Covering Ground with Creeping Plants

These herbaceous ground covers spread quickly and are easy-care favorites

Great ground cover count pleasing from time of year to season . ‘ Eco - Lacquered Spider ’ boasts shiny green - and - goldfoliagethat is violet in winter and accented by tiny yellow flowers in leaping .

Sometimes it seems thatdesigning a gardenis like solving a complex teaser . That ’s really one of the challenges of gardening I relish most — get beautiful and robust plants to suit a website . And , in area that can be the most contradictory — such as along slopes , under Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , or between chap of rocks or stepping endocarp — herbaceous ground cover often occupy the bill .

My favorite ground - concealment plants spread speedily withoutaggressively taking over the path that English ivy(Hedera spiral ) does . And they look arresting with little care . A few vigorous reason covers can even withstand foot dealings or the raucous antics of pets .

Most great ground covers are essentially crawler — they grow out rather than up . Some , such as creep raspberry ( Rubus calycinoides , also have intercourse asRubus pentalobus ) , travel by sending out moon-curser and producing rootlet wherever a leaf node or shank rival the soil . Others , likeMazus reptans , form rosettes of foliage with roots along their stems . They ’re all easy to propagate by division . None of my favorites grow woody stems or deep ancestor system , so they are relatively easy to curb . If they cover too much dry land , I just turn over up the excess growing and either transplant it , give it forth , or throw away it .

Some creepers love the sun

prosperous creeping thyme ( Thymus X citriodorus“Aureus ’ ) wait dainty , but it ’s a ruffianly and tight - growing ground book binding . I use it to rapidly meet in gaps between stepping stone or rocks . It grows to only 2 or 3 inches high with tiny leaves about 14 inch spacious and foresightful . In early summertime it bears small , ticklish , whitish bloom . Mostly evergreen , the foliage starts with hard prosperous overtones and rick greener in autumn . In wintertime the stems take on cherry-red soupcon . Like other thymes , gold crawl thyme is aromatic , releasing a slight lemony odor when rival , and can be used in preparation .

Another robust tree creeper , golden oregano ( Origanum vulgare‘Aureum ‘ ) holds its fortunate hue best in colder conditions . A utile culinary herb , golden winter sweet has diminutive , rounded leaves 1/2 to 1 inch wide . Its low , lavender to purple flower suffer out above the foliage in early on to late summertime . Combine it with other marjoram , or plant it under lavenders ( Lavendulaspp . ) , rosemary ( Rosemarinus officinalis ) , or Japanese bloodgrass ( Imperata cylindrica‘Red Baron ’ ) to provide a contrasting carpet of gold .

Use golden creeping thyme to spread promptly around stepping stones . Its parting release a lemony scent when sweep .

These spreaders are at home in either sun or shade

primer - hug Mazus reptans fills in neatly around tilt . Its tiny flowers count like miniature snapdragon .

If you desire to quiz a plant ’s formidability , try growing it in the strip between the sidewalk and the street . That ’s where I ’m usingcreeping raspberryas a soil cover . So far , it ’s prove itself a suitable roadside warrior in my 1000 , where it has cope to survive misuse from both two - legged and four - legged tool . It ’s also a good alternative to sneak junipers along a steep slope . flying to spread , its brown hairy stems put down roots wherever they touch the soil .

Evergreen in my Atlanta garden , crawl razz has pugnacious , duncish textured leaves that are rounded with temporary edges . Up to 1 - 1/2 in in diam , they start out fat green in spring . When cool fall atmospheric condition arrive , some leaf take on tinges of orangish , red , and then bronze , stay through the wintertime . The underside of the leaves count as if they ’ve been spray - paint bronze .

When I think of Australian plants , I conjure effigy of furrowed , full-bodied survivor . While dismal star creeper ( Laurentia fluviatilis ) , a aboriginal of Australia , is tough and loose to grow , it boasts a mellisonant and diminutive appearance that reminds me of baby ’s tears ( Soleirolia soleirolii ) . On and off during bounce and summer , delicate , sky - blue , champion - regulate flush come out amid bantam , bright - immature leaves that are unremarkably less than 14 inch wide . Blue virtuoso crawler makes an attractive ground cover under trees and between stepping stones .

For the impatient gardener , Mazus reptansfills in quick , but is well - deport . It bosom the ground to shape a stringent carpet . In spring , tiny snapdragon - like blooms give the effect of a miniature flower garden . dispirited or white with yellow marking , the blossoms rise up 2 to 4 inches above the foliage . Its many fibrous roots make it gentle to propagate by division . Use this audacious perennial where its aggressive qualities can be appreciated , such as between stepping stones or to cover large maculation of stain . For an enticing combination , plantMazus reptansalong the bound of a pool with cardinal blossom ( Lobelia cardinalis ) .

Other ground covers show off best in the shade

If you ’re appear for a rugged plant that will flourish even in boggy field , try golden fawn Jenny ( Lysimachia nummularia‘Aurea ’ ) . Also known as gold creeping Charlie , this moisture lover puts out roots all along its stems so that prominent area of ground are covered very quickly . Although the species is an strong-growing agriculturist in some area , I ’ve found that this cultivar is more wellbehaved . Even so , you may require to check its growth by create barriers .

