I have some love/hate groundcovers myself. I think the biggest criteria for my love/hate ratio is the combination of how it grows (fast/slow) and where it is located. i.e. not all fast growers are hated if they are in the right place I just pulled out about 100 sq ft of pachasandra because it just got everywhere. I will miss it in the winter. (pre-snowcover). I have a huge patch of bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) that spreads very quickly, but it is in a part-shade woody tree-shrub area and it really seems to fit the woodland less-manicured feel. I also suspect it would be hard to eradicate if I wanted to. It has those thin roots that go everwhere and break easily. But I love it where it is. I have creeping veronica Waterperry in a perennial bed and it stays put nicely. Love it. I also have Georgia Blue but it is much more aggressive. I have to pull it back severely twice a year. Dislike it (but not enough to remove it). I have a gold variegated one that barely grows. I moved it this year to a new place it may do better. Lamium 'Pink Nancy' wanders and blends in nicely. It pulls out easily if it wanders too far. Love it. Ajuga, love it in bloom (have Choc Chip and Crispa Metallica). Neutral otherwise. Need to have something interesting (and strong) nearby. I'm trying out Hosta Kabitan. Thymes... love the daintiness... hate that they don't suppress weeds so well. Geranium Biokova... I consider that more as a specimen perennial than a groundcover, but I can see it is somewhat of both. Love it. Sedge, Treasure Island...grows slowly, love it because it can go anywhere safely, but unless it is cut back with other perennials, it looks messy far into spring until the new growth covers the old stuff. Cutting back a groundcover is not a fun thing. I used to when I had a little, but now its out of the question. I enjoyed and saved this old thread about groundcovers in link below. I haven't read it in a while, but it might be interesting after reading this thread.

Like kimmsr was asking, I was also wondering if you were actually making a lasagna bed. That process has many similarities to composting. You will likely gain more understanding by reading a little about lasagna gardening, and sheet composting (tons of stuff on the 'net). The way I sort of differentiate the two processes is this: Compost pile is to allow all organic materials to break down totally to a soil-like substance over time, and use that wonderful substance to amend exisiting soil or side-dress plants. The compost pile is usually a pile as described like 3x3x3 ft, or in a bin or box. The pile will decompose faster with an ideal mix of browns and greens (i.e. carbons and nitrogens), with optimal moisture, and with turning, but will also decompose (more slowly) if just left alone. On the other hand, lasagna beds are typically started with a layer of cardboard or newspaper to smother existing grass or weeds, often when creating a brand new garden bed, and then organic matter such as you described is added to several inches thick, some folks go to 18 inches high. You can then actually plant right in this organic matter, even if the matter is still fairly large and not decomposing -yet. Although most folks plant veggies, and perennials in there, I don't think the loose matter would support a large shrub or tree, for example. Over time, this matter composts in place and the height typically goes down quite a bit, the grass/weeds underneath die, and the cardbaord and newspaper decompose, and it ends up beinga lovely bed of good soil/humus. I agree the materials you are using are high in nitrogen (greens) and your area would benefit from the addition of shredded leaves or shredded paper or chipped twigs and branches. If you add manure and coffee, that is more nitrogen. I hope at least some of this info is helpful to you, and please feel free to ask other questions or share your experiences. It is never a bother. I enjoy the banter. Laurie in Mississippi

My husband gave me a beautiful string of pearls with a saphire clasp for christmas last year...guess I'm old lady :) But then my newest piece of jewelry is probably 1950 with most of it being 1880's...so perhaps I"m just an old lady at heart :) I love jewelry with history. Sell it and enjoy the vacation...and know that the person who buys it is probably someone like me who will cherish it as much as the original family member of yours did. As to purging...well frankly, I like stuff :oP I love all the stuff ya'll donate to charity because I haunt the goodwill and habitat store looking for it. I use it daily and it makes me feel good. But that said...I rather enjoy purging too, but perhaps that's linked to the fact that I bought a huge house full of someone elses "stuff". I happily donate items to habitat. I like the tax deduction, and I love the feeling of doing something positive for a charity I support. I also do put things outside with a "free" sign (because I think it's cute how people will take ANYTHING!...no one does that in Alaska) but most of those are children's things (which must be taken during school hours so DS does not see it LOL). That reminds me...I have a slide for free to put out tomorrow when he's napping LOL My one hoarded...hang on, I don't know, thing is my son's cloths and cloths I purchased for a set of twins we lost. I thought we were going to adopt or have another child and now that we've give up on that I have to open the boxes. I have literally dozens of large boxes full of lovely cloths, regular stuff, and brand new things for the babies we expected. I know I have to get to that stuff...it takes up a huge amount of space, both physically and emotionally, but I haven't quite gotten into the zone to be able to do that one. Maybe we should make a pledge...those of us who have some purging to do...I'm peronally going to get through those cloths and give them to someone who needs them within the first quarter of 2011. Jak...maybe you should empty the barn by then LOL Ok that's probably asking too much heh heh

They look the same and likely self seeded from a nearby hosta. ==>>> junko probably didnt mean what he said.. since independent seedlings are not the same ... and i dont know how you verify they are pieces of some old whole.. or two different seeds ... did you dig out some other named hosta?? .. if not.. then its an un named seedling... may end up being a nice hosta ... but dont go asking for an ID ... if a hosta dry or crown rots ... and the crown rots away.. frequently ... you will have have a bunch of small plants.. all from the momma.. that look just like this ... but when you dig it.. you would have seen the old rotted crown .. so you could assume they are all the same ... ken