What would be the best ground cover for this bedding that looks decent all year around?

SocialSpud

Looking for something low maintenance that just acts as ground cover and looks decent all year around. I'll also be doing a lawn to the right of this photo so I'm weary of anything that will spread to that before I put grass seed down. Would Creeping Thyme, Creeping Phlox or Ajuga Plant 'Bugleweed' work ok? I'm not a gardener at all, just did a bit of googling but want to make sure these work well in damp Ireland too :-)

looksee

I have a patch of creeping phlox that has spread into a fairly extensive patch, maybe 2x3ft from one plant, it took a couple of years to do it. I find bugle a bit hit and miss, sometimes it will spread enthusiastically, other times it just sits there, presumably depending on the aspect etc. I also have creeping thyme which is spreading but not really looking all that inspiring in my opinion. It looks like you have a good deal better soil than I am dealing with in a number of areas so you might do better.

phormium

London Pride is a lovely little plant, spreads to big clump eventually, pretty leaves all year round and nice pink flowers just now. You could plant it every few feet and you'd get total coverage eventually. If you were anywhere near someone with a big clump it's very easy take little satelite plants from around the sides of the clump. I potted up over 30 from a friends garden last year and just the other day sown most of them in a few areas I want ground cover.

Same experience here with Bugle, spread a little bit but scrappy enough, not what I'd call ground cover really but again depends where you are Some of the geraniums are good too for coverage but do require a bit of maintenance and not that pretty in winter.

freewheeler

Would highly recommend Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver' also called Dead nettle...brilliant for ground cover and year round interest and the bees love it! Said to prefer shade/partial shade, but I've seen it growing vigorously in full sun also.

macraignil

There's a purple leaved version of Ajuga that is the ground cover plant that has done best in the garden here and has a nice blue flower at the moment that is popular with bees. Some other ones I have seem a little too vigorous and a few others not vigorous enough.

Happy gardening!

OscarMIlde

Would you consider rose bonica? It wouldn't be year round but they flower extensively from summer to late autumn and has hips after flowering to continue with a bit of colour. They are generally very healthy and low maintenance roses.

SocialSpud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120613259#Comment_120613259

Nice, thanks for that. Do you reckon I should buy seeds or buy them as potted plants? If I get potted I assume I have to put a weed barrier down which I'd rather not have to bother with right now!

looksee

Buy potted plants but don't put down weed barrier, Ajuga spreads by rooted runners and you would prevent it spreading by putting down barrier. Apart from it being a bit of a nuisance on beds anyway. You are going to have to weed it by hand for a couple of years till you get cover.

SocialSpud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120613917#Comment_120613917

Excellent thanks, makes sense, and I can plant them any time of the year?

looksee

Yes if they are potted, but be sure and water them through the summer.

SocialSpud

Great. One last question, do you know if there's much difference between these 2 types of Ajuga?

• Ajuga Plant 'Bugleweed' - https://www.thegardenshop.ie/ajuga-plant/
• Ajuga Plant 'Braunherz' - https://www.thegardenshop.ie/ajuga-plants/

looksee

Appearance mostly. I would go for the bronze/purple one, but its a matter of preference. Macgraignil suggest the purple leaf one does better, I haven't planted the green one for comparison but I do like the look of the bronze one. Are you going to put in anything else to give the bed a bit of height?

macraignil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120613802#Comment_120613802

I got mine as potted plants. I'm not sure if they are readily available as seed. They are usually available as small plants that are not very expensive and once you have them in the ground they spread with sideways growing stems with roots forming at intervals. You can get additional plants by just dividing off parts with some root as they spread. I don't use weed barrier as I don't like adding synthetic fibers to my garden that wont break down and prevent normal soil ecology developing and so in the long term harm soil fertility by preventing normal deposition of dead organic material on the soil surface. Once the Ajuga is established it seems to do a fairly good job of suppressing weeds sprouting where it is growing anyway.

Happy gardening.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120614002#Comment_120614002

Leaf colour is the main difference. I have the second one and it's a great spreader plus an incredible attractor of bees.

That price seems dear for a plant that is easy as pie to propagate. Anybody who has it would have plenty of runners that they'd gladly give you.

SocialSpud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120614051#Comment_120614051

Thanks. Yea it does seem expensive alright. Unfortunetly I don't really know anyone who's have this kind of plant. Do you have any other online garden shops I could buy from that would be a bit cheaper?

looksee

Its very common, are there no DIY (Woodies etc) or garden centres near you? If you look in the 'rockery plants' section they are usually 5 for €10 or that kind of pricing. Though if they are very small you might do as well with the somewhat bigger plants and just get half as many.

wildwillow

I second the Lamium maculatum. It would give good cover and good colour. You could add some miniature bulbs like tête-à-tête daffodils planted in clumps for extra interest and colour.

pulmonaria would work too but needs cutting back.

I would like to see about three different plant types, planted in large drifts rather than just one plant.

SocialSpud

Did I mention I wanted low maintenance haha.

I think I'm settled on the Ajuga.