Photo: Uoaei1 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Uoaei1 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Uoaei1 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Ivy (Hedera helix) is the toughest of all climbing plants. It grows where other plants give up: on shady north-facing walls, beneath dense tree canopies, and in poor soil. With its dark green, leathery…
Photo: Photo by and (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) (GFDL 1.2, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Photo by and (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) (GFDL 1.2, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) The coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), also known as purple coneflower, is a North American prairie perennial that has long since found a firm place…
Photo: Naturpuur (CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Netha Hussain (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Dr. Jan Hinrichs-Berger, LTZ Augustenberg Referat 33 Karlsruhe (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Thyme (Thymus) is far more than just a kitchen herb β as a ground cover, it’s one of the most versatile and attractive of its kind….
Photo: Dmitry Makeev (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Dmitry Makeev (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Si Griffiths (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Hostas, botanically the genus Hosta, are the undisputed queens of shade beds. While many perennials struggle in partial or full shade, hostas truly come into their own there. Their decorative leaves,…
Photo: Frantisek horak (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Matt6798 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Agnieszka KwiecieΕ, Nova (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata), also known as moss phlox, is one of the most rewarding and colorful ground covers for sunny locations. From April to June, it transforms rock gardens, wall…
Photo: Photo by and (c)2014 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Kor!An (ΠΠ½Π΄ΡΠ΅ΠΉ ΠΠΎΡΠ·ΡΠ½) (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Kor!An (ΠΠ½Π΄ΡΠ΅ΠΉ ΠΠΎΡΠ·ΡΠ½) (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Peonies (Paeonia) are among the most rewarding perennials a gardener can plant, producing enormous, richly fragrant blooms in shades of white, pink, red, and…
When it comes to filling difficult shaded ground with reliable, low-maintenance color, few plants beat periwinkle (Vinca minor). This evergreen trailing groundcover forms a dense, glossy carpet studded with violet-blue, star-shaped flowers from early spring into summer, and it thrives in exactly the spots where grass and many other plants struggle β deep shade under…
Photo: Photo by and (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) (GFDL 1.2, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Wasrts (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Wasrts (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) β The Blooming Ground Cover for Shade Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) is one of the most beautiful, yet most underrated, ground covers for shady gardens. With its…
Photo: GT1976 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: GT1976 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: GT1976 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Bearberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri) – The Evergreen Ground Cover for Slopes and Difficult Sites Bearberry cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri) is one of the most reliable and toughest ground covers for the garden. With its flat,…
Photo: Naturpuur (CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Netha Hussain (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Dr. Jan Hinrichs-Berger, LTZ Augustenberg Referat 33 Karlsruhe (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Thyme as Ground Cover – Fragrant Flower Carpets for Sunny Spots Thyme as ground cover is one of the most rewarding and fragrant solutions for sunny,…
