Ivydene Gardens Plants:
Ground-cover List between 24 inches (60 cms) and 72 Inches (180 cms) in Height

The plants normally selected by most landscapers and designers are by nature low-growing, rampant, spreading, creep-crawly things and yet the concept of ground cover demands no such thing. The ideal description of a groundcover plant includes:-

• a bold dense mass of leaves completely covering the ground most of the year; evergreens gain gold stars.
• They should require little or no maintenance - if you have to give the plant more than its share of attention, you might as well save your money and spend the time weeding.
• use the plant on ground areas that are difficult to maintain, such as steep banks or boggy patches.
• use the plant to cover areas where not much will grow, such as deep shade or sandy soils.

Ground Cover a thousand beautiful plants for difficult places by John Cushnie (ISBN 1 85626 326 6) provides details of plants that fulfill the above requirements.

Using these groundcover plants in your planting scheme (either between your trees/shrubs in the border or for the whole border) will - with mulching your beds to a 4 inch depth and an irrigation system - provide you with a planted garden with far less time required for border maintenance.

The groundcover list is sorted in the following pages under the following height of plant range:-

Below 2 feet (24 inches = 60 cms) in height in Ground-cover List 1 Page
Between 2 and 6 feet (24 - 72 inches = 60-180 cms) in height in Ground-cover List 2 Page
Above 6 feet (72 inches = 180 cms) in height in Ground-cover List 3 Page

 

Surface soil moisture is the water that is in the upper 10 cm (4 inches) of soil, whereas root zone soil moisture is the water that is available to plants, which is generally considered to be in the upper 200 cm (80 inches) of soil:-

• Wet Soil has Saturated water content of 20-50% water/soil and is Fully saturated soil
• Moist Soil has Field capacity of 10-35% water/soil and is Soil moisture 2–3 days after a rain or irrigation
• Dry Soil has Permanent wilting point of 1-25% water/soil and is Minimum soil moisture at which a plant wilts
• Residual water content of 0.1-10% water/soil and is Remaining water at high tension
• Available Water Capacity for plants is the difference between water content at field capacity and permanent wilting point

Sun Aspect:-

• Full Sun: At least 6 full hours of direct sunlight. Many sun lovers enjoy more than 6 hours per day, but need regular water to endure the heat.
• Part Shade: 3 - 6 hours of sun each day, preferably in the morning and early afternoon. The plant will need some relief from the intense late afternoon sun, either from shade provided by a nearby tree or planting it on the east side of a building.
  Dappled Sun: Dappled sunlight is similar to partial shade. It is the sun that makes its way through the branches of a deciduous tree. Woodland plants and underplantings prefer this type of sunlight over even the limited direct exposure they would get from partial shade.
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight each day, with filtered sunlight during the rest of the day. Full shade does not mean no sun.

Chalky alkaline soils are derived from chalk or limestone with a pH of 7.1 or above.
Clay soils swell and shrink as they wet and dry.
Lime-Free soils are acidic and without chalk.
In poorly drained soils (50 % solid materials and about 50 % pore space), most of the pore space is filled with water for long periods of time, leaving too little air.
Light sandy soils dry out quickly and are low in nutrients.

The overall amount of sunlight received depends on aspect, the direction your garden faces:-

North-facing gardens get the least light and can be damp

South-facing gardens get the most light

East-facing gardens get morning light

West-facing gardens get afternoon and evening light

Acid Site - An acid soil has a pH value below 7.0. Clay soils are usually acid and retentive of moisture, requiring drainage. The addition of grit or coarse sand makes them more manageable. Peaty soil is acidic with fewer nutrients and also requires drainage.

Alkaline Soil - An alkaline soil has a pH value above 7.0. Soils that form a thin layer over chalk restrict plant selection to those tolerant of drought.

Bank / Slope problems include soil erosion, surface water, summer drought and poor access (create path using mattock to pull an earth section 180 degrees over down the slope). Then, stabilise the earth with 4 inches (10cms) depth of spent mushroom compost under the chicken wire; before planting climbers/plants through it.

Exposed Site is an area that is open to the elements and that includes cold, biting winds, the glare of full sun, frost and snow.

