Posts Tagged ‘Posts by Mary’

Drought proof Sedums need no maintenance but will remain colorful throughout the season

Sedums are one of the best groundcovers for sunny spots.  If you want to know how I spell easy gardening it is – SEDUM!

Sedums are long lived, require no maintenance, are easy to grow, have excellent drought tolerance and come in a wide variety of foliage and flower colors.

I love this picture sent in from my friend Bill from Saint Louis.  This planting located near a post office consists of a variety of colorful low growing sedums.  Brick always reflects heat back up towards plant which just seems to make these tough as nails drought proof groundcover even prettier!

Sedums are probably one of the BEST problem solving plants for tough spots where other plants fail to grow – even on hillsides and banks.   The only thing they need is good drainage.

Here are the varieties I would combine to achieve a similar foliage effect:

Voodoo  (red)
Angelina (yellow)
Blue Spruce  or cauticoloa (Blue)
Ellacombianum (green)

For even a quicker solution – try SedumSod – an easy mat that installs in seconds!

Here’s to easy gardening!  For more  on Sedums visit www.GreatGardenPlants.com

Plumbago is a moderate spreader and keeps it tidy good looks throughout the gardening season.

A real dependable “tough it out” ground cover is Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides).  Yes it is a mouthful – but oh what an underutilized ground cover for sun to partly shaded areas (or those transitional areas) that is worth growing in your garden.

If you are looking for a  moderate spreader that gives you light glossy foliage that looks nice and tidy throughout the growing season (and helps suppress the weeds) Plumbago is definitely a groundcover to consider looking charming beneath shrubs or as an edging plant.

Great Fall Color!

I really like blue flowers which appear in mid summer just when you need a pop of color for the garden.   You’ll get some nice fall color too when the foliage turns to a red coppery bronze color.  Give it good drainage, and let it do its thing as it thrives on neglect.

Be patient in spring. Plumbago breaks dormancy later that most plants.

• Botanical:  Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
• Common: Plumbago
• USDA – Zone 5-8
• Light:  Full sun to part shade.  Shade in hot afternoon.
• Size:  6-12 inches tall
• Spread:  Moderate spread by rhizomes 1-2 feet wide
• Features: Tolerate clay, sand, drought, part shade, sun,  deer,
• Uses:  Undemanding groundcover

Rhamnus makes a moderate size hedge or background plant in a sunny to partly shaded site

Remember the first perennial garden you personally designed?  Mine was a rich riot of color with Daylilies and Rudbeckia.  But it was boring – I had achieved a solder like lineup of plants with similar heights.

Add Highs to your Lows with Vertical Elements

So what now?  I realized I needed some height along with different sizes and shape to gain balance and flow -so I added a few vertical plants namely Miscanthus and was really happy with the results.

Rhamnus Fine Line®

In the past few years, I discovered a wonderful vertical plant called Rhamnus Fine Line®

The soft ferny foliage compliments many shrubs & perennials

that combines the texture of an ornamental grass with Zone 3 hardiness.  Rhamnus grows around 6 feet and the fact that it only gets around 24” wide – you have a perfect complement to any border in a sun to partly shaded site.

Unlike a Miscanthus, Fine Line® does not need to be pruned down to the ground every spring – it just flushes out with fresh new ferny like foliage which can be trimmed to any shape.

Planting

The soft ferny foliage is so lovely when planted in groups of 3 or more.  It makes a terrific background plant and a medium sized Hedge Plant.  Try it with Knock Out Roses, Buddleia Blue Chip, or other moderate size shrubs.  It also makes a terrific container plant with season long interest Rhamnus is 98% sterile so it is noninvasive.  Fall brings on a brilliant gold color.

Vertical plants such as Rhamnus help to conceal unsightly objects such as air conditioning units.

This deer & drought proof deciduous shrub is a delightful medium sized vertical plant in almost any size garden.

Easy sun perennial combination for a small space or container garden

Here is a sun perennial combination idea for your garden with 3 easy to grow garden plants

For season long interest I like using perennial plants that will give me 3 seasons of foliage color.

I love the new cherry red SEDUM  (Sunsparkler) CHERRY TART and pairing this with the blue foliage of FESTUCA for a front of the border planting.

For long season flowering color, I added COREOPSIS STAR CLUSTER which grows up to 15″ – so plant in the back). Star Cluster picks up the deep red color in the center.  Another alternative to Star Cluster would be a yellow flowering Coreopsis such as Creme Brule or Moonbeam.

All these perennials are easy to grow in full sun and well drained soil while providing season long interest in your perennial garden.

What would you combine Sedum Cherry Tart with?

Need a fast spreading drought proof groundcover that will grow beneath trees?

Chocolate Chip Ajuga is an attractive deer proof groundcover that nestles in nicely between pavers, under trees, and other hard to grow areas in sun or shade

Ajuga or Bugleweed is easy to grow and virtually maintenance free perennial groundcover for hard to grow places.  I’m particularly fond of Chocolate Chip Ajuga (‘Valfredda’) where it can easily cover an 18” area in just one season.  It is one of my favorite ground covers beneath trees where other groundcover struggle and it looks great year-round!

Ajuga is a deer proof evergreen groundcover with vibrant foliage and showy purple flowers in spring. Low growing mats are only 3” tall. Hardy to Zone 4-9,  It thrives in both sun and shade.

Growing anything under trees can be difficult. First of all, trees create a “rain shadow” where it is always drier beneath a tree.  Secondly, some trees such as maples, poplars and willow have heavy feeder roots that rest near the surface, making it virtually impossible to grow, let alone even dig a hole for planting.

Beware of Ajuga Lawn! If planted close to turf, Ajuga will spread into your lawn which becomes difficult to eradicate.

Ajuga is ideal with its  shallow roots that grow within just a few inches of the ground.  It competes effectively between tree roots and drier conditions while spreading quickly by way of runners. Runners are easily removed if it gets beyond its bounds.

Ajuga is not a groundcover for everybody or to be placed in a mixed perennial border.

Ajuga is one of the best groundcovers for weed control. Weeds find it tough to sprout through their thick root system.

Ajuga Tips

• Avoid “Ajuga lawn” by planting away from  turf or you’ll have a co-mingling of lawn & Ajuga.
• Don’t plant anything nearby unless you are using beneath shrubs or trees.
• Thick root system makes Ajuga ideal for erosion control
• Ideal between pavers
• Excellent for large areas where you want to have a quick spread
• Ideal under shallow rooted trees where nothing else will grow

Related Articles

Growing Plants Under Walnut Trees

8 Best Shade Loving Groundcovers

Problem Solving Plants for Slopes & Banks

Where to Shop for Ajuga Chocolate Chip