and on several occasions - himself. Multiple days ..several hours and twice all day....trying to find leaks..pulling out all the rock...replacing liners... and I know it had to be costing him a fortune. He didn't charge and was terrific and stood behind his landscapers design - he ended up with having to double the reservoir..pull out all the rocks.. narrow the stream... build a scaffold in the bog (instead of gravel fill) to increase the volume / space to provide for a larger reservoir..etc., Anyway, long story (too long) but after all the expense I know the business incurred - I just didn't want to call them back and say....the vinca is awful. I didn't even call them back to replace lost plantings within the warranty. I just don't have the heart..with the drought and all, I think they must have been hard hit. You seemed to recommend vinca in other posts so I figured you would know. (and happily you did!!) I am just trying to figure out how to manage the ground covers.. there is something called wormwood that looked so good ..filled in great...but now it is getting very tall and falling over and the insides don't look as good all exposed. I will try to learn how to manage it too. I try not to cut back but I figure if it does so good in one season - if I cut it back how bad can it be? Anyway, thank you for all your input and I will try to stick with the vinca and see what comes from it this year. As far as the deer...those creatures look IN my windows with my plants in their mouths... So, I just have learned to not expect anything not to be browsed at least a little and when they don't --I am happy! Thank you so much for the vinca info.
dorothy

Wormwood (latin - Artemisia) is a great perennial IF you get the cultivar 'Silver Mound' which stays really low and compact (based on my opinion). As you can tell I am not a big fan of wormwood (in general) for the very reason you have mentioned - certain varieties get very leggy. But remember, if it is a young plant then it will be leggy no matter what. Feel free to trim it, but not to the ground because the new growth will pop up on the old wood. Trim it about 2" above the ground. It may take a couple years for them to fill in. If you want them to grow really fast try adding blood meal (or is that bone meal) around the root system in the spring. Just turn it under the top inch of the soil.

Now, I do use wormwood in my designs because it is a great mixture of texture and color against other perennials, but I would not install it as a single specimen unless in a perennial garden or mixed with annuals. This is based on a design perspective which can be different than a gardeners perspective (avid gardeners are always installing new plants anywhere they can and moving things around). So...that is why I like 'Silver Mound' more than any other Wormwood.

That is quite a story about your pondless waterfall. I have designed a quite a few this past year and our company installed about half that were designed. But, we have never had that many problems with installations. All the hydroponics for the pond and streams / waterfalls are figured out even before I present my design. You had a good company working for you if they went through all that to make sure you were taken care of. Post some pictures if you can. It would be great to see how your new landscape turned out.

Hi our artemisia is Powis Castle. Thanks for the info - glad not to have to look it up - thank you! It is planted in front of several large boulders but has obscured the boulders now. I planted lantana (not a perennial here) with it and it was stunning. The lantana was a hot orange red and fairly tall and spreading. Wow - a great combo. I will post some photos of the stream 'before' and still have to get some 'after' shots. It is cold and dreary here now and things not at their best. Yes, Mark Kiefer - the owner of the nursery was really super about the entire thing. I could tell it was trying and worrisome for him - and he had to use quite a lot of staffing during a busy time looking for what he thought was a leak. (But the basins held when the water turned off.) He just figured when water was flowing it rose and was being lost at the sides somewhere. Turned out it was a perfect combo of evaporation and an improperly sized reservoir in the bog (it was filled with gravel completely and river rock at the top - so no open space for volume of water). Anyway, it is a great design and while I know it was a huge lesson for the nursery, I hope it is considered a valuable experience. This nursery itself is well done with huge huge fish pond with bridges and multiple water features spread out to show design possibilities. All looking great. So it was not inexperience with water features. It was just a miscalculation because the stream was wide at parts 3.5 feet - maybe 4 and long. So, he narrowed the sides the complete length (still looks good but not as 'noisy') by adding more large rock and then of course had to make the bog hole to hold at least double its volume. I ended up with a ugly PVC pipe that once was located at the side of the bog hole and quickly disappeared underground to carry water to the fountain.. it's location (the vault) did not change but now the bog expanded around it got wider and has served effectively relocate more in the middle -- so the pipe has to come out and over.... I planned to post photos to ask for advice on how to mask it. I am thinking of making a hypertufa cover so it looks like a rock outcropping because there already is rock along the sides.. But it will be my first attempt and may be too ambitious. Landscaper suggested umbrella palm...but I just have a feeling it will not make it. Anyway, I will post photos. But thank you again for taking your time to give me such good info.

photos of the artemisia getting high and this was not too long after planting ..really likes that spot and you can see the vinca in the foreground in the bed by the river birch.