Path Edges - Soften edges for large masses of paving or lawn with groundcover plants. Random areas Within Paths can be planted with flat-growing plants. Other groundcover plants are in the Rest of Border.

Seaside Plants that deal with salt-carrying gales and blown sand; by you using copious amounts of compost and thick mulch to conserve soil moisture.

Under Hedge requires ground cover that tolerates bone dry, poor soil.

Woodland ground cover under the shade of tree canopies.

To locate mail-order nursery for plants from the UK in this gallery try using search in RHS Find a Plant.

To locate plants in the European Union (EU) try using Search Term in Gardens4You and Meilland Richardier in France.

To locate mail-order nursery for plants from America in this gallery try using search in Plant Lust.

To locate plant information in Australia try using Plant Finder in Gardening Australia.

Soil:-

Soil Moisture:-

Sun Aspect:-

Plant Location:-

Plant Name

with link to mail-order nursery in UK / Europe

Flower Colour with Flower Thumbnail

Flowering Months

Foliage Colour with Foliage Thumb-nail

Plant Use

Height x Spread in inches (cms).
Plants below 24 inches (60 cms) in Height

25.4mm = 1 inch
304.8mm = 12 inches
12 inches = 1 foot
3 feet = 1 yard
914.4mm = 1 yard

I normally round this to
30 cm = 1 foot,
90 cm = 3 feet and
100 cm = 40 inches

Plant Type
(Per = Perennial) with link to
Plant Description Page,
Companion Plants to help this plant Page,
Alpine Plant for Rock Garden Index Page
and/or
Native to UK WildFlower Plant in its Family Page in this website

Comment

AC = Acid Site

AL = Alkaline Site or
AN = Any for Acid, Neutral or Alkaline

BA = Bank / Slope

CH =Chalk

EX = Exposed Site

CL = Clay

PA =
Path Edges
RB = Rest of Border

WP =
Within Path

LF = Lime-Free or
AN = Any Soil

D = Dry

S = Full Sun

SE = Seaside Plants

PD = Poorly Drained
PE = Peaty

M = Moist

PS = Part Shade
DS = Dappled Sun

UN = Under Hedge

LS = Light Sand

W = Wet

FS = Full Shade

WO = Woodland

CH

CL

LF

PD

LS

D

M

W

S

PS

FS

AC

AL

BA

EX

PA

SE

UN

WO

LS

AN

RB

SE

Achillea ptmarmica 'The Pearl'

30 x 24 (75 x 60)

Sneezewort in Wildflower

AN

AN

EX

RB

Aciphylla aurea groundcover grows on any Soil.

Cream

from Commons-wikimedia

Jun-Aug

Yellow-ish-green

Use in rock garden, spine-tipped boundary hedge and as a speciman.

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Evergreen Perennial

Fierce spine-tipped leaves. Grows in well-drained gritty soil, preferring a generally cool but not too wet climate. Coloniser of arid windswept, cold dry grassland and tussock areas in New Zealand.

AN

PS

AN

RB

WO

Aconitum anthora groundcover grows on any Soil.

Yellow

from Commons-wikimedia

Jul-Sep

Blue-green

Use in Woodland , rest of border and flower arranging.

24 x 12 (60 x 30)

Herbaceous Perennial

The poison in any aconitum can be taken in through the skin, so always wear gloves and cover exposed skin when working with this plant. Aconitum grow in full sun or dappled shade in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. All aconitums are poisonous.

CL

AN

AN

Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum' groundcover grows on any, clay, Lime-free (Acid) or Sandy Soil.

Compound umbels of numerous white, pink or cream flowers

May-Jun

It has off-white splotches on the edges and surface of its varie-gated leaves.

from Commons-wikimedia

Use in Pot and in ground where it
cannot grow into other plants. Can be quite effective when grown in the shade of trees or large shrubs.

24 x indefinite
(60 x indefinite)

Ground Elder in Wildflower

A pernicious weed in gardens.

Frost hardy but drought tender, preferring moist well-drained soil in an open sunny position. Excellent weed-proof ground-cover. Invasive. Best in a pure, contained planting as a ground cover.

AN

AN

RB

Agapanthus campanulatus groundcover grows on any, Lime-free (Acid) or Sandy Soil.

