This is pretty much an impossible question to respond to because there is no ivy-type ground cover that will thrive in a hot, sunny location in our climate. There is a reason that you don't see ivy ground covers in hot, sunny, dry locations with poor soil and that is because they can't survive in those conditions. If your grandmother has English Ivy or Persian Ivy in shade in good soil in the back yard, she's not going to find a comparable ground cover that gives her a similar look in bad soil in a hot, sunny location.

The closest thing I can think of would be Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) and I am not even sure it could handle the conditions. Also, it is a climber, and it is going to want to climb the shrubs, the house, etc. It is green in spring and summer, turns red in fall, and then loses its leaves.

Virginia creeper (Partheocissus quinquefolia) might be able to survive, but it doesn't really look like ivy....it has 5 leaves and looks more like poison ivy than anything else (it has 5 leaves and poison ivy has 3). It has a relative, Hiedra or Thicket Creeper, (Parthenocissus inserta or P. vitacea) that can take even more sun and is more drought-tolerant, but it is very hard to find and I am not sure if it is commercially available anywhere in Oklahoma. Both Virginia Creeper and Thicket Creeper are deciduous. Their foliage is green in the spring and summer and turns red, puple or mauve in the fall before the leaves fall. And, like Boston Ivy, they will want to climb plants and walls too.

You probably need to do your best to improve the soil before you plant whichever ground cover y'all ultimately choose. Better soil that retains moisture will help a plant grow somewhat better in the conditions you've described.

Dawn

Thanks.
I pretty much thought it was impossible, but wanted to ask anyways just in case.

The golden leaved ivies can take more sun than the green. Are you talking about Hedera, Dawn? The ones with the gold foliage look better in some sun. Most plants with lighter foliage, including hostas even, do better with some sun. My 'Sum and Substance' for instance, is a lime green and gets more sun than say 'Blue Angel', which has the bluish green foliage.

Another good ground cover that will tolerate sun is the golden Moneywort (lysimachia).

If, however, you can't get anything to grow there, you're probably going to have to amend the soil. Even the toughest of plants can't take compacted soil (which is probably what she has.

Well, even though the golden-leaved hederas can take more sun, I still don't think they could survive the afternoon sun in July and August. Although, since I've never tried growing one in those conditions, I can't be sure. I just know that hederas are recommended for part-shade to full-shade and I've never seen them recommended for full sun in southern climates and growing zones. Boston Ivy 'Fenway Park', (yes, named after THAT Fenway Park) is the most heat- and sun-tolerant chartreuse Boston Ivy I can think of and it can handle afternoon sun and heat in someplace like Boston, but probably not here.

Maltomeal, if you want to try 'Fenway Park', it is available through Wayside Gardens, but I would only try one plant and see if it survives the summer before purchasing more. AND I'd improve the soil with some organic material, and put a soaker hose there so the ivy can get plenty of water.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Boston Ivy

Another good idea is just to visit some nurseries, and see if they have some planted in full sun. Nurseries like TLC might be able to suggest a good alternative, too.

Susan

Maybee if your mother would change her mind on what kind of plant maybee you could get something else such as thyme, some good verieties are lemon thyme, Mother of thyme, or even Siberian Carpet Cypress beuatiful, it looks kind of like a cedar with its leaves.

Sweet potato vine either purple or green loves sun and is a great vine. Also Asiatic Jasmine is drought resistant

My wife gets few plants to last year to year, but this one does. She calls it creeping jenny. It comes back in that cedar log on the west side of our house. I have no idea how it would do in the ground, and I am sure she has to water it some.