Thanks everyone for your responses. I've looked at a few junipers,
but I think (at least the pictures) make them look like unkept
evergreen bushes. Do some of them look a bit more manicured? I once
had a Japanese garden book (which I can't find anymore) and it seemed
there were tons of different varieties of evergreen they used; some
looked like moss, others were full shrubs.

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

Mike


"gregpresley" wrote in message ...
I suppose one of the prostrate junipers is too obvious an answer? Many kinds
are 6 inches or less in height and may spread out 4 or 5 feet in diameter.
Also microbiota decussata, another member of the cupressus family, native to
Siberia, hence hardy in any climate, has similar growth habits.
"Stephen M. Henning" wrote in message
news
(MDO) wrote:

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?
I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

The following do well in sun or shade and will survive drought:

Euonymus fortunei (big leaf wintercreeper) will climb trees.
Hedera helix (English ivy) will climb trees. Need hardy variety.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper, woodbine) likes shade.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

In article ,
"Stephen M. Henning" wrote:

"Pam - gardengal" wrote:

Both Euonymus fortunei and Hedera helix can be extremely invasive and are
listed on a number of states noxious weed listings. I'd investigate their
legitimacy with your local weed authority before planting either in your
area.

It is a fine line between being a good ground cover and being invasive.
The University of Kentucky lists Euonymous fortunei and Hedera helix as
invasive but not pernicious. They would need to be controlled and kept
out of adjacent areas.

Dwarf cultivars of Hedera helix are not invasive however. None of the
problems associated with ivy can be conferred to the numerous colorful
dwarf varieties, which are nevertheless very hardy & though slow to
establish eventually become superior groundcovers, not treadable, but
thriving even droughty shade areas.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

In article ,
"Stephen M. Henning" wrote:

"Pam - gardengal" wrote:

Both Euonymus fortunei and Hedera helix can be extremely invasive and are
listed on a number of states noxious weed listings. I'd investigate their
legitimacy with your local weed authority before planting either in your
area.

It is a fine line between being a good ground cover and being invasive.
The University of Kentucky lists Euonymous fortunei and Hedera helix as
invasive but not pernicious. They would need to be controlled and kept
out of adjacent areas.

Dwarf cultivars of Hedera helix are not invasive however. None of the
problems associated with ivy can be conferred to the numerous colorful
dwarf varieties, which are nevertheless very hardy & though slow to
establish eventually become superior groundcovers, not treadable, but
thriving even droughty shade areas.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

In article ,
"Stephen M. Henning" wrote:

"Pam - gardengal" wrote:

Both Euonymus fortunei and Hedera helix can be extremely invasive and are
listed on a number of states noxious weed listings. I'd investigate their
legitimacy with your local weed authority before planting either in your
area.

It is a fine line between being a good ground cover and being invasive.
The University of Kentucky lists Euonymous fortunei and Hedera helix as
invasive but not pernicious. They would need to be controlled and kept
out of adjacent areas.

Dwarf cultivars of Hedera helix are not invasive however. None of the
problems associated with ivy can be conferred to the numerous colorful
dwarf varieties, which are nevertheless very hardy & though slow to
establish eventually become superior groundcovers, not treadable, but
thriving even droughty shade areas.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

In article ,
"Stephen M. Henning" wrote:

"Pam - gardengal" wrote:

Both Euonymus fortunei and Hedera helix can be extremely invasive and are
listed on a number of states noxious weed listings. I'd investigate their
legitimacy with your local weed authority before planting either in your
area.

It is a fine line between being a good ground cover and being invasive.
The University of Kentucky lists Euonymous fortunei and Hedera helix as
invasive but not pernicious. They would need to be controlled and kept
out of adjacent areas.