The stream before the changes

another

the porch the landscaper built

This is the best one I can find to show how the terminal end looked in the bog. It looks smaller here than in life. It is more kidney shaped and much larger and as I said the reservoir is sufficient now. Ecrane said she'd help with the pipe disguise --so I am looking forward to doing something this spring. I will post a photo of it as it is now. Entrancemount - didn't mean to hijack this thread. Shrubbs already gave great suggestions for the groundcover. I will let you know how the vinca fills out (or doesn't). Dorothy

Just a word about vinca. Against my husband's advice when we first moved to AR (where we have more rocks than soil), I was desperate to have something green in the yard, so I planted vinca. It took hold and grew and grew and spread and spread -- everywhere. Now I am pulling it up and throwing it away. My brother also planted it around his house in Florida and after he became ill, and nobody to cut it back, the stuff really took off. After we inherited his home, I was afraid to step into it (good hiding place for snakes) and we have been trying to get rid of it here. It is somewhat like the English Ivy that was talked about earlier. We had a bad experience with that, too. SO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR OR WHAT YOU PLANT! Good Luck

This is the typical problem with Ivy...people don't take care of it as it is suppose to be taken care of!

Most people install Ivy because they don't want maintenance. This is impossible!!! There is no such thing as a 'no maintenance' planting bed! EVERYTHING in the universe is in a constant change and decay. When you install Ivy and let it go, you end up with a problem.

If you like Ivy's form / texture / function and want to see some in your planting beds then follow these simple rules:

1. Don't install Ivy if you don't want to maintain it!
2. Only install Ivy next to your house if you want to have it grow up the side of your BRICK or STONE house. Never allow Ivy to grow over a house with wood, aluminum, or vinyl siding. It will work it's way under the siding and create many major problems. It will even work it's way between the cracks in the mortar between brick and stone. For average gardeners...it's a simple NO on the house.
3. Animals like snakes, moles, mice, etc. will be an issue because it is the ideal house. BUT...if you have a beautiful lush garden then animals will ALWAYS be an issue. My friends built a pond that is 2' x 4' x 1' deep and within one week a couple garter snakes made their home in the rocks because of the ideal conditions. If you love berries than expect birds...and then expect predators.
4. Install Ivy in larger island planting beds that take the place of lawn. Ivy and River Birch are a great combination. Stick a boulder in with a few daffodils and your done.
5. When maintaining your Ivy always cut back hard on the edges. If your Ivy is in the grass or at the edge of your planting bed then cut the Ivy back into the planting bed at least 6". Mulch the edge and your done.
6. Keep your Ivy out of the trees. If you don't want to trim it away from the tree trunk then trim it before it reaches the tree trunk.

Used properly it is an excellent plant. Get to know your plants before you install them and issues, like Ivy issues, won't become an issue.

A few suggestions:

Hellebores: Not a ground cover, but this is what I have planted with my Japanese Painted Ferns. The foliage is dark green, evergreen and looks good year round.

Creeping Thyme: Ours has done well in our partly shaded are on the north side of our house. It really gets only a few hours of dappled sun. It is doing well. As it is a slow spreader, you may want to plant several plugs to get coverage. The foliage is dark green.

Another groundcover that I plan to try this year is Sweet Woodruff. It is not dark green but has a lovely scent and does well in a shaded woodland spot. My research shows that in some areas it is considered invasive so you may want to check on that fact in your area.

Hope this helps.

Let me put in my 2 cents worth on both ivy and periwinkle. The people who owned our house planted both on slops in the backyard. The periwinkle is nice, polite and has pretty violet flowers in spring, that is when, you can see them thru the ivy which has taken over slops rocks and trees and was eyeing the house. We got it off the house and one tree so far. English ivy-- thank minikudzu Thank very carefully before you plant it. Try the periwinkle

Annie

Hi - Got to put in a word for Deadnettle (Lamium/Lamiastrum) - Grows anywhere - sun to shade - creeps slowly, so easy to control - drought tolerant (once established) - large number of varieties. Here's a couple of pics - first, a green -

Is evergreen -

Here's a link to additional info -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadnettle

This message was edited Feb 1, 2008 10:27 AM

And this is a favorite of mine - "Silver Beacon" - the silver highlights pick up the silver in the Japanese Painted Fern - Dax