12 Groundcovers for Your Gardening Space

12 Groundcovers for Your Garden

Welcome to This Month in the Garden! Groundcovers are a welcomed addition to many a garden and are known for their relatively low maintenance and adaptability. Many are drought tolerant once established, will thrive in a variety of soil types, and often serve as the perfect addition for those trouble spots. While planning your gardening season, you may want to consider some of these interesting selections.

Lusimachia nummularia 'Moneywort' (Creeping Jenny)

First on the list is Creeping Jenny. This evergreen perennial with lime green foliage will create a carpet of color. Hardy in USDA zones 3-9, this vigorous groundcover grows to a height of 2-4 inches tall and has a spread of 18-24 inches wide. Plant this perennial in full sun to partial shade in a moderately moist soil and give it space to grow. Bright golden-yellow flowers are produced late spring into summer. Creeping Jenny is perfect for planting in rock gardens or surrounding  a garden statue.

Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow' (Bugleweed)

Ajuga or Bugleweed is a quick growing, easy to maintain groundcover, which is excellent when planted in shady locations where other plants may have difficulty. Hardy in UDSA zones 3-9, Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow' is one of the most popular varieties of ajuga, known for its low mounding foliage which is dappled in hues of green, cream and smoky pink to burgundy. Spikes of blue-purple flowers appear in mid-spring to early summer on a 4-6 inch tall by 12-18 inch wide plant. 'Burgundy Glow' is excellent as a groundcover in smaller areas. If you are looking to cover a larger area, either bronze or green-leaved varieties, such as 'Catlin's Giant' are recommended. Plant ajuga in full sun to full shade in a location with moderate watering. Ajuga is butterfly friendly and deer resistant.

Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nanus' (Dwarf Mondo Grass)

Hardy in USDA zones 6-10, Dwarf Mondo Grass is perfect as a groundcover, edging or mass planting. This variety forms a mat of evergreen foliage 6-12 inches high by wide and prefers to be grown in filtered sun and a moderately moist soil. In summer, small stalks with purple flowers emerge. Mondo Grass is low maintenance, often used as a lawn substitute and is deer resistant.

Liriope muscari 'Variegata' (Variegated Lilyturf)

Hardy in USDA zones 6-11, Liriope 'Variegata' (Lilyturf) is a clump forming evergreen perennial, displaying striped green and creamy white grass-like variegated foliage on an 8 to16 inch tall by 8 to 12 inch wide plant. Liriope is perfect as a groundcover in areas of partial to full shade where ornamental grasses may have difficulty. In mid-summer to early fall, short spikes of deep purple flowers resembling tiny Grape Hyacinths appear, adding late season interest to the landscape. To promote new growth, remove any winter damaged foliage from this perennial in early spring once new foliage starts to emerge.

Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox or Moss Pink)

Creeping or groundcover phlox is an excellent herbaceous perennial, forming a carpet of colorful blooms in mid-late spring. Hardy in USDA zones 3-8, this perennial grows to a height and width of 4-6 inches tall by 12-18 inches wide and prefers a location with full sun and a moderately moist well drained soil. This popular perennial is best suited for rock gardens, slopes and perennial borders. Depending on the species, blooms range from white to pink, rose, lavender and magenta. Creeping phlox does not require deadheading, but a slight shearing after bloom can make for a tidier plant and in some cases a second bloom.

Sedum 'Dragon's Blood'

Sedum Dragon's Blood may seem like a strange name, but it comes from the color of this interesting plant. This succulent perennial, hardy in USDA zones 3-9, exhibits deep rosy-red foliage that persists throughout summer and into fall. Deep red flower buds open to pink star shaped blooms in early to late summer and last for weeks. Sedum 'Dragon's Blood' prefers a well-drained soil in full sun and is drought tolerant once established. This plant is excellent in rock gardens and borders, quickly forms a carpet of color, and can be easily propagated from stem cuttings.

Sedum 'Angelica'

Hardy in USDA zones 6-9, Sedum 'Angelica' is a groundcover succulent known or its golden-yellow foliage and delicate yellow blooms that come about in mid-summer. Foliage is evergreen in warmer climates and turns to a copper-orange before dormancy in colder climates. Plant Sedum 'Angelica' in a location with full sun and a well-drained soil. This perennial is an excellent addition to rock gardens, waterfalls, borders and hard to grow places and is drought tolerant once established.

Sedum 'Aurea'

Sedum 'Aurea' is yet another variety of low maintenance succulent. Sedum 'Aurea' is hardy in USDA zones and forms a 2-4 inch high carpet of tiny pale yellow leaves followed by yellow star-like blooms in summer. Plant this perennial in full sun to partial shade in a well-drained soil. Propagation is easily accomplished through stem cuttings and this perennial can easily be used in hard to reach places, as in between crevasses on a waterfall or rock wall.

Sedum 'Lime Twister'

Hardy in USDA zones 4-9, Sedum 'Lime Twister' is a low maintenance succulent groundcover excellent for rock gardens, containers and borders. Two-tone lime green foliage edged with creamy yellow leads to the production of soft pink flower clusters in late summer. Plant 'Lime Twister' in full to partial sun in a well-drained soil. This perennial is drought tolerant once established. Average size is approximately 4 inches tall by 18 inches wide.