Dwarf cultivars of Hedera helix are not invasive however. None of the
problems associated with ivy can be conferred to the numerous colorful
dwarf varieties, which are nevertheless very hardy & though slow to
establish eventually become superior groundcovers, not treadable, but
thriving even droughty shade areas.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

In article ,
(MDO) wrote:

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've looked at a few junipers,
but I think (at least the pictures) make them look like unkept
evergreen bushes.
Do some of them look a bit more manicured? I once
had a Japanese garden book (which I can't find anymore) and it seemed
there were tons of different varieties of evergreen they used; some
looked like moss, others were full shrubs.

I've never seen these low-growing junipers looking really nice for a long
while, & I regard them as too often eyesoars, though this may be mainly
because people think they take no care & put them in the harshest
conditions, & the fact that they don't die in bad conditions doesn't mean
they look nice. Among the many dwarf cultivated forms of false cypress
(Chamaecyparis pisifera) however are many that are absolutely GORGEOUS.
They do require regular moderate watering however & would probably drop
dead in the kinds of conditions that ruin without killing junipers -- but
in a cared-for part of a garden that required such evergreens, the false
cypress cultivars are likely going to be physically nicer than junipers.

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

The false cypress doesn't like much shade, but neither does the homelier
juniper. For the shadier spots you might look into any species of dwarf
yew cultivars. They do great in shade, & though they can be a bit more
costly than juniper & false cypress dwarfs, their beauty if well-selected
can be unexcelled. I'm not sure about their zone restrictions however;
they're mainly temperate.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

In article ,
(MDO) wrote:

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've looked at a few junipers,
but I think (at least the pictures) make them look like unkept
evergreen bushes.
Do some of them look a bit more manicured? I once
had a Japanese garden book (which I can't find anymore) and it seemed
there were tons of different varieties of evergreen they used; some
looked like moss, others were full shrubs.

I've never seen these low-growing junipers looking really nice for a long
while, & I regard them as too often eyesoars, though this may be mainly
because people think they take no care & put them in the harshest
conditions, & the fact that they don't die in bad conditions doesn't mean
they look nice. Among the many dwarf cultivated forms of false cypress
(Chamaecyparis pisifera) however are many that are absolutely GORGEOUS.
They do require regular moderate watering however & would probably drop
dead in the kinds of conditions that ruin without killing junipers -- but
in a cared-for part of a garden that required such evergreens, the false
cypress cultivars are likely going to be physically nicer than junipers.

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

The false cypress doesn't like much shade, but neither does the homelier
juniper. For the shadier spots you might look into any species of dwarf
yew cultivars. They do great in shade, & though they can be a bit more
costly than juniper & false cypress dwarfs, their beauty if well-selected
can be unexcelled. I'm not sure about their zone restrictions however;
they're mainly temperate.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

In article ,
(MDO) wrote:

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've looked at a few junipers,
but I think (at least the pictures) make them look like unkept
evergreen bushes.
Do some of them look a bit more manicured? I once
had a Japanese garden book (which I can't find anymore) and it seemed
there were tons of different varieties of evergreen they used; some
looked like moss, others were full shrubs.

I've never seen these low-growing junipers looking really nice for a long
while, & I regard them as too often eyesoars, though this may be mainly
because people think they take no care & put them in the harshest
conditions, & the fact that they don't die in bad conditions doesn't mean
they look nice. Among the many dwarf cultivated forms of false cypress
(Chamaecyparis pisifera) however are many that are absolutely GORGEOUS.
They do require regular moderate watering however & would probably drop
dead in the kinds of conditions that ruin without killing junipers -- but
in a cared-for part of a garden that required such evergreens, the false
cypress cultivars are likely going to be physically nicer than junipers.

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

The false cypress doesn't like much shade, but neither does the homelier
juniper. For the shadier spots you might look into any species of dwarf
yew cultivars. They do great in shade, & though they can be a bit more
costly than juniper & false cypress dwarfs, their beauty if well-selected
can be unexcelled. I'm not sure about their zone restrictions however;
they're mainly temperate.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

In article ,
(MDO) wrote:

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've looked at a few junipers,
but I think (at least the pictures) make them look like unkept
evergreen bushes.
Do some of them look a bit more manicured? I once
had a Japanese garden book (which I can't find anymore) and it seemed
there were tons of different varieties of evergreen they used; some
looked like moss, others were full shrubs.

