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Ground cover
Hi,
Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant ( Not seeds as there's quite a few cats around here and they LOVE my soil.). My garden is north-facing, backs onto an old railway bank with dark blue-grey clay soil (although I've added a few trailers of topsoil to help). The slope if fairly steep approx a 1 in 3 incline and 20 ft by 11ft in size, and there's a sycamore tree to one side shading half the garden. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks in anticipation Ken |
Ken Maughan wrote:
Hi, Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant ( Not seeds as there's quite a few cats around here and they LOVE my soil.). My garden is north-facing, backs onto an old railway bank with dark blue-grey clay soil (although I've added a few trailers of topsoil to help). The slope if fairly steep approx a 1 in 3 incline and 20 ft by 11ft in size, and there's a sycamore tree to one side shading half the garden. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks in anticipation Ken Vinca minor : the lesser periwinkle |
"Sacha" wrote in message . uk... On 26/4/05 22:36, in article , "Ken Maughan" wrote: Hi, Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant ( Not seeds as there's quite a few cats around here and they LOVE my soil.). My garden is north-facing, backs onto an old railway bank with dark blue-grey clay soil (although I've added a few trailers of topsoil to help). The slope if fairly steep approx a 1 in 3 incline and 20 ft by 11ft in size, and there's a sycamore tree to one side shading half the garden. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks in anticipation Vinca. ;-) -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) Symphytum grandiflorum, Geranium maccrorhizzum, Geranium 'Claridge Druce' Lamium (cant remember the second name - we call it the Hobgoblin!) Viola -- Charlie, gardening in Cornwall. http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs) |
In article ,
Derek Turner somewhat@odds wrote: Ken Maughan wrote: Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant ... Vinca minor : the lesser periwinkle Vinca major eats Vinca minor for breakfast :-) It's not too hard to keep under control - while it layers in everywhere, it is very shallow rooted and will not regrow from roots alone. I grow the variety "oxyloba" (perhaps a geographical variant), which has star-shaped, deep purple flowers, lighter, less glossy and more pointed leaves, and is marginally less ambitious. Anyone who wants some is welcome to drop round. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Charlie Pridham wrote in message ... "Sacha" wrote in message . uk... On 26/4/05 22:36, in article , "Ken Maughan" wrote: Hi, Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant Not seeds as there's quite a few cats around here and they LOVE my soil.). My garden is north-facing, backs onto an old railway bank with dark blue-grey clay soil (although I've added a few trailers of topsoil to help). The slope if fairly steep approx a 1 in 3 incline and 20 ft by 11ft in size, and there's a sycamore tree to one side shading half the garden. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks in anticipation Vinca. ;-) -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) Symphytum grandiflorum, Geranium maccrorhizzum, Geranium 'Claridge Druce' Lamium (cant remember the second name - we call it the Hobgoblin!) Viola -- Charlie, gardening in Cornwall. http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs) Charlie, I imagine you mean Lamium galeobdolon, the Yellow Archangel. Love the Hobgoblin tag, though!. Spider |
On 27/4/05 11:53, in article ,
"Spider" wrote: snip Charlie, I imagine you mean Lamium galeobdolon, the Yellow Archangel. Love the Hobgoblin tag, though!. Spider We have a variegated Lamium with bright pink flowers but have never known the name of it as it was given to Ray. It's very dramatic and will take deep shade and if anyone knows the name, we'd be very grateful! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) |
"Spider" wrote in message ... Charlie Pridham wrote in message ... "Sacha" wrote in message . uk... On 26/4/05 22:36, in article , "Ken Maughan" wrote: Hi, Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant Not seeds as there's quite a few cats around here and they LOVE my soil.). My garden is north-facing, backs onto an old railway bank with dark blue-grey clay soil (although I've added a few trailers of topsoil to help). The slope if fairly steep approx a 1 in 3 incline and 20 ft by 11ft in size, and there's a sycamore tree to one side shading half the garden. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks in anticipation Vinca. ;-) -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) Symphytum grandiflorum, Geranium maccrorhizzum, Geranium 'Claridge Druce' Lamium (cant remember the second name - we call it the Hobgoblin!) Viola -- Charlie, gardening in Cornwall. http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs) Charlie, I imagine you mean Lamium galeobdolon, the Yellow Archangel. Love the Hobgoblin tag, though!. Spider WHen I saw the correct name I thought hobgoblin was really funny. I think it *should* be known as lamium hobgoblin :0) |
