I have an important area in the garden near the back door, that is
north-facing, shaded from the south by a fence and tends to be damp. It
contains some shrub roses, a chinese virginia creeper, hellebores and lesser
periwinkles. I have had to remove one hellebore as it showed distorted leaves
strongly suggesting virus infection. The same thing is happening to the
periwinkles and I will remove them too. The roses and virginia creeper seem
unaffected.

Given this information, can anyone suggest some ground cover planting to
replace the periwinkles (they were purple and I was looking forward to them
dammit) that would be ideally all of the following- evergreen, suited to
damper shadier areas but not minding drying out too much, and with pink or
purple flowers?

I could try one or two small euonymus there maybe- I'd settle for foliage
only if I had to. I suppose Icould even have nothing but bark chips around
the roses if all else fails.

[I have had geraniums picking up viruses here too, though not in this exact
location, so I want to avoid them for this area. Belatedly, it is obvious I
should only be gardening the virus-free areas with my usual gardening tools,
and being very careful with potential contamination of tools, soil, etc,
anywhere else- maybe the bark chips idea would save me trouble in the long
run...]

--
Vacutone

In article m,
says...
I have an important area in the garden near the back door, that is
north-facing, shaded from the south by a fence and tends to be damp. It
contains some shrub roses, a chinese virginia creeper, hellebores and lesser
periwinkles. I have had to remove one hellebore as it showed distorted leaves
strongly suggesting virus infection. The same thing is happening to the
periwinkles and I will remove them too. The roses and virginia creeper seem
unaffected.

Given this information, can anyone suggest some ground cover planting to
replace the periwinkles (they were purple and I was looking forward to them
dammit) that would be ideally all of the following- evergreen, suited to
damper shadier areas but not minding drying out too much, and with pink or
purple flowers?

I could try one or two small euonymus there maybe- I'd settle for foliage
only if I had to. I suppose Icould even have nothing but bark chips around
the roses if all else fails.

[I have had geraniums picking up viruses here too, though not in this exact
location, so I want to avoid them for this area. Belatedly, it is obvious I
should only be gardening the virus-free areas with my usual gardening tools,
and being very careful with potential contamination of tools, soil, etc,
anywhere else- maybe the bark chips idea would save me trouble in the long
run...]


unless you have had the material tested it is not likely to be virus,
much more likely to be aphids or some other sap sucker that has moved on
before you saw the leaves, even if it was virus they are all plant
specific and each virus will only affect a narrow group of plants.
Try Geranium maccrorhizum types
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

"Vacutone" wrote in message
s.com...
I have an important area in the garden near the back door, that is
north-facing, shaded from the south by a fence and tends to be damp. It
contains some shrub roses, a chinese virginia creeper, hellebores and
lesser
periwinkles. I have had to remove one hellebore as it showed distorted
leaves
strongly suggesting virus infection. The same thing is happening to the
periwinkles and I will remove them too. The roses and virginia creeper
seem
unaffected.

Given this information, can anyone suggest some ground cover planting to
replace the periwinkles (they were purple and I was looking forward to
them
dammit) that would be ideally all of the following- evergreen, suited to
damper shadier areas but not minding drying out too much, and with pink or
purple flowers?

I could try one or two small euonymus there maybe- I'd settle for foliage
only if I had to. I suppose Icould even have nothing but bark chips around
the roses if all else fails.

[I have had geraniums picking up viruses here too, though not in this
exact
location, so I want to avoid them for this area. Belatedly, it is obvious
I
should only be gardening the virus-free areas with my usual gardening
tools,
and being very careful with potential contamination of tools, soil, etc,
anywhere else- maybe the bark chips idea would save me trouble in the long
run...]

--
Vacutone



Since you had two layers before (with the periwinkles and hellebores), I
suggest you do something similar with a combination of the following
..........

