Reside in Northern Kentucky and re-doing the back yard that backs up to a wooded area. A section of the yard is too steep to mow and would like to have some type of creeping ground cover that flowers in the summer and fall while staying green in the winter months.....any suggestions?
Creeping ground cover....... which work best on hillsides
vinca... spring blooms mostly... but because of my part shade it blooms a good part of the summer too
http://hcs.osu.edu/pocketgardener/source/description/vi_minor.html
Thank you for responding to my question! I am a newbie at the whole green thumb thing ! LOL Is the vinca maintenance free and can it be cut back if it creeps into the lawn ?
mine get watered when everything else needs watering.... can't tell you about the lawn thing.... mine stops at at a retaining wall... but I would say low maintenance for sure
The ajuga family would form a tight mat and you can either dig it up if it gets into the lawn or mow right over it. Forms 6" blue flower spikes in springtime.
this page might help
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic1100.htm
My favorites would be Ajuga, like pirl recommends, Liriope, and Hosta.
I'd also go with Petasides but that's just me being perverse.
I like creeping thyme for a ground cover. It is quite low to the ground and has a pretty pink or lavendar flower in the spring and you can cook with it.
.....and it smells so good when you step on it.
Thyme needs sun. The area sounds shady. Vinca, Pachysandra, Creeping Jenny. Is the area to be walked on?? That makes a difference. Is it wet or dry?
If it's wet and acid you could use wintergreen or the low growing cultivar of cranberry. Both have pretty flowers and produce food as well.
The Pachysandra the prior owner planted here is good for the shade.... but man does it get out of control.... very hard to get rid of the roots... leave just a little piece in the ground and it comes back... we have been trying for 3 years.. i still get pieces of it pop up here and there
the areas we kept it in... we put in that plastic edging that you pound in the ground... it seems to stop it from going out of that area
Allison
The area I am going to be using the ground cover on is a steep hillside that borders a wooded area with sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon, The area has two plastic pipes that drains ground water from the foundation of the residence. And might I add that I am very thankful for everyones help with this particular problem. Keep'em coming THANKS James
I just ordered several of the Blue Carpet Ajuga plants and several Foamflower plants as ground cover for the hillside. Any suggestions on how far apart to plant them and can I mix them up while planting them ? Will these type of ground cover plants be dense enough to choke out any weeds or am I going to have a weed problem in my ground cover ?
I haven't ever had Foamflower but the ajuga keeps out 99% of weeds. It spreads, happily, so one plant per square foot (or less if you want to divide sooner) should be fine. For the first year, with all the extra soil around each ajuga you may have some weeds, if you're prone to them anyhow.
I'd plant in drifts, not mixed, but that's just my opinion.
Foamflower is nice to break up the Ajuga, but it's not a ground cover per se - it does not spread much. Ajuga, on the other hand, keeps spreading. I agree with Pirl - use the Foamflower in drifts - like island clusters in a sea of Ajuga.
Thank you I 'm really excited about getting them in the ground. Thanks for the Idea's
James
just to add my two cents in... my foam flowers die back down to the ground in winter... they should be popping up in a few weeks
I like vinca for ground cover...it holds the soil in place on hillsides. I have it planted where it only recieves morning light then shade the rest of the day. It is only supposed to bloom in spring but mine reblooms late August into Sept-Oct.
