Janet wrote in
:

In article ,
says...

Jeff Layman wrote in
:

8 possibilities he
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector...ts?nm=&sn=188&
as= 183&st=163&ms=166&aa=171&gdt=69&hg=135&op=2

Thank for the suggestions. The lavender and wormwood might suit. I'm
also very interested in these:

Aegopodium Variegatum
Dianthus Tiny Rubies
Isotoma fluviatilis
Thymus coccineus
Delosperma cooperi (hardy ice plant)
Vinca minor (periwinkle)

Does anyone know any pros and cons of the above? Are any unsuitable
for poor, alkaline, dry soil and full sun?

Thanks..

Jim

Periwinkle is a cheap low risk choice for a tough spot; tolerates
poor
conditions; fast evergreen coloniser, minimum maintenance, tough as
old boots.
I prefer vinca major, the two "old " ones with large leaves and
single
blue flowers, one is dark green leaf and the other handsomely
variegated.

Janet


I gather they like moist soil though, so they might not be too happy in the
summer, where I am... I could go out there with a garden hose every other
day, but I'd prefer not to have to.

Jim

8 possibilities he
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector...ts?nm=&sn=188&
as= 183&st=163&ms=166&aa=171&gdt=69&hg=135&op=2

Thank for the suggestions. The lavender and wormwood might suit. I'm
also very interested in these:

Aegopodium Variegatum
Dianthus Tiny Rubies
Isotoma fluviatilis
Thymus coccineus
Delosperma cooperi (hardy ice plant)
Vinca minor (periwinkle)

Does anyone know any pros and cons of the above? Are any unsuitable
for poor, alkaline, dry soil and full sun?

Thanks..

Jim

* *Periwinkle is a cheap low risk choice for a tough spot; tolerates
* *poor
conditions; *fast evergreen coloniser, *minimum maintenance, tough as
old boots.
* *I prefer vinca major, the two "old " ones with large leaves and
* *single
blue flowers, one is dark green leaf and the other handsomely
variegated.

* *Janet

I gather they like moist soil though, so they might not be too happy in the
summer, where I am... I could go out there with a garden hose every other
day, but I'd prefer not to have to.

Jim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


The Hottentot Fig will help with the erosion and once established wont
need watering
http://www.guernsey.net/~cdavid/bota...otus%20edulis/
Seed available from Chiltern seeds
http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_...s_edulis_seeds

Chris Hogg wrote in
:


In my salt-gale-exposed garden I grow Ulex gallii Mizen Head, a very
prostrate gorse, but I'm not sure if it would take your very alkaline
soil. I also grow a prostrate rosemary, possibly R. officionalis
prostratus, but it has darker flowers than the picture in the RHS
encyclopedia, so may not be that one and may just be kept prostrate by
the exposed conditions. I also have a prostrate white hebe, possibly
H. chathamica, that covers the ground fairly well, and a ceanothus,
probably C. thyristiflorus var. repens, which keeps fairly low here,
although none of them are what I would call fast growers, and I don't
know how they would cope with your soil.

Not a shrub, but I find Bergenia very good ground-cover, and it stays
evergreen. I grow B. eroica, as it has the darkest flowers of any that
I've come across. Again, whether suitable for your soil, I don't know.

I have grown Convolvulus cneorum, but it never did very well for me,
and the last two winters have seen it off, even down here in west
Cornwall. I still have surviving, the blue-flowered C. sabatius, which
although almost extinguished in the last two years, is still hanging
on. Tops get killed right off, but it comes again from the spreading
roots.

Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis) has been mentioned, and it
certainly covers the ground to the exclusion of everything else. It
grows on the cliffs down here, but it suppresses everything, and
attempts are being made to eradicate it in some areas (bit like rhodo
ponticum). But large areas of it were killed in the last two winters,
even on cliffs only a few tens of feet above sea level. I have never
found it a very prolific flowerer.

Chris,
Thanks for your input. Some great suggestions there. I'm in west Dorset,
so I guess the climate is similar to West Cornwall. I'm not sure whether
the soil is similar. The substrate here is white limestone, hence high
alkalinity soil.