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , Derek Turner somewhat@odds wrote: Ken Maughan wrote: Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant ... Vinca minor : the lesser periwinkle Vinca major eats Vinca minor for breakfast :-) It's not too hard to keep under control - while it layers in everywhere, it is very shallow rooted and will not regrow from roots alone. I grow the variety "oxyloba" (perhaps a geographical variant), which has star-shaped, deep purple flowers, lighter, less glossy and more pointed leaves, and is marginally less ambitious. Anyone who wants some is welcome to drop round. I grow both and agree that major is more vigorous, it's just that the OP asked about ground cover and in my limited experience minor stays closer to the ground while major is more of a 'shrub', given half a chance. |
In article , Derek Turner somewhat@odds writes: | | I grow both and agree that major is more vigorous, it's just that the OP | asked about ground cover and in my limited experience minor stays closer | to the ground while major is more of a 'shrub', given half a chance. Oh, yes, but it assuredly covers the ground - in the other sense as well :-) Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
"Derek Turner" somewhat@odds wrote in message ... Nick Maclaren wrote: In article , Derek Turner somewhat@odds wrote: Ken Maughan wrote: Can anyone suggest a quick-growing, flowering, ground cover plant ... Vinca minor : the lesser periwinkle Vinca major eats Vinca minor for breakfast :-) It's not too hard to keep under control - while it layers in everywhere, it is very shallow rooted and will not regrow from roots alone. I grow the variety "oxyloba" (perhaps a geographical variant), which has star-shaped, deep purple flowers, lighter, less glossy and more pointed leaves, and is marginally less ambitious. Anyone who wants some is welcome to drop round. I grow both and agree that major is more vigorous, it's just that the OP asked about ground cover and in my limited experience minor stays closer to the ground while major is more of a 'shrub', given half a chance. Minor does stay closer to the ground than major (guess that's why it's called minor!). Either of them does a good job of ground cover, in my experience, especially if you want something which will do the trick in a partially or fully shaded location, but which won't climb the trees which are providing the shade. |
In article , "BAC" writes: | | Minor does stay closer to the ground than major (guess that's why it's | called minor!). Either of them does a good job of ground cover, in my | experience, especially if you want something which will do the trick in a | partially or fully shaded location, but which won't climb the trees which | are providing the shade. Major will climb small shrubs. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "BAC" writes: | | Minor does stay closer to the ground than major (guess that's why it's | called minor!). Either of them does a good job of ground cover, in my | experience, especially if you want something which will do the trick in a | partially or fully shaded location, but which won't climb the trees which | are providing the shade. Major will climb small shrubs. Looking out the window - so it will, but not, here at least, trees :-) |
In message , BAC
writes "Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "BAC" writes: | | Minor does stay closer to the ground than major (guess that's why it's | called minor!). Either of them does a good job of ground cover, in my | experience, especially if you want something which will do the trick in a | partially or fully shaded location, but which won't climb the trees which | are providing the shade. Major will climb small shrubs. Looking out the window - so it will, but not, here at least, trees :-) The only problem that I have found with Vinca Minor is that it can be very difficult to weed the buttercups and couch grass from amongst it. A membrane stops it from running across the ground and rooting so it can spread. I like it and have 4 different varieties - blue, purply/maroon, white flowers and one with variegated leaves. I personally just put up with most of the weeds and pull out the most obvious ones. -- Sue Begg Remove my clothes to reply Do not mess in the affairs of dragons - for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup! |
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "BAC" writes: | | Minor does stay closer to the ground than major (guess that's why it's | called minor!). Either of them does a good job of ground cover, in my | experience, especially if you want something which will do the trick in a | partially or fully shaded location, but which won't climb the trees which | are providing the shade. Major will climb small shrubs. Regards, Nick Maclaren. My Vinca major 'Alba is 15' into a quince tree and I have to take the strimmer to it when it blocks the gateway, its flowering at present (when all is forgiven!) -- Charlie, gardening in Cornwall. http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs) |
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