Pale to dark lavender-blue

Agapanthus campan-ulatus P07282 from Hardy Plant Society.

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Grow in Pot

AN

AN

RB

Agapanthus 'Dorothy Palmer' groundcover grows on any, Lime-free (Acid) or Sandy Soil.

36 x 24 (90 x 60)

Herbaceous Per

All Agapanthus contrast well with yellow flowers. Easily combined with kniphofia, crocosmia, phygelius, potentilla and iris.
 

Grow in Pot

AN

AN

RB

Althaea armeniaca

48 x 12 (120 x 30)

AN

AN

RB

Amsonia illustris

48 x 18 (120 x 45)

CH

AN

AN

RB

SE

Anchusa azurea

48 x 24 (120 x 60)

CH

LS

AL

RB

WO

Anemone hupehensis

24 x 16 (60 x 40)

CH

LS

AL

RB

WO

Anemone rivularis

30 x 12 (75 x 30)

CH

LS

AN

RB

WO

Aquilegia chrysantha

36 x 24 (90 x 60)

LF

LS

AC

WO

Arctostaphylos patula

72 x 72 (180 x 180)

LS

AN

RB

SE

Artemesia abrotanum

30 x 30 (75 x 75)

LS

AN

RB

Artemesia arborescens

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

AN

AN

RB

WO

Aruncus dioicus 'Kneiffii'

48 x 18 (120 x 45)

CH

LS

AL

WP

Asplenium scolopendrium

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

CL

AN

RB

SE

Aster novae-angliae

60 x 24 (150 x 60)

Michaelmas Daisy in Wildflower

CL

AN

RB

SE

Aster novi-belgii

48 x 36 (120 x 90)

Michaelmas Daisy in Wildflower

CL

AN

RB

SE

Aster novi-belgii 'Ada Ballard'

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Michaelmas Daisy in Wildflower

CL

AN

RB

SE

Aster novi-belgii 'Royal Velvet'

48 x 24 (120 x 60)

Michaelmas Daisy in Wildflower

AN

AN

RB

WO

Astilbe 'Fanal'

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

Grow in Bog

AN

AN

RB

WO

Astilbe
'Professor van der Wielen'

48 x 39 (120 x 97)

Grow in Bog

AN

AN

RB

WO

Astilbe 'Straussenfeder'

36 x 24 (90 x 60)

Grow in Bog

CH

LS

AL

RB

WO

Astrantia major

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

Pink Masterwort in Wildflower

Grow in Bog

LF

LS

AC

WO

Athyrium filix-femina

48 x 24 (120 x 60)

Lady Fern in Wildflower

Grow in Bog,
Back of Shady Border

CH

LS

AL

SE

Aucuba japonica 'Crotonofolia'

60 x 48 (150 x 120)

Grow as Hedge and Pollution Barrier

CH

LS

AL

SE

Aucuba japonica 'Rozannie'

36 x 120 (90 x 300)

Grow as Hedge and Pollution Barrier

CH

LS

AL

RB

Baptista australis

60 x 24 (150 x 60)

CH

AL

RB

Berberis 'Chenaultii'

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

CH

AL

RB

Berberis calliantha

30 x 36 (75 x 90)

CH

AL

RB

Berberis thunbergii
'Atropurpurea Nana'

24 x 30 (60 x 75)

CH

AL

RB

Berberis x bristolensis

60 x 72 (150 x 180)

CH

AL

RB

Berberis x frikartii 'Telstar'

48 x 60 (120 x 150)

CH

AL

RB

Berberis x interposita
'Wallich's Purple'

60 x 72 (150 x 180)

CH

PE

LS

AL

RB

Betula nana

24 x 48 (60 x 120)

Dwarf Birch in Wildflower

CH

LS

AN

RB

Brachyglottis 'Dunedin Hybrids'

60 x 72 (150 x 180)

CH

LS

AN

RB

Brachyglottis compacta

36 x 72 (90 x 180)

CH

LS

PA

Buphthalmum salicifolium

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

CH

LS

Bupleurum fruticosum

72 x 96 (180 x 240)

Back of Shady Border

CH

LS

PA

Buxus microphylla

30 x 60 (75 x 150)