Dwarf  Golden Sweet Flag

Acorus gramineus ‘Minimus Aureus’ (Dwarf Golden Sweet Flag) is not a true grass but grows in tufts of golden grass-like leaves, forming a dense carpet of bright golden semi-evergreen foliage. Sweet Flag is hardy in zones 5-9 and prefers to be grown in partial sun to dense shade in a moderately moist soil. This dwarf variety slowly spreads by rhizomes and reaches a height of just 4 inches tall with a spread of 8-12 inches or more. Sweet Flag serves nicely in a pond setting, rock garden, or foundation planting, or as a ground cover under the canopy of trees.

Variegated Golden Sedge

Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ (Variegated Japanese Sedge) is a grass-like evergreen perennial forming low clumps only 6-8 inches tall by 9-12 inches wide. It prefers to be grown in part sun to full shade in a moist, loamy soil. Carex ‘Evergold’ is hardy in zones 5-9 and displays a green-yellow variegated foliage.  It serves nicely in a rock garden, foundation planting or perennial border.

Vinca minor (Periwinkle)

Last, but not least is Vinca minor, also known as Periwinkle. Vinca minor is a popular evergreen groundcover, hardy in USDA zones 4-8, that forms a dense carpet of trailing stems with dark evergreen foliage. Tubular lavender-blue flowers are produced in spring and early summer, which last for several weeks into fall. Vinca minor prefers a location with full sun to part shade in a dry to medium soil. Plants grow to a height and width of approximately 4-6 inches tall and spread to a width of 18 inches and more. This perennial is deer resistant and drought tolerant once established.

Sedum Groundcover Mix

12 Groundcovers for Your Garden

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden-12 Groundcovers for Your Space. Be sure to stop by on the 1st. and 15th. of each month as I continue to share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! (Linking with: Floral Fridays, Macro Monday 2, Ruby Tuesday and Image-in-ing Weekly Photo Link-Up.

 For gardening info and tips: Visit my Author Page/Purchase My Books  😊

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations
Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

~As Always...Happy Gardening~

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 

Book Launching-Introducing Gardening by Month

Book Launching!

While the world has been in disarray, I have been spending more time in the garden than ever and decided to put some of my energy into writing again. I had been working on a personal reference for some time, which took off by storm during the pandemic. I had done research trying to find a gardening book that listed plant interest by month, and after much searching, I could not find anything that would do just that. There are references that list plants in alphabetical order or by type, but the search came up short when looking for interesting features by month. This resulted in my fourth book. 

Book Announcement!

I am very excited to announce the publication of Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden. As a landscape designer for over 25 years, my focus always is to create a garden that has something of interest twelve months a year. I have added elements that focus on blooms, bark, berries or foliage to my own garden over the years to create something to look forward to during every season, and I now have a 12-month garden to enjoy. I have created this book so that you too can experience continuing interest in your space throughout every month of the year.

Book Description: 

Have you ever wondered if you could have interest in the garden twelve months a year? The answer is a definitive yes!  Through years of experience as a landscape designer, I have accumulated a list of plants which are hardy in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions that will provide ongoing interest for your outdoor space. Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic Garden will take you on a journey through each month of the year, while providing that perfect mix of gardening interest along the way. Colorful photographs are followed by descriptions of each plant according to bloom time, foliage color or other notable characteristics, so that you can enjoy your outdoor space during every season. Additionally, environmental needs, plant care and maintenance tips are provided for each selection with any other important information. Finally, gardening tips and a summary of gardening chores are provided for each month. Are you ready for a twelve-month interest garden? Then come along and plan away!

• Organizes plant interest by month for easy reference. 
• Plan with over 120 plant selections to choose from. 
• Colorful photographs are supplied with plant descriptions and care requirements. 
• Monthly gardening chores are suggested for each month.
• Plant maintenance and care tips are recommended to help you maintain a healthy garden. 
• Helpful pointers on soil types, characteristics and identification are given.
• Achieve the 12 month all season garden you have been looking for. 
  

So, now it is official and the Look Inside features are up and running, so you can get an idea of the book’s layout. I was also honored to be a guest on the Better Lawns and Gardens Radio Talk Show to discuss this newest book, along with offering some landscape design tips! Follow the link to listen to the interview and learn about my gardening adventures, and afterwards, come by and check out the new book!😊 That’s it for This Month in the Garden. Be sure to visit on the 1st and 15th of each month for gardening news, tips and updates in the horticultural world!

For book details and purchase, visit My Author Page & Books and thank you for your support.

 A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations 

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

“Anyone who thinks gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the year; for gardening begins in January and ends with the dream.” ~Josephine Nuesse 

~As Always...Happy Gardening! ~

Author: Lee@ A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 

Long Island Gardening Year in Review: 2020

2020 Gardening Year in Review

As you read this, it is a new year...that of 2021. It is a time for happier and healthier days and new adventures to look forward to. As I look back, I am a thankful for the support of family and friends and also for the relationships I have built over the years with you...my colleagues. As with many, the garden became even more an important necessity of life, bringing purpose, tranquility and peace. Welcome to a summary of my 2020 Long Island, zone 7a garden. For full posts, click on the individual links under each photo.

