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Ground Cover
Ground cover plants are usually low maintenance and can form an attractive carpeting effect they can be used in many areas around the garden from planting difficult to reach areas such as banks and slopes to brightening those unsightly bare patches in the corner of a garden or covering an area quickly suppressing weeds to reduce weeding creating a rockery or alpine garden they can also be used to stabilise the soil on banks.It is important to choose plants that suit your site carefully many ground cover plants are low growing dense mat forming plants that creep, carpet smothering weeds and covering rapidly as they go these plants suit a sunny site that basks in warm sun all day. Shade loving plants usually have more lush growth and can be planted under trees and shrubs or used for brightening a shady area of the garden.
Low growing spreading shrubs are ideal for planting into banks or slopes to reduce soil erosion.
It is important before planting to clear the area of all perennial weeds adding well rotted manure or compost after it is cleared. Weed blocking fabric is useful for suppressing any weeds or weed seedlings. After the area is planted gravel, bark or slate mulch can be used as a top dressing.
Below is a list of plants suitable for ground cover in a sunny area.
Perennials for a sunny area.
Aubrietia
Alyssum
Alchemilla Mollis
Arabis
Arenaria
Armenia
Artemisia
Astilbe
Bamboo
Bellis
Campanula
Centaurea Montana
Cerastium
Delosperma
Dianthus
Erigeron
Gentiana
Grim
Geranium
Gypsophila Repens
Helichrysum
Heucherella
Heuchera
Hour turnip
Iberia
Lewisia
Liriope
Lithodora
Lychnis Alpina
Lysimachia
Mimulus
Nepeta Faassenii
Osteospermum
Oxalis
Pansy
Persicaria Affinis
Phlox
Potentilla
Primula
Ranunculus
Salvia
Saponaria
Sedum
Stachys
Saxifraga
Sempervivum
Tri follum Repens
Veronica
Viola
Shrubs for sunny area.
Ceanothus Repens
Ceratostostigma
Cotoneaster
Erica (Heathers)
Genista Hispanica
Hebe
Helianthemum
Hypericum
Junipers
Potentilla
Roses (Carpet)
Rhodanthemum
Taxus
Viburnum Davidii
Herbs for a sunny area.
Chamomile
Lemon Balm
Marjoram
Mint
Oregano
Thyme
Grasses for a sunny area.
Festuca
Deschampsia
Ophiopogon
Annuals for a sunny area.
Alyssum
Brachycome
Impatiens (busy Lizzy)
Mesembryanthemum
Mimulus
Nasturtium
Nemesia
Petunia
Poached egg plant
Bulbs for a sunny area
Anemone de caen
Below is a list of plants suitable for ground cover in a shady area.
Perennials for a shady area.
Alchemilla Mollis
Ajuga
Aruncus
Astilbe
Bergenia
Brunnera Macrophylla
Convallaria (lily of the valley)
Corydalis
Cyclamen
Dicentra
Epimedium
Euphorbia
Geranium Macrorrhizum
Gunnera
Lamium
Hellebores
Heuchera
Hosta
Hedra (ivy)
Pachysandra
Prunella
Pulmonaria
Tired lately
Vinca
Viola
Shrubs for a shady area.
Hamamelis
Lonicera winter beauty
Rubus Tri colour
Skimmia
Herbs for a shady area.
Lemon Balm
Mint
Thyme
Grasses for a shady area.
Ophiopogen
Annuals for a shady area.
Polyanthus
Bulbs for shady area.
Anemone blanda
Galanthus (snowdrops)
Muscari
Bluebell