For the ground layer: Chiastophyllum oppositifolium (Lamb's Tails)Late
spring flowers
Persicaria cv (a ground-hugging form) Late
summer flowers
Lamium, in variety (there are some good
forms) Spring flowers
Pachysandra, the plain or variegated form.
Late Spring flowers
Ajuga, in variety, bronze-purple/variegated
lvs., Late Spr. flowers

For the taller layer: Bergenia Spring/Late Spring flowers
Heuchera Summer flowers (repeats when
deadheaded)
Epimedium Late Winter flowers
Brunnera Late Spring flowers

With the exception of the Pachysandra, I grow all of these in my shady
woodland garden, and they all do well *and* they don't seem to be troubled
by slugs and snails - an important consideration in a damp, shady site.

As you say, Euonymous is a good option, but the flowers are insignificant.
If you've got room for another small/medium shrub, then Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple'
would give you some lovely carmine and purple flowers throughout summer.

Spider

On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 8:43:13 +0000, Charlie Pridham wrote
(in message ):

In article m,
says...
... I have had to remove one hellebore as it showed distorted
leaves
strongly suggesting virus infection. The same thing is happening to the
periwinkles and I will remove them too. snip

unless you have had the material tested it is not likely to be virus,
much more likely to be aphids or some other sap sucker that has moved on
before you saw the leaves, even if it was virus they are all plant
specific and each virus will only affect a narrow group of plants.
Try Geranium maccrorhizum types

If you're right about this most likely not being a virus then I'd think the
best thing is to leave the periwinkles where they are and see what happens-
if it's just insect activity the distorted leaves should not get markedly
worse. Would you agree?

(Geranium suggestion noted- thanks).
--
Vacutone

PS In case this goes the wrong way- any idea where I can get plant material
tested for viruses- and is it expensive?

On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:29:15 +0000, Spider wrote
(in message ):

Since you had two layers before (with the periwinkles and hellebores), I
suggest you do something similar with a combination of the following
.........

For the ground layer: Chiastophyllum oppositifolium (Lamb's Tails)Late
spring flowers
Persicaria cv (a ground-hugging form) Late
summer flowers
Lamium, in variety (there are some good
forms) Spring flowers
Pachysandra, the plain or variegated form.
Late Spring flowers
Ajuga, in variety, bronze-purple/variegated
lvs., Late Spr. flowers

For the taller layer: Bergenia Spring/Late Spring flowers
Heuchera Summer flowers (repeats when
deadheaded)
Epimedium Late Winter flowers
Brunnera Late Spring flowers

With the exception of the Pachysandra, I grow all of these in my shady
woodland garden, and they all do well *and* they don't seem to be troubled
by slugs and snails - an important consideration in a damp, shady site.

As you say, Euonymous is a good option, but the flowers are insignificant.
If you've got room for another small/medium shrub, then Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple'
would give you some lovely carmine and purple flowers throughout summer.

Spider

Great suggestions- I will have fun looking all these up- thanks!

--
Vacutone

In article m,
says...
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 8:43:13 +0000, Charlie Pridham wrote
(in message ):

In article m,
says...
... I have had to remove one hellebore as it showed distorted
leaves
strongly suggesting virus infection. The same thing is happening to the
periwinkles and I will remove them too. snip

unless you have had the material tested it is not likely to be virus,
much more likely to be aphids or some other sap sucker that has moved on
before you saw the leaves, even if it was virus they are all plant
specific and each virus will only affect a narrow group of plants.
Try Geranium maccrorhizum types

If you're right about this most likely not being a virus then I'd think the
best thing is to leave the periwinkles where they are and see what happens-
if it's just insect activity the distorted leaves should not get markedly
worse. Would you agree?

(Geranium suggestion noted- thanks).


I would wait and see, and most plants are not tested so there is no way
of telling, but outside of a fruit cage its seldom much of a problem,
some plants are occassionally effected but often with good culture either
live with the virus or get better, there are occassional exceptions like
Canna, and Lily.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea