This fall I plan to plant equisetum in a planter built next to the pool. I am
making a larger pond and removing the pond from that planter box. That large
stand of horsetail will look beautiful and nothing will fall in the pool.

It's a structurally beautiful, jurassic plant.

Victoria


On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 08:13:37 +1000, "Peter Jason" opined:

Green concrete is the way to go.


"Amberbock" wrote in message
m...
Mint!... Cant get it out. I planted it without knowing it was so invasive
and now....
I'm pulling it out like mad!
Dorothy

"Dave Gower" wrote in message
...
I have an area in front of my house that is surrounded by driveway, so
any
plant would be confined no matter how invasive it is. Right now it is
full
of lilies of the valley, which are certainly invasive but they don't
like
it
there and get ratty looking by mid-summer.

So I'm looking for suggestions. Something different, interesting and
bullet-proof, requiring zero maintenance once established. Won't be
walked
on much by people, but dogs will use the area. It's raised and steeply
sloped so not easy to mow.

The area is 20 ft by 10 feet, east facing, partial sun, lots of water
off
a
porch roof. Zone 5 (Eastern Ontario). Sandy, well drained soil.

I saw a type of bamboo grass on a PBS gardening show, which is the kind
of
thing that might work. It looked quite attractive.

Any ideas?

"Dave Gower" wrote in message
...

So I'm looking for suggestions. Something different, interesting and
bullet-proof, requiring zero maintenance once established. Won't be
walked
on much by people, but dogs will use the area. It's raised and
steeply
sloped so not easy to mow.

Somebody far more qualified than I relays the following:

My wife has two green thumbs. By osmosis, I would suggest that if you have
sufficient sunlight and no permafrost, Lavender is an excellent choice. It
grows robustly, stays evergreen mostly, is laden with heady blossoms that
bees and butterflies crave and mass for, and, of course, perfumes the
ambient air with a soothing undertone reminiscent of white-chiffoned,
antebellum ladies sipping mint tea in the gazebo, of a sultry afternoon in
Loosianne.

If ye have a moodier climate, Heather would be your pick, then.

Intersperse rosemarie, that woody, versatile, earthy herb. Also, salal,(N.W
groundcover, as knickeknick (Chief's smoke). A smoke tree in the center
would be good. Eschew English Ivy completely! Muttonfat Ivy's OK, though.

Of course, if you want to let it go native, get a tamer bamboo. That'll fill
it up, and quickly. Of course, it'll screen any view behind after five
years, or so. Birch trees, (also traveling roots), are attractive, as is
Quaking Aspen.

Those are my top picks for a horticultural island, such as you have
described. None require any maintenance, unless you are having a severe
drought with temps in excess of, say, 95f over weeks. Then, a bucket o'
water every coupla days'll do 'em.

Plant now, with a dash of fish fertilizer in the worked hole, and mulch with
bark. Come springtime, voila!

Sword fern. Once it's established, it never goes away. However if you want to
thin it, change its perimeter, etc., it's very easy to pull up.
zemedelec

I have never been across the big puddle, so no idea if this would work - but I like Vinca minor (maagdenpalm in Dutch) - i'll try to fix a pic herewith - it has pretty blue flowers, is evergreen - although, you have variegated versions too - and is just a groundcover that doesn't come any higher than about 6 cm what means you haven't got to trim it like you would have to with grasses or bamboo

bamboo
english ivy
st. johns's wort
crepe myrtle

Hadewych wrote in message
s.com...
Dave Gower wrote:
*I have an area in front of my house that is surrounded by driveway,
so any
plant would be confined no matter how invasive it is. Right now it is
full
of lilies of the valley, which are certainly invasive but they don't
like it
there and get ratty looking by mid-summer.

So I'm looking for suggestions. Something different, interesting and
bullet-proof, requiring zero maintenance once established. Won't be
walked
on much by people, but dogs will use the area. It's raised and
steeply
sloped so not easy to mow.

The area is 20 ft by 10 feet, east facing, partial sun, lots of water
off a
porch roof. Zone 5 (Eastern Ontario). Sandy, well drained soil.

I saw a type of bamboo grass on a PBS gardening show, which is the
kind of
thing that might work. It looked quite attractive.

Any ideas? *

I have never been across the big puddle, so no idea if this would work
- but I like Vinca minor (maagdenpalm in Dutch) - i'll try to fix a pic
herewith - it has pretty blue flowers, is evergreen - although, you
have variegated versions too - and is just a groundcover that doesn't
come any higher than about 6 cm what means you haven't got to trim it
like you would have to with grasses or bamboo
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Attachment filename: maagdenpalm.gif |
|View attachment:
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/attach...?postid=290893|
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
--
Hadewych
------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk





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bamboo
english ivy
st. johns's wort
crepe myrtle


add seedum to the list.....
also lilies of the valley.....

On 04 Nov 2003 21:06:21 GMT, (WARRENRN1) opined:

bamboo
english ivy
st. johns's wort
crepe myrtle


add seedum to the list.....
also lilies of the valley.....