The gorse idea is a good one. There is a very prostate gorse that grows
wild in my immediate area, so that makes it a possibility. It would look
pleasantly natural growing on my plot, for that reason. I love the
coconut-like fragrance that gorse gives off on a warm day.

I also like the creeping rosemary idea. I favour plants that have
medicinal or culiniary uses, and this one is happey in alkaline soil, I'm
told. I'll give that one a try.

I like the look of the ceanothus thyristiflorus too, as it is easy on the
eye. I gather it needs fairly fertile soil though. I don't know if it
would like my limestone-rich, poor clayey soil. Mind you, the weeds seem
to LOVE it, so who knows!!

Jim

On Feb 6, 1:38*pm, Jim xzy wrote:
Chris Hogg wrote :





In my salt-gale-exposed garden I grow Ulex gallii Mizen Head, a very
prostrate gorse, but I'm not sure if it would take your very alkaline
soil. I also grow a prostrate rosemary, possibly R. officionalis
prostratus, but it has darker flowers than the picture in the RHS
encyclopedia, so may not be that one and may just be kept prostrate by
the exposed conditions. I also have a prostrate white hebe, possibly
H. chathamica, that covers the ground fairly well, and a ceanothus,
probably C. thyristiflorus var. repens, which keeps fairly low here,
although none of them are what I would call fast growers, and I don't
know how they would cope with your soil.

Not a shrub, but I find Bergenia very good ground-cover, and it stays
evergreen. I grow B. eroica, as it has the darkest flowers of any that
I've come across. Again, whether suitable for your soil, I don't know.

I have grown Convolvulus cneorum, but it never did very well for me,
and the last two winters have seen it off, even down here in west
Cornwall. I still have surviving, the blue-flowered C. sabatius, which
although almost extinguished in the last two years, is still hanging
on. Tops get killed right off, but it comes again from the spreading
roots.

Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis) has been mentioned, and it
certainly covers the ground to the exclusion of everything else. It
grows on the cliffs down here, but it suppresses everything, and
attempts are being made to eradicate it in some areas (bit like rhodo
ponticum). But large areas of it were killed in the last two winters,
even on cliffs only a few tens of feet above sea level. I have never
found it a very prolific flowerer.

Chris,
Thanks for your input. Some great suggestions there. I'm in west Dorset,
so I guess the climate is similar to West Cornwall. I'm not sure whether
the soil is similar. The substrate here is white limestone, hence high
alkalinity soil.

The gorse idea is a good one. *There is a very prostate *gorse that grows
wild in my immediate area, so that makes it a possibility. It would look
pleasantly natural growing on my plot, for that reason. I love the
coconut-like fragrance that gorse gives off on a warm day.

I also like the creeping rosemary idea. I favour plants that have
medicinal or culiniary uses, and this one is happey in alkaline soil, I'm
told. I'll give that one a try.

I like the look of the ceanothus thyristiflorus too, as it is easy on the
eye. I gather it needs fairly fertile soil though. I don't know if it
would like my limestone-rich, poor clayey soil. Mind you, the weeds seem
to LOVE it, so who knows!!

Jim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I would stay well clear of Gorse, that is the saingle type as it
throws it seeds quite a way, you can get a double form which doesn't
set seed, on the other hand you could use GENISTA hispanica (Spanish
gorse), a lovely mound forming shrub.

I would stay well clear of Gorse, that is the saingle type as it
throws it seeds quite a way, you can get a double form which doesn't
set seed, on the other hand you could use GENISTA hispanica (Spanish
gorse), a lovely mound forming shrub.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

or even the Single flowered form

On 04/02/2012 15:48, Jim xyz wrote:
I'm looking for a reasonably good-looking low rapid-spreading ground cover
for poor, dry, stony, alkaline soil. Some areas of my sunny but windy south
coastal plot, consist af a soil which is about 90% white limestone dust
with only about 10% organic matter. I'd like something that spreads quickly
but is also easy to keep under control. If it keeps it's leaves year-round,
that would be most suitable. Any suggestions?

Thank you...


Helianthemum ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helianthemum