I've been pulling up the ivy.

Mike

"Carolyn LeCrone" wrote in message
...
English Ivy is considered invasive in the Washington DC area. The park
service recruits volunteers to remove it from parks. So, unless you can
contain it, don't plant it.
"Vox Humana" wrote in message
. ..

"Mike" wrote in message
news:xdEAe.3214$Gk4.2078@trnddc01...
Hi, I live in the mid atlantic region about thirty miles north of
Washington, DC in a townhouse with a fenced front yard measuring about
sixteen feet across and and eighteen feet deep with southern exposure.
In
the center of the yard is a cherry tree (doesn't bear fruit) with trunk
about 18" - 22" in diameter. When I moved in a couple of years ago,
the
yard was mostly covered in ground cover plants. Not knowing anything
about
plants I pulled some of the different plants thinking they were weeds.
I
want to replant the yard with gound cover plants, but I don't have a
clue
which ones to buy. I don't what to plant grass due to the shade the
tree
produces and I believe grass lawns are wasteful, what with thw watering
and
chemicals needed too maintain them. Any and all suggestions are
welcome,

I would make a trip to a local full-service nursery to see what is
available. They should know what will grow well in your area. Some
general
recommendations would be English ivy, pachysandra, ajuga, vinca,
wintergreen, cinquefoil, groundcover roses, Euonymus fortunei - purple
winter creeper, liriope, and sedum. You might consider planting more
than
one type of groundcover in a pattern. The pattern can be geometric and
formal, or informal drifts. Part of the design could be mulch. Don't
overlook the possibility of using closely planted drifts of perennials
such
a hellebores or hostas.