January

Similar to last year, January was once again one of the mildest on record, with some days in the 50's and warm enough to go outside without a winter's coat. I would venture out into the garden regularly, even though it was winter. There were days in the lower digits of course, with a first dusting of snow on the 8th, but the milder days left me dreaming more about spring and what awaited outdoors. The much needed feeling of seeing something coming to life was accomplished by Hellebores, as they started to bud and bloom!

February

By February, Hellebores were in full bloom and even perennials started to show their presence in the back garden beds. It was one of the mildest winters on record here in the northeast. According to the words of Dali Lama, "Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." This quote is so true, as one of the first things I did each morning was to gaze upon my garden, which always brings joy.

March

By March, word of the pandemic had come out, but with the start of spring, there was much excitement all around the garden as plants awakened from their winters sleep. After a couple of days of cold temperatures in the 40's here in the northeast, the trend was  a stretch of upper 50's, bringing in spring at full speed ahead. Normally, my season would have been starting up, but things were on hold in the horticultural industry, and no one knew for long long. That didn’t stop the flowers from blooming though.

April

By April, co-vid really started to settle in as a reality. Not being able to travel to the homes of clients, I escaped to the garden as a place of refuge, solitude and peace. I kept myself occupied up to four to five hours a day doing what I love most...pruning, weeding, planting and putting my hands in the dirt. The dirtier my hands and the infamous purple Crocs became was an indication of the total productivity for that day. Life was good in the garden.

May

The month of May came in like a lion, but not in a way you would imagine. For the first time in over a century, May 9th brought in a cold front with a daytime high of 46 degrees accompanied by snow squalls. Yes...I said snow squalls in May! Thankfully, it was a short visit, returning to normal conditions in the 60's the following day. After the loss of two Weeping Birch that had lived out their lifespan, and after much decision making, I chose two Lavender Twist Redbuds to be added to the front garden bed. I did have the birch trees for may good years, and the blooms on the Redbuds (photo above, bottom right) are beautiful. I look forward to many years of enjoyment with them. As the gardening season was well underway, some of the restrictions had been lifted on the 15th, allowing those of us in the horticultural industry to visit the properties of clients once again. 

June

As the month of June arrived, it almost seemed as if "Mother Nature" had thrown a switch transforming cooler temperatures in the 60's to a sudden jump into the 70's and low 80's. With the sudden surge in warmth and frequent thunderstorms, the garden had jumped into high gear. This is one of my favorite times to be in the garden, my own and the gardens of others, as there is always something new to see! As you can see, Allium Globemaster and Peony (top right and top left) produced tons of blooms!

July

July arrived with temperatures rising up into the upper 80's and 90's, and the "dog days" of summer had arrived. The July garden was now in its third major phase of blooms as Crape Myrtle, Hydrangea, Echinacea and Rudbeckia made their appearance along with ongoing blooms from May and June, and  hydrangea blooms were bountiful this year!

August

August brought in another rollercoaster ride with Tropical Storm Isaias on the 4th, bringing high winds gusting to 60 miles per hour, followed by the power going out at 3 pm, and not returning until three days later. There were trees and branches down everywhere, and I cringed as I watched the garden with each gust of wind. Thankfully, the garden pulled through without harm and all was well again, but there was a week of clean up to keep one busy!

September

By September, temperatures had moderated into the upper 70's, blue skies were frequent and humid days had vanished. Cooler breezes rushed in during mornings and evenings and the the garden started to transition into fall mode with blooms of Butterfly Bush, Crape Myrtle, Daylily and Sedum continuing. 

October

The autumn colors were beautiful his year. As the daytime temperatures dropped into the 60's, it was the perfect time for working in the garden. Montauk Daisies, Butterfly Bush, and Chrysanthemums were all in bloom! I would take frequent walks to the pond down the street or walk around the local arboretum to admire all the fall views and enjoy some quality time outdoors. Another new addition to the back garden bed was this St. John's Wort (top right), which is bringing with it a lot of interest.

November

As the pandemic continued and a presidential election was underway, the month of November had been anything but ordinary. I spent much of my time working for hours at a time outside in the garden and continuing those walks. The daytime temperatures were like a rollercoaster, with 50's and 60's, then a first frost, then several days in the mid to upper 70's with a high of 76 ℉ on the 8th. Taking advantage of the warmer days, I had gotten many of the seasonal chores done in the garden and continued working at the properties of clients. 

December

December came in like a lamb with mild temperatures in the 50's and suddenly turned overnight to daytime highs in the upper 30's to low 40's! Then came a return of spring for several days with one day reaching a record 59 degrees, followed by Winter Storm Gail on the 16th with 6 inches of snow here on Long Island, just enough to blanket everything in white! Until then, I continued to spend much time in the garden. The remainder of the snow stuck around just long enough until Christmas Eve day. This was the first snow we had had in December in a long time.

Winter's First Snow

Book Announcement!!!

So