Is there a shade-loving short groundcover?

We've got three strips along sides of our property overgrown with English Ivy -- quite a few trees also. We'd like to grow grass in some of these areas if possible, but frankly none of the yard grows grass very well yet (the property was pretty neglected before we bought it) -- lots of moles (and grubs) and shade -- and I'm not sure what our chances are getting grass to grow under the trees. I don't have anything against normal groundcover plants, but we've got LOTS of snakes and I've got small children that like to play with them. I don't have anything against snakes either -- but my kids won't leave them alone, so I'd like to limit the snakes to a few spots where the kids don't play...

What are my groundcover options? Everything I can think of (other than grass) would provide good hiding places for snakes. In the back of my mind I'm worried that if we choose something other than a mowable grass-like product, the ivy will come back and take over (we're ripping it out by hand and the 15+year-old root network is incredible...).

Thanks very much. Monica

I really like Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia). Not sure if it could compete with the Ivy and small snakes might be able to get under it.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/58136/index.html

It spreads fast, is very low and does OK planted under a tree for me where the soil is fairly dry and it get part sun/part shade. It would probably do even better with more moisure. Agugas are another good option.

Susan

This message was edited Mar 28, 2006 6:24 AM

Ajuga or Dead Nettle.

A shady ground cover, eh. That's one I have been experimenting with myself over here. So far these are performing:

Believe it or not, this particular species of Pussytails (Antennaria plantaginifolia) is used as a lawn alternative for tough shady sites. The height on this is only about 6"-8" though. Nice enough for snakes to slither around in and it has dainty flowers.

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) will spread and form a stand over a few years. Hummingbirds love this plant. It has some height to it at around 3' but this is an outstanding plant for part sun/part shade.

Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale) is typically an understory species so it will do very well planted in the area you described. If it likes where it is planted, it will spread out over time and grace you with delicate white blooms. This is not the introduced bedstraw that will take over your property.

Bunch Berry (Cornus canadensis) is a slow growing and creeping ground cover that has really stand out orange berries in summer.

Ground Plum (Astragalus crassicarpus) is really neat because it has great purple flowers in late spring that are in bloom for about 6 weeks straight. It's a spreader and it can handle dry soils and part shade. This is not the ground plum that is invasive.

Alum Root (Heuchera richardsonii) is a tough shade tolerant ground cover that can tolerate dry soils quite nicely. I saw an online supplier somewhere that was selling an entire flat of 48 for only $35 so that might be a nice option.

Twinflower (Linnaea borealis) is another one that is often overlooked yet it has really pretty pastel pink flowers but it is used frequently as a woodland ground cover for its glossy green leaves.

Big-Leaved Aster (Aster macrophyllus) is often totally overlooked as a ground cover. Probably because of its height which is at around 1'-18". Fast growing with really nice heart shaped leaves.

Patridgeberry (Mitchella repens) is one of my favorites. It's quasi evergreen by me but shoudl be fully evergreen in your neck of the woods. It's a creeper and has white blossoms and when those fade you will get bright red berries that critters love.

Bluebells (Mertensia virginiana) will totally take off as a ground cover in the site you mentioned within a few years. What's really great about them is that they die back by around July so other plantings can push through.

These are plants that I have. I will be experimenting with more shady dry site ground cover plants this year but won't really know how well what I am ordering will fair for a few years.

Have fun, please share what you choose for your site as well as how it does if you get a spare moment.

I second the ajuga and scented bedstraw. Have you thought about ferns? Thre is a variety called bronze buttons that is only a few inches tall. I'm not sure how quickly it spreads.

Thanks for all of your suggestions!

