Email me, Harmonyfarms - I have just been harvesting pink & blue-ish hardy geraniums - the blues were marked "hardy geraniums, sp." and the pinks - ? might be Claridge Druce, but can't guarantee. It's too early yet for me to have butterfly bush (mine's just starting to bloom, and I don't usually have seeds until October or later) and sedum. I can send a couple of other things, too.

There aren't many evergreen groundcovers in Zone 5, and it's hard to find something aggressive enough to choke out weeds without being invasive or needing to be mowed. What about Cranberry? It produces berries, but it's native so it doesn't matter if it spreads. Northern Sea Oats? You've ruled out my normal suggestions. American Wintergreen and Bearberry wouldn't like the lay. Ferns and Lily of the Valley wouldn't be evergreen. When I see a thin strip by the road like that my instinct is to fill it with bulbs and interesting perennials. Nice alium, by the way.

Any kind of creeping thyme is ideal for a hot, sunny location and sandy soils are preferred over heavy soils. Just water enough to get it well established, then it should be fine on its own.

"Mother of Thyme" Thymus serphyllum is low and easy to grow from seed. I start my thyme 1st week of February. Grow in small pots or plug tray. Use a soiless medium and barely cover the seeds with builders sand or fine vermiculite. Water from bottom and do not over water. When you sow put in about 10-15 seeds per plug/pot so you have a nice bushy plant. They will germinate in about 8-10 days in a temperature of 65-70 degrees. It can be grown outside but make sure you sow your seed on a thick layer(2-3")of a soiles medium(Pro-Mix)or any other brand you garden center might have. You need this so your seeds are not competing with the germination of weed seeds. If this is still a problem you can wait till you temperature warms up and sow your seeds in large rectangular plastic storage containers. Punch holes in bottom for drainage. Fill container(3-4")with soiless medium and generously sow seeds. Place in a partially shaded area and mist when needed. When container is full of nice size seedlings remove small clumbs to the area you want to cover.