Need Advice. Flowering Groundcovers and Moisture

11 years ago

Friend is redoing an entrance way to an apartment complex. He wants a flowering perenial, not too tall, full sun, long flowering or reblooming that can withstand being watered everyday for a couple of hours. The lawn sprinklers for the complex will hit this area daily and not much can be done to change that. We are in zone 6, although with the right micro environ i've easily pushed that zone. There are a lot of larger stones in the island entrance so lots of residual heat.

This is the first area seen on entering the complex and he would like it to make a statement. Nothing leggy, at least 6" tall , probably no more than 18" tall. This is a very contained area so not worried about it growing out of bounds, or the grass encroaching. Area is roughly 18 feet round.

Thanks for ant advice.

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PRO

KD Landscape

11 years ago

Not sure about your sun/shade situation but if daily watering is happening you might want to try a sedge such as Carex sprengelii or Carex divulsa. Cultivars 'Ice Dance' and 'Evergold' will both take a lot of soil moisture.

Another consideration would be an Equisetum (horsetail) selection. They make a very strong vertical statement. Have seen them used as a monoculture in contained areas with great success. Good luck!!

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Comments (8)

arlene_82 (zone 6 OH)
11 years ago

Myosotis scorpioides (Water forget-me-not)? Trying this one myself for the first time (from seed) this year.
laceyvail 6A, WV
11 years ago
Liriope maybe,
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User
11 years ago
Horsetail is the debbil.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
11 years ago
Amen to that!!
PRO
KD Landscape
11 years ago
I am chuckling at "horsetail is the debbil." Eye of the beholder perhaps. Here in Zone 5 it would be an uncommon native that is seen as desirable in water gardens and bog plantings. Soldier Field, home to the Bears, has a large (contained) planting that is very effective. I promise not to bring any west or south in my travels! :)

Yours In Gardening,

John Algozzini
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
K & D - It might be desirable in your part of zone 5, but no where I've lived (various parts of OH, MA, and NH) has horsetail/Equisetum been anything other than a garden pest unless it was in a container to restrain it from spreading. In wilder areas it's not an issue.
PRO
KD Landscape
10 years ago
@NHBabs. Mostly I find horsetail to be an interesting piece of discussion among gardeners, landscape architects and native plant people. It is clearly a native plant here in Illinois and other parts of the Midwest, yet I frequently hear it and see it referenced as a garden pest. I have seen it listed as a desirable plant for phytoremediation. Anyway, a good point of dialogue from a couple of different perspectives is usually a good thing. And just for the record, I have never personally included it in a planting plan. :) Be well and I hope spring is near.