A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Need help picking Groundcover

I have a fairly large area (about 5" x 15") that I have some groundcover in and would like to redo it.

Right now in the front I have some Phlox which have grown to about 2' wide. They are not doing very well.
Behind that I have some Dragon's Blood which are nice but are not real showy and are taking over.

I believe I will be taking it all out and starting over.

I diffidently want Phlox for spring color but what to get to blend in.

I would like a couple more types that will bloom late spring and summer.

It would be great to have something very showy that will mix into each other but not choke or take over each other. Color doesn"t really matter.

There is a fence in the back of the area so even having something that gets about 1" high, summer blooming there would be nice.

I live in Oregon (Zone8)

Thanks for your help,
Debbie

what kind of sun exposure does the area get?? and do you strictly want groundcover type (low growing) or are you interested in some bushes or flowers, too?

Ladys mantle dwarf yellow-green blooms all summer
also comes in red.

Pussytoes for a white or silver color.

Rockcress white or pink.

several types of Bellflowers bloom from spring to fall in a variety of colors.

Clematis x jouiniana 'Mrs Robert Brydon' this variety of clemtis works well as a grown cover.

Corydalis comes in a variety of colors and can bloom very early.

Hardy Iceplants bloom from spring to fall and come in a variety of colors also.

Ornamental strawberries this one might be to aggressive you know how strawberries can be.

Hebe will bloom several times a year the last time going into winter.

Sun roses will definitely give you great color in your ground cover

Bitterroot will bloom spring through summer and a variety of colors.

Lithodora blooms spring and fall and comes in a couple of different blues.

For-get-me-knots purple in color

Moss Phlox spring flowers in a variety of colors

Anyway these are a few I found that you might like for your garden. If you can figure out the amount of sun that spot gets it will be easier to make good selections as to which plants would do best there.

We have 2 California lilacs that we trim in about a 2ft sq cube. They are trimmed up about 1ft from the ground. Then I also have a hibiscus that is trimmed more in a pyrimid shape to it's not on the ground.

The area is in full sun except what the above bushes would shade or the fence late in the day.

I'm strictly looking for ground cover but wouldn't mind something against the fince that would be about 1ft high and blooms all summer.

I will be looking up the one's above.
I do have some Lithodora in another area in the yard and I really like them.

Thanks,
Debbie

Have you considered periwinkle?

Try Lantana, there are purple, yellow, & white groundcover lantana. They bloom all year. Mix 2 or 3 colors for more interest.

There is a website here that has a feature where you can put in the kind of thing you are looking for e.g. groundcover and your zone and sun etc and it will list what will work for you.

you could put some bearded iris in...technically it's not a ground cover, but BOY! does it spread out!!! nice leaves before and after flowering too and a ton of color varieties.

vinca is a good ground cover - flowers in spring - the leaves are nice all summer long. couple different varieties - for flower color as well as leaf type (solid or variegated).

lillies of the valley will spread out - they can get about a foot tall. daylillies are another good spreader.

the variegated hostas do okay in the sun and they will spread too.