Golden mouse Jenny is also a upright crawler to choke out weeds . Its shiny , rounded , yellowed - greenish leaves light up an area and contrast well with dark - color in herbaceous plants likeArum italicum‘Pictum ’ and ‘ Palace Purple ’ ammonia alum root ( genus Heuchera micranthavar.diversifolia‘Palace Purple ’ ) .

More of a leaper than a creeper , ‘ Eco - Lacquered Spider ’ greenish - and - gold ( Chrysogonum virginianum‘Eco - Lacquered Spider ’ ) is an outstanding Modern excerpt of this aboriginal species . It stands out with rosette of gamey - green , metallic - looking leaves , and small , daisylike bloom about an inch in diameter . In winter , the leafage takes on tinge of purple . A fast agriculturist , a one - Imperial gallon works will cover an area five time as enceinte in a single growing season . It sends out long , above - ground stolons that bear on down and take origin . For a arresting combination , plant ‘ Eco - Lacquered Spider ’ green - and - amber next to the sorcerous , native dwarf crest iris ( Iris cristata ) , which blooms around the same fourth dimension .

Another fine campaigner for the woodland is peacock moss ( Selaginella uncinata ) . With its diminutive , fernlike , aquamarine - blueish leaves , this plant bet almost prehistoric to me . Vigorous but not invasive , peacock moss forms miserly Master of Arts in Teaching of foliation that progress to only 4 to 6 inches magniloquent . This semi - evergreen perennial grows gayly in combination with hellebore and ferns .

It’s easy to get ground covers growing

Ground - book binding plantings are relatively light to establish , whether you use seedling , division , or rooted newspaper clipping . Once you take an area to imbed , prepare the soil in advance .

Since all the plant described in this clause spread rather quickly , plant 2- to 3 - column inch seedlings or divisions on 6 - in heart . use a light level of mulch to retain wet and discourage weed . piss fresh planting day by day until they become plant , and then H2O according to the plant ’s wet need .

Growing your favorite ground covers

BLUE STAR CREEPERBotanical name : Laurentia fluviatilisRange : USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10Culture : Grow in moist , welldrained ground in either full sunshine or partial spectre . works divisions or root cuttings in the natural spring .

fawn RASPBERRYBotanical name : Rubus calycinoides(also know asR. pentalobus)Range : Zones 7 to 9Culture : Plant in full Dominicus or fond shade in well - drained soil . geld off and transplant musical composition of stems where roots have formed any clip in the maturate time of year .

‘ ECO - LACQUERED SPIDER ’ GREEN - AND - GOLDBotanical name : Chrysogonum virginianum‘Eco - Lacquered Spider’Range : Zones 5 to 8Culture : While it ’s happiest in mottled shade , such as along timber edges , it will also adjust to sunnier spots if it ’s watered during full stop of drouth . plant life divisions or root bow cuttings in the spring . In warmer climates , you may also plant in the spill .

GOLDEN CREEPING JENNYBotanical name : Lysimachia nummularia‘Aurea’Range : zona 4 to 8Culture : This moisture fan also adapts to juiceless soil . To encourage the bright foliage , place this prostrate perennial where it drive morning sun but is shaded during the hottest part of the day . industrial plant divisions or rooted cuttings any time during the growing season .

GOLDEN OREGANOBotanical name : Origanum vulgare‘Aureum’Range : Zones 5 to 9Culture : Give this spreader gobs of sun and good drain . Plant divisions or rooted cuttings in the outflow .

GOLDEN CREEPING THYMEBotanical name : ThymusXcitriodorus‘Aureus’Range : Zones 6 to 9Culture : Native to the Mediterranean , it grow best in full sun and will endure only in well - drained soil . Amend ordinary soil with sharp Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin or course crushed rock to see to it respectable drain . industrial plant section or rooted cuttings in the spring . even shearing improves air circulation and melt off fungous problem . Even when pocket-size section of this ground cover version die out , it bounces back quickly .

MAZUS REPTANSBotanical name : Mazus reptansRange : zone 5 to 8Culture : establish it in shade for the best performance , but it also grows well in full sun as long as it ’s in moist stain . industrial plant part any meter in the grow season or rooted cuttings in the spring .

PEACOCK MOSSBotanical name : Selaginella uncinataRange : Zones 7 to 11Culture : acquire in moist woodland soil . transplantation piece of stems where beginning have mould any time in the growing time of year , or works divisions in the spring . If the frondlike tip dry out or die back in wintertime , but cut them back in former spring to discover the colorful raw growth .

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Eco-Lacquered Spider' boasts shiny green-and-gold foliage that is purplish in winter and accented by tiny yellow flowers in spring.

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Golden creeping oregano shines along a pathway edge. Here it accents the purple leaves of ‘Chameleon’ spurge

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Use golden creeping thyme to spread quickly around stepping stones. Its leaves release a lemony scent when brushed.

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