Saturday, November 19, 2011

Ground cover plants for a shady bank?

I need some plants for a shady bank along the side of my drive. It is in full shade for most of the day but gets sun towards the end of the afternoon. The soil is sandy, not too good. I am no gardener so Just give me the names of something I can ask for at the garden centre! Thanks. ( ground cover low maitainence would be good!)

Ground cover plants for a shady bank?
first off, do not ask for rose of sharon, it is not a ground cover and it needs full sun to perform---the two ground covers i would recommend are pachysandra termanalis (spurge) which does not like sun, and archtostophylos uva ursi(bearberry) which for you may be the best choice--it does well in shade and actually does best in poor soil conditions and sandy soil it loves--it is a very beautiful broadleaf evergreen ground cover that spreads quickly and is easy to plant and maintain--it has small glossy green leaves and small pink flowers in may and then produces beautiful red berries in the summer and fall that can last into the winter months at which time the leaves will turn a shade of bronze-purple, giving it an added attraction both visually as well as naturally as many small birds will dine on the berries ---try it--you'll be happy with the choice----ask for bearberry if your on the east coast or kinnikanick if your on the west coast----but if your in a decent garden center i would call it by its botanical name which again is -Arctostaphylos uva ursi
Reply:I would suggest pachysandra. It is a very versatile plant that will fill in nicely and takes all kinds of conditions. It keeps its shape and most of its color during winter. It is a very easy low maintenance plant. Nurseries sell them in flats of many plants for planting larger areas. The big plus is that it is not a vine and will not spread! Do not plant any ground cover that will spread through vines. You will have eternal work of you do!
Reply:Christmas ferns- not the fastest spreading groundcover, but a beautiful, hardy, evergreen native fern. Stick in some taller hostas for accent, some foamflower or coralbells (Tiarella and Heuchera, respectively) for blooms
Reply:First of all, a Rose of Sharon is a tree. By far it is not a ground cover.





Geraniums are not ground covers plants either. And most of them are just annuals.





There are several things you could choose from. With a shady area, I would suggest:





Miniature Mat Daisies - I have these growing in my yard and they are just precious!


http://www.highcountrygardens.com/25100....





White Nancy - a very easy plant to cultivate


http://www.highcountrygardens.com/62250....





Or Vinca Major - Fast growing, pretty flowers, easy maintenance


http://www.highcountrygardens.com/98255....





All of these flowers require little watering, once established, as well.





Hope this helps you!
Reply:Rose of Sharon is the plant for you.
Reply:ivy is nice, hostas are good too., maybe blue rug juniper also.
Reply:geraniams????





i dunno i just think they pretty
Reply:Try ground cover conifers, mix plenty of peat moss in the soil before planting. Try juniperus squamata Blue Carpet, or Blue Star, Blue Chip, Green Carpet. Tsuga canadensis Jeddeloh. Hope this helps a bit.


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