I have an area about 12 by 12 that I want as a flower garden and I need a ground cover that will fill in the spaces. I thought maybe dichondra but I think 4000 feet is to high. Any ideas? Clover maybe? ...Kirk

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

Answers

Hi Kirk, I don't know what dichondra is, but here clover is so invasive that it would shut everything else out very rapidly. I think that is one of the problems with "ground covers". They are almost all invasive. Foolish me put some myrtle too near one of my flower beds and now I have to transplant everything because the myrtle is the only thing doing well.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

If you are going to plant perennials, it's true that at first, everything looks tiny and way too far apart. If you spaced them according to planting directions, eventually, they'll grow to pretty much fill the area.

What I do while I am waiting is to plant annuals. If the area is shady, I plant the shortest impatiens I can find (so they don't tower over the new baby perennials). If it's in the sun (something which I have had little of!), you have a lot more choices. The alyssums are nice (white, purple, lavender, even pinkish), and ageratum (floss flower -- blue, dark blue, white). There is a periwinkle that is sold in the little 4 or 6 packs that is nice in the sun (myrtle is also called periwinkle. They're related, but this one is an annual that won't survive the winter). The short French marigolds work well to fill in. I've found seed for an annual "babies breath" that is pretty too. Once again, the trick is to find something that won't overpower your perennials.

As the perennials get larger, but in my opinion still too far apart, I still put in in annuals but just one plugged in here, and one there, etc. Annual Dusty Miller is another favorite of mine, goes with almost anything!

Now that I have typed this whole thing, I realized that you may have some of your annuals make it through the winter. I don't remember where you're located, Kirk. You could consult with your local nursery about what might persist. I have had Dusty Miller and snapdragons last a LONG time, though eventually freezing out. They might overwinter in milder areas.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

Kirk, Would have to agree with the suggestion of patience and/or spacing close and eventually thinning. Most ground covers are just that because of their invasive growing habits. Pachysandra comes to mind as one that isn't "terribly invasive" ( by that I mean somewhere between turf grass and horseradish) but at 12'" does grow fairly tall. My wife was forever discouraged by the lack of fullness in her young beds and used annuals to fill, after seven years now every perennial is being divided and transplanted to the point of sometimes having more than we know what to do with, so be prudent and patient is my thinking for whatever it's worth.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

I suggest Strawberries. No, really - I mean it! Think about it...glossy green leaves that die down and don't look too messy in winter. They come green again early in spring, have pretty white flowers and bright red fruit that if you don't want the land turtles, chipmunks and robins will be more than happy to take care of for you. They spread very well, are not too expensive (especially if you have a friend with some!). They are easy to get rid of if you need more space, or your perennials need more room, and can also be trained (by pinning the runners) to go wherever you want.

I'm planing to use some in my new beds that I'm putting out this year. I have 4 beds that are sort of a weird shaped pentagon - picture an upside down house. I'm planning to plant a dwarf peach tree in the center of each, surrounded by nasturtium for borer control. Then I will put Rhubarb or another perennial fruit in each corner. After than, I will add shasta and michaelmas daisies, delphinium and maybe some poppies. I plan to fill in with strawberries, adding just a few well placed stepping stones. I've got a form to make them with sackrete, and saw where someone made designs in them that looked like flowers and birds with bits of glass. Maybe a few toad houses and import a terrapin or two. Think edible landscaping!

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

Ah, edible landscaping, now that could be a whole new thread couldn't it? How about lingonberries (a Scandinavian cousin of the cranberry) -- makes good jelly and sauce (especially on Swedish pancakes -- YUM!).

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

Strawberries! What a good idea!!

I was going to suggest one of my favourites -- Johnny Jump-ups, or Heart's-ease. They self sow readily and wander around the garden, filling in nooks and crannies, but they never get invasive or overly competetive with the other plants.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

Hmmmmm. Maybe some of the others in the violas family too (violets and johnny-jump-ups are both in the viola family, as well as pansies). I feel that violets maybe spread more and take over a more than johnny-jump-ups, but they're really easy to dig out (they sort of spread over the surface). They'll move out into the grass too, but if you keep it mowed, they aren't very obtrusive. I like them.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001

I am really taken with the idea of strawberries!!! I never thought of that and I think that is what I will do in my new beds. I have the runners from the strawberry patch so that will be a no expense thing. I love this - thanks.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001

Thanks for all the ideas!! I think I'm getting pretty good at veggie gardens but I don't think I've ever planted a flower in my life! Thats unamerican!...Kirk

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001

If you don't mind annuals... what about allysum and lobelia?? They spread their flowers, but aren't invasive, and both come in some really pretty colors.

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2001

Planting flowers is unamerican??? O.k. Kirk, NOW you have gotten controversial!!!!! LOL

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2001

I thought he meant it was unAmerican that he had never planted flowers? LOL!

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2001