I've never seen these low-growing junipers looking really nice for a long
while, & I regard them as too often eyesoars, though this may be mainly
because people think they take no care & put them in the harshest
conditions, & the fact that they don't die in bad conditions doesn't mean
they look nice. Among the many dwarf cultivated forms of false cypress
(Chamaecyparis pisifera) however are many that are absolutely GORGEOUS.
They do require regular moderate watering however & would probably drop
dead in the kinds of conditions that ruin without killing junipers -- but
in a cared-for part of a garden that required such evergreens, the false
cypress cultivars are likely going to be physically nicer than junipers.

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

The false cypress doesn't like much shade, but neither does the homelier
juniper. For the shadier spots you might look into any species of dwarf
yew cultivars. They do great in shade, & though they can be a bit more
costly than juniper & false cypress dwarfs, their beauty if well-selected
can be unexcelled. I'm not sure about their zone restrictions however;
they're mainly temperate.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

IVY.......it is evergreen, very fast growing and very attractive. My only
problem was it spread to far but it can be trimmed to keep it in bounds.

In article ,
(MDO) wrote:

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

Junipers don't do well in shade. Most conifers need more sun.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

In article ,
(MDO) wrote:

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

Junipers don't do well in shade. Most conifers need more sun.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

paghat, in our sunnier climate (east of the Cascades) chaemacyperis species
do better in part shade than in full sun. I'm not sure what conditions they
would favor if grown in the Midwest however.
"paghat" wrote in message
news
In article ,
(MDO) wrote:

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've looked at a few junipers,
but I think (at least the pictures) make them look like unkept
evergreen bushes.
Do some of them look a bit more manicured? I once
had a Japanese garden book (which I can't find anymore) and it seemed
there were tons of different varieties of evergreen they used; some
looked like moss, others were full shrubs.

I've never seen these low-growing junipers looking really nice for a long
while, & I regard them as too often eyesoars, though this may be mainly
because people think they take no care & put them in the harshest
conditions, & the fact that they don't die in bad conditions doesn't mean
they look nice. Among the many dwarf cultivated forms of false cypress
(Chamaecyparis pisifera) however are many that are absolutely GORGEOUS.
They do require regular moderate watering however & would probably drop
dead in the kinds of conditions that ruin without killing junipers -- but
in a cared-for part of a garden that required such evergreens, the false
cypress cultivars are likely going to be physically nicer than junipers.

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

The false cypress doesn't like much shade, but neither does the homelier
juniper. For the shadier spots you might look into any species of dwarf
yew cultivars. They do great in shade, & though they can be a bit more
costly than juniper & false cypress dwarfs, their beauty if well-selected
can be unexcelled. I'm not sure about their zone restrictions however;
they're mainly temperate.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 14:48:37 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:

It's a lot easier to remove than something that spreads from underground
runners. I pull the excess from mine regularly. Rapid establishment and
spreading is generally considered a GOOD quality in a groundcover :-))

In that case, Vinca's a *very* successful goundcover. And lawncover
and wheelbarrow cover, and I swear if the cat took a nap near it, a
catcover. As for "preferring shade," I stuck a stem I'd just pulled up
into a pile of builders' sand in full sun, and it was firmly rooted
and putting out new leaves within a week.

On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 14:48:37 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:

It's a lot easier to remove than something that spreads from underground
runners. I pull the excess from mine regularly. Rapid establishment and
spreading is generally considered a GOOD quality in a groundcover :-))

In that case, Vinca's a *very* successful goundcover. And lawncover
and wheelbarrow cover, and I swear if the cat took a nap near it, a
catcover. As for "preferring shade," I stuck a stem I'd just pulled up
into a pile of builders' sand in full sun, and it was firmly rooted
and putting out new leaves within a week.