Hi,

It really depends on how much sun we're talking about. Does the soil get dry during the summer? If you have partial shade you can try lily of the valley-spreads real fast-vinca, with less flowering, or Epimedium, which needs moisture the first year, then adapts to dry shade. Sweet woodruff is a pretty, fast growing groundcover. Ajuga spreads fast, Lamium does not. Both attractive and hardy. Creeping Jenny would work if you have moisture too.

Jen

The area is very dry because the hose doesn't reach that far (about 5 feet too short). I was actually thinking I'd like something very invasive, because my neighbors lawn is composed entirely of sand burrs and other painful stickers. And because there is a huge area that doesn't support grass over there. I could water it, though. I'd just have to make my hubby fix the spicket on that side of the house and the hose would reach...

I just checked out the epimedium, those look great. I really like them too. I just wonder about their height. They are a little on the tall side. Since this will be such a large area, maybe I should just try a few of each groundcover and see what does best? If nothing else, at least I'll have the "texture" differences that the garden-design book are always nagging about! Now I just need to find a place that sells the seeds of ajuga, epi, and sweet woodruff... any suggestions?

Thanks,
Sarah

Hi Sarah,

With the area being so dry it limits your choices. It would be best to water the area regularly if possible. You could grow a big variety of groundcovers. If not, your best bets would be lily of the valley and epimedium. There are different epis, and they dont grow that tall. I would check out bluestoneperennials.com Good luck!

Jen

Thanks for the website, Jen. They have the sweet woodruff and my favorite coreopsis 'moonbeam'. And it's such a pretty, informative site too! I'm still hunting for epi's though. I wonder if they are something that my local nursery would carry?

I have seen Epimedium at my local greenhouse. Do you have a greenhouse nearby? If not try googling for different nurseries. You could also try ebay in spring, I've bought plants there before and they look great. Good luck,

Jen