The best part of Spring in the Sweetwater Gardens is when all the perennial ground covers start to show their bright happy green selves.
When gardens cover as much real estate as the ones around here.....ground covers make a big difference!
Here are 7 Sweet Ground Covers to try if you don't know about them already!
Lamium
This plant loves Sweetwater!
It comes up everywhere.....
In the rocks....
In the lawn.....
But in the Shady part of the garden,
Lamium is a star with it's ability to flower in the shade!!
Pachysandra
no....not an elephant named Sandra!!!
but a shiny, creeping ground cover that stays green almost year round....even in Minnesota!
It makes a great border....I just keep ripping it up and plopping it in new spots around the yard.
I love to use Pachysandra in arrangements as fill.
The sturdy leaves almost become their own "flower frog".
Wild Ginger
You can't eat it....it is poisonous....but you can look at it...
The texture and shape are a nice companion to the Lamium and Pachysandra!
Fiddlehead Fern
The best camouflage for the compost bin is the stand of Ferns that is finally taking root!
Yah....they seem to be rooting everywhere...
I dig them up and transplant them to pots for "free" spikes in planters.
I planted this pot yesterday...the pot WAS clean before our morning thunderstorm!
I planted this pot yesterday...the pot WAS clean before our morning thunderstorm!
The variety I have does not cut well....hmmmm....maybe I need to shop for a kind that does!
Creeping Thyme
This little gem is the star of the Sweetwater entrance when it is in bloom.
This little gem is the star of the Sweetwater entrance when it is in bloom.
Some people call it a "steppable" because you can walk on it and when you do....
a lovely aroma comes up!
Sedum
There are so many varieties of sedum....and every one is a great ground cover for sunny spots.
There are so many varieties of sedum....and every one is a great ground cover for sunny spots.
This little bright yellow version transplants well and is sturdy enough to be "steppable".
The common name for some Sedum is "Stonecrop"....guess this photo shows why!
The bright yellow flowers will show up in a month or so and be pretty showy!
This teensy tiny Sedum is "Stonecropping" everywhere in the landscape rocks....Yikes!
The common name for some Sedum is "Stonecrop"....guess this photo shows why!
The bright yellow flowers will show up in a month or so and be pretty showy!
This teensy tiny Sedum is "Stonecropping" everywhere in the landscape rocks....Yikes!
Hosta
At Sweetwater the Hosta is otherwise named "Deer Food"
But never the less.....we have an abundance of the stuff!
Big Leaved....Small Leaves.....Tall....Short....Dark Green.....Yellow
We love them all and move them at random all over the gardens.
I wish I was one of those gardeners who keep track of the names of their plants....
But alas, I am NOT that gardener....so I never know what to tell people when they ask...
So Sweetwater is full of NO NAME Hosta....like the Steak!!!
There you have them....some of my favorite plants!
Feel free to comment with YOUR favorites!
Have a very green day!
Have all of those in great abundance in my very shady gardens -- except the wild ginger. Don't think I have ever seen that. And I've never thought of using the excess fern as free pot spikes -- great idea! thanks so much for sharing on Busy Monday!
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