Crape myrtle is invasive?

On 04 Nov 2003 21:06:21 GMT, (WARRENRN1) wrote:

===bamboo
===english ivy
===st. johns's wort
===crepe myrtle
===
===
===add seedum to the list.....
===also lilies of the valley.....
The king of invasive plants Kudzu
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

Cameleon Plant - Houttuynia cordata variegeta [will invade every nook and
cranny]
Snow On The Mountain -AEGOPODIUM [also known as gout weed, very invasive]
Bears Breeches [Acanthus hirsutus]
Bugleweed [Ajuga]
Perilla - Perilla frutescens [a self sowing herb, a favorite here]
Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis [another invasive herb favorite]
Wild Violets
Or any mint [uuggghhhhhh]
--
Willow
USA

"WARRENRN1" wrote in message
...
bamboo
english ivy
st. johns's wort
crepe myrtle


add seedum to the list.....
also lilies of the valley.....

mint! (also vinca, or almost any plant that spreads by runner or rhizome).
What is your zone and climate?

"WARRENRN1" wrote in message
...
bamboo
english ivy
st. johns's wort
crepe myrtle


add seedum to the list.....
also lilies of the valley.....

(Roy) wrote in message .. .
On 04 Nov 2003 21:06:21 GMT, (WARRENRN1) wrote:

===bamboo
===english ivy
===st. johns's wort
===crepe myrtle
===
===
===add seedum to the list.....
===also lilies of the valley.....
The king of invasive plants Kudzu
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

Why do so many people have reading problem? This guy said he's in
Canada!!! The place where snow doesn't melt until summer.


I don't think any plant of one type would look good in a 10x20 area.
I'd try a combination of evergreens, shrubs and herbs.

I have a east side facing garden in a slope along the deck in zone 5.
I've found the following plants doing very well without maintenance.

--Juniper (nice evergreen, not invasive)

--Yew (Grow and spread quickly. like water and shade, evergreen, easy
to propagate. Not invasive)

--Dogwood (beautiful winter color, easy to propagate. Not invasive)

--Sumac (fall color, produces lots of suckers. They may take over the
island in a few years. Tons of them along 401. You may get them from
your neighbors for free)

--Mint (very invasive, I had to put down 5" plastic edge around to
control it. Still green now. Good for Mojito Classic)

--Day lily (Very easy to grow. Not spread as quickly as mint. But
after a few years, you'll be willing to give some of them away free of
charge to whoever wants them)

--Thyme (Just sow those $0.79 pack seeds from Home Hardware in spring
directly into your garden, and they'll grow. Put in the most sunny and
dry place in your 10'x20'. Not invasive)

--Snap dragon (Nice long bloom period. Grow directly from seed, and
reseed itself every year without your labor. Not invasive)

--French tarragon (Easy to grow, but not invasive. Not recommended
unless you want the herb)

The hostas, garden phlox, spindle tree (Control Gold), straw berries
grow very well without care. But they may not fit your bill.

"Willow" wrote in message ...
Cameleon Plant - Houttuynia cordata variegeta [will invade every nook and
cranny]
Snow On The Mountain -AEGOPODIUM [also known as gout weed, very invasive]
Bears Breeches [Acanthus hirsutus]
Bugleweed [Ajuga]
Perilla - Perilla frutescens [a self sowing herb, a favorite here]
Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis [another invasive herb favorite]
Wild Violets
Or any mint [uuggghhhhhh]
--
Willow
USA


Can't believe so many posters can't read.

The original poster is from Canada!!!!!!

Someone already has posted that!



On 5 Nov 2003 11:01:44 -0800, (Karen) wrote:

==="Willow" wrote in message ...
=== Cameleon Plant - Houttuynia cordata variegeta [will invade every nook and
=== cranny]
=== Snow On The Mountain -AEGOPODIUM [also known as gout weed, very invasive]
=== Bears Breeches [Acanthus hirsutus]
=== Bugleweed [Ajuga]
=== Perilla - Perilla frutescens [a self sowing herb, a favorite here]
=== Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis [another invasive herb favorite]
=== Wild Violets
=== Or any mint [uuggghhhhhh]
=== --
=== Willow
=== USA
===
===
===Can't believe so many posters can't read.
===
===The original poster is from Canada!!!!!!

Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

Hardy Gloxinia...
zemedelec

All the plants I posted are hardy perennials and appropriate for cold
climates. I can read, do you know your plants?

--
Willow
USA

"Karen" wrote in message
om...
"Willow" wrote in message
...
Cameleon Plant - Houttuynia cordata variegeta [will invade every nook
and
cranny]
Snow On The Mountain -AEGOPODIUM [also known as gout weed, very
invasive]
Bears Breeches [Acanthus hirsutus]
Bugleweed [Ajuga]
Perilla - Perilla frutescens [a self sowing herb, a favorite here]
Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis [another invasive herb favorite]
Wild Violets
Or any mint [uuggghhhhhh]
--
Willow
USA


Can't believe so many posters can't read.

The original poster is from Canada!!!!!!