Grow as Border Edging Hedge

CH

LS

Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Box in Wildflower

Grow as Hedge

Callistemon citrinus 'Austraflora Firebrand'

60 x 144 (150 x 360)

Callistemon pityoides

60 x 36 (150 x 90)

Campanula latifolia

48 x 24 (120 x 60)

Giant Bellflower in Wildflower

Campanula persicifolia

36 x 12 (90 x 30)

Campanula portenschlagiana

72 x 24 (180 x 60)

Cardamine raphanifolia

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

Carex elata 'Aurea'

28 x 18 (70 x 45)

Tufted Sedge in Wildflower

Carex pendula

54 x 60 (135 x 150)

Drooping Sedge in Wildflower

Catananche caerulea

24 x 12 (60 x 30)

Caulophyllum thalictroides

30 x 6 (75 x 15)

Ceanothus 'Italian Skies'

60 x 120 (150 x 300)

Ceanothus 'Southmead'

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

Ceanothus divergens

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Centaurea cineraria

32 x 18 (80 x 45)

Centaurea macrocephala

60 x 24 (150 x 60)

Centranthus ruber

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Red Valerian in Wildflower

Ceratostigma willmotianum

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Chaenomeles x superba

60 x 72 (150 x 180)

Chaenomeles x superba
'Crimson and Gold'

36 x 72 (90 x 180)

Chaenomeles x superba
'Rowallane'

36 x 72 (90 x 180)

Chamaedaphne calyculata

30 x 36 (75 x 90)

Cimicifuga japonica

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

Cistus x corbariensis

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Cistus x cyprius

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

Cistus x florentinus

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Cistus x purpureus

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Clematis integrifolia

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

Clematis recta

48 x 30 (120 x 75)

Clerodendrum bungei

72 x 72 (180 x 180)

Convolvulus cneorum

30 x 36 (75 x 90)

Coreopsis auriculata

32 x 24 (80 x 60)

Coreopsis verticillata

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

Cornus alba 'Elegantissima'

72 x 72 (180 x 180)

Cornus stolonifera 'Flaviramea'

72 x 144 (180 x 360)

Coronilla valentina

60 x 60 (180 x 180)

Corydalis nobilis

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

Cotoneaster 'Coral Beauty'

36 x 72 (90 x 180)

Cotoneaster integrifolius

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Cotoneaster linearifolius

30 x 30 (75 x 75)

Cotoneaster rotundifolius

30 x 24 (75 x 60)

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

36 x 3 (90 x 7)

Crocosmia 'Solfatare'

24 x 3 (60 x 7)

Cytisus 'Lena'

48 x 60 (120 x 150)

Cytisus praecox 'Zeelandia'

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

Cytisus scoparius 'Killiney Red'

48 x 60 (120 x 150)

Broom in Wildflower

Daphne acutiloba

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

Daphne alpina

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

Daphne laureola

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Spurge-Laurel in Wildflower

Daphne longilobata

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

Daphne odora

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

Daphne retusa

30 x 30 (75 x 75)

Desfontainia spinosa

72 x 72 (180 x 180)

Deutzia gracilis

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Digitalis laevigata

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Disporum hookeri

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Doronicum austriacum

48 x 48 (120 x 120)

Doronicum pardalianches

36 x 24 (90 x 60)

Leopardsbane in Wildflower

Dryopteris affinis

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Dryopteris carthusiana

24 x 12 (60 x 30)

Dryopteris erythrosora

24 x 15 (60 x 37)

Dryopteris filix-mas

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Dryopteris wallichiana

36 x 30 (90 x 75)

Epilobium angustifolium
f. album

60 x 36 (150 x 90)

Erigeron 'Charity'

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

Eryngium alpinum

28 x 18 (70 x 45)

Eryngium planum

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Erysimum 'Bowles' Mauve'

30 x 24 (75 x 60)

Escallonia 'Edinensis'

72 x 120 (180 x 300)

Escallonia 'Langleyensis'

72 x 120 (180 x 300)

Escallonia 'Pride of Donard'

60 x 96 (150 x 240)

Euonymous fortunei 'Sarcoxie'

48 x 48 (120 x 120)

Eupatorium cannabinum

60 x 48 (150 x 120)

Euphorbia amygdaloides

30 x 12 (75 x 30)