Golden creeping jenny is great! It is so yellow that it goes with everything and it is the only ground cover that I have that stays short. It multiplys fast and is easily dug out if you want to move it. It really works in a shade garden. Creeping Jenny, the name is scarey because of the weed, but everyone that I've given this to, loves it. It stays good all summer and it is also great in baskets!!
Bonnie

I'll ditto several of Equilibrium's suggestions - I have a lot of Galium, and I love it.

mcaren-
I can appreciate your dilema, much of our property is covered in Ivy and there are times I will try and make as much noise as I can walking through it, because I do not like snakes.
There are some great suggestions being made here. New Zealand Brass Buttons 'Platt's Black' (Leptinella squalida) was mentioned, It's not a fern but looks a lot like one. mine is only 1" tall. This is VERY cool plant, it will get folks attention and does spread, doesn't like to dry out, I think there might be a variety that is more green instead of brown and if happy spread would be a great spreader. Unless you can find a good deal it might be expensive to cover large area but snakes would not be able to hide in it. I don't know how tuff it would be for kids to play on.
Another favorite very low growing ground cover of mine is Euonymus Fortunei 'Kewensis' which reminds me of Patridgeberry (Mitchella repens) but doen't have berry's. Again unless you can find a deal it might be expensive. Here is a picture I just ran out and took picture. I like the look of it, but as you can see it is not a dense cover. This patch is 2 years old and 1-2" tall.

I would have to agree though I think Ajuga would be a good choice. There are so many varieties out there now a days. It is tough, will tolerate dry & kids, and hey will spread like a weed! 'Chocolate chip is a finer leaf variety and a patch of it puts on a beautiful display when blooming, but don't most ajuga. I found some of this variety last year, I purchased three pots and divided each pot into three and planted them and they filled in in just one season.

Sounds like you can put a variety of ground covers in your three areas, how fun for you! You will have to let us know what you decided on.
Shady

My favorite shade loving short ground cover is corsican sandwort.


http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/407/index.html


Hope you find something,

LD :)

I have a really nice combo that I might suggest.
Its creeping jenny(as mentioned in above posts), ajuga, and creeping sedum. I just love them. They ramble slowly, in and around hostas, lilies, bleeding hearts, and hydrangeas. Low maintenence and just lovely.
Deanna

My favorite is English Pennyroyal. It's got a nice minty-mediciney smell, and is a bug-repellant as well.

Acorus 'Minimus Aureus', Alchemilla ellenbeckii, Polemonium repens, Anemone cnadensis, Dwarf Aruncus, Asarum, Asilbe chinensis, Athyrium nipponicum, Poly pody fern, Bergenia, Brunnera, Geranium macrorrhizum, Corydalis lutea, Epimedium, Christmas fern, Hellebores, Heuchera americana, Liriope (:~(, Ophiopogon, Rhodea, Tiarella, Trachystemon orientalis, Polygonatum humile. These are all relatively short if that is what you are looking for.
P.S. I need to get that Platts black!

This message was edited Apr 5, 2006 7:51 AM

McCaren, what's your zone? You can put it with your name by going to 'MY INFO', going to preferences and entering it there. It really helps when trying to get plant choices correct.

levilyla, I love all of your plant choices.

Use MONDO GRASS instead of real grass if you aren't using it as a playing field. It's happy in the shade or sun and doesn't need to be mowed. If you pick a small cultivar (such as nana) it is easy to use it as a lawn.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/50006/index.html

Don't forget come sedge such as Leather Leaf Sedge. It stays red for me around the year.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1879/index.html

There is a very short fern that creeps named Blechnum penna marina
http://www.bigdipperfarm.com/cgi-bin/searchall.pl

Farfugium are great hardy foliage plants, much underused I think that only grow to about 2 feet high. They do like moist but I've found that they can tolerate regular moisture if you use crystals. Obviously only for your snake OK area.
http://www.bigdipperfarm.com/cgi-bin/searchall.pl

Blue Star Creeper won't take traffic but it's very flat.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1892/index.html

Creeping mint sounds like it pretty scary but it definitely stays in it's place. It's very flat and smells good. This is NOT a mint like your grandmother's that will take over your garden. True mints are named Mentha.
http://www.bigdipperfarm.com/cgi-bin/cart/cart.pl?db=stuff.txt&method=all_words&search=Creeping%20Mint

I do use Big Dipper Farm. Forest Farm has some of the same plants. I order from both but I don't own any stock. :-) Just wanted to make it easy on you.