Name a Good Groundcover For This Area

last year

last modified: last year

I have a small garden area that gets too moist for succulents. What would be a good groundcover for this area? This is a Mediterranean climate, and this patch will get 95F direct sun in the Summer. Look for the red rectangle in this photo. That is where I need the new groundcover. The groundcover to the right of that is a variety of Thyme. I prefer a plant that is evergreen down to about 40F during the Winter.

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

last year

Judging by the size of the cobble edging and the surrounding plants, that area is far too small to accommodate any of the previous suggestions with the exception of the helianthemum. And that is really the only species suggested that offers much of a ground covering habit as well. IMO, that's a good choice for this area.

Arenaria montana (note that montana is the species name, not a specific cultivar) or mountain sandwort would work also. This is a very common springtime plant in area nurseries here so I'd not expend the time nor effort to grow from seed for what you need. A single 4" pot will fill that area in no time. Flowering is limited to a few weeks in spring, as is the helianthemum. Both are evergreen but the helianthemum has a much wider color choice.

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Comments (11)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Maybe a Cistus?
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK Cistus is too big for that area, but I like the genus and decided to additionally order a Cistus "Sunset" for use elsewhere.
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westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
I ordered some seeds for Arenaria "Montana", which appears to grow out a small and low crop of flowers.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
last modified: last year
You didn't specify the dimensions of the space. There are many Cistus of various sizes. Also Halimiums and Halimiocistus. Another possibility is Convolvulus cneorum. Also Helianthemums.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK All of those are interesting. I am bookmarking this for consideration for a new area I am building out.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) I agree most of those genera/species were too big for this small area. But I am saving them for another location.

Arenaria montana is supposed to bloom all Summer long? See this very short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWCJXO7m4p4
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Rarely does one find accurate horticultural info on YouTube. From personal experience, this plant flowers in my zone 9 from mid to late spring (April - June-ish). About the same time frame and duration as the helianthemum.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
last modified: last year
Obviously the choice is yours, but I want to clarify that the smaller Cistus do work as ground covers. You just plant several. C cneorum is used the same way. https://www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.uk/shop/ground-cover/cistus-corbariensis-ground-cover/#:~:text=As%20a%20rough%20guide%20when,weed%20supressing%20carpet%20very%20quickly.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
suzy jackson
last year
last modified: last year
erysimum scoparium

linum campanulatum

campanula portenschlagiana

santolina 'Lemon Fizz'

dianthus deltoides, gratianopolis

antennaria (pussytoes) - various inc. dioica rubra, howellii

sedum pulchellum, forsterianum

hedysarum boreale

I use all of these in my dry, sunny allotment gravel gardens along with spring flowering aubrieta, arabis and sandworts (arennaria). I particularly like the canary island wallflowers (erysimum) and santolina as both stand up well all season long and look good even without flowers.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked suzy jackson
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
@suzy jackson Erysimum looks like a strong flowering plant and has a nice leaf too