Easy shade-tolerant ground cover?
suzabanana (6b Boston/N. Shore)
8 years ago
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Easy to grow ground cover?
Comments (4)Pachysandra is my workhorse for deep shade here in the mid-Atlantic. It spreads great, it's evergreen, it doesn't mind having NO irrigation, it's self-limiting (as it fries in too much sun), and it doesn't try to climb and strangle everything. The neighbors have vinca minor in deep shade. It's doing fine but isn't the same thick mat as the pachysandra. Ajuga does well with no irrigation. Hardy ferns are fine, but they don't spread all that well for me. Hostas will grow that densely, too. So will hardy geranium--the native type is what I grew in NM without any irrigation in a natural low spot. It won't take super-deep shade. In New Mexico, my go-to ground cover was English Ivy. It fried like an egg on a hot plate in the sun, and the near-desert conditions meant I could keep it in bounds. Not in your zone, though. It'd eat everything. (In NM, I'd go after anything that was invasive in other states but not where I lived. That meant it'd likely be a survivor but not dangerously aggressive!) I had some invasive wild rose that would grow in shade there, too, and some perennial sweet pea there. Give up on the wildflowers. They won't do in deep shade....See MoreLow ground cover tolerant of foot traffic?
Comments (13)I'm not sure I want another salvia...just more to deadhead. I think I've seen Bee's Bliss somewhere. The area is about 35x5 across the top tier so that's a lot of deadheading. Wanda- I did like the texture of the Myoporum, if I can't have color then texture is good since the flowers he said aren't remarkable. I'm gonna go to other nursery this week and see. Probably everything will be dead, swimming or drowned. I'm still going to save some of the Lantana and put on first tier, will be easier to trim and the little finches and sparrows like it. I had seen blue star creeper on stepables but not sure about it. I think a little more invasive than I want. Plus I need a deeper root. When I'm pruning in the middle it's easier to go up and come down the steps on the left because it is so steep, so thats why I need it low for foot traffic a bit. Here's a pic I took in October....See Morefor those who want easy,tough ground cover
Comments (20)Thank you! By the way, I did want to share 2 plants that we were utterly transfixed by. We bought them both on a fluke in October 2012 because some of the plants we planned were not available. They are Scaevola Amula 'PUrple Fan' and Dipladenia (the pink 'shrub like' one). Both available at Mariposa Nursery in Bradenton - right by Lakewood Ranch. They have both literally bloomed NON STOP since October. The Scaevola Amula 'Purple Fan' is a low growing ground cover (about 6") with purple flowers - its created a swath of non stop purple on a slight birm we have - it gets sun in the morning and late afternoon (bright dappled shade midday). Each plant has spread about 1 to 3 feet. They are not competing with the Salvia or Angelonia planted next to them and instead create a purple carpet. The Dipladenia pink we put right next to our pool cage - they have dark green shiny leaves and dozens and dozens of pink flowers (pink range in color from pale to deep rosy pink on same plant). They are about 2 1/2 to 3' tall and about 2-3' wide (the brances arch up and outward). Again -- they have flowered non stop since October. This area is in bright shade until around 11am and then dappled sun / direct sun in afternoon. I wanted to share these two as I spent months researching on Gardenweb before buying over a thousand plants and as noted, these 2 were just flukes ... they've turned out to be the best non stop color so far (Oct-April...we'll see how summer goes). The Blue Daze and Lantana Alba (low growing) have also flowered non stop but the Scaevola is more flashy then the subtle tiny flowers of Blue Daze and the Lantana goes through phases of kinda looking ratty. The Scaevola and Dipladenia are prettier and have required absolutely zero maintenance. Sorry for the long email -- its just exciting to be able to share something that worked ;->!!!...See MoreShade tolerant ground cover in Virginia.
Comments (3)a current post in another forum .. with link included therein ... https://www.houzz.com/discussions/houttuynia-warning-dsvw-vd~5378515?n=31 i doubt you could eat it into submission .... lol ken ps: this is the first time i recall anyone saying it was edible .......See Moresuzabanana (6b Boston/N. Shore)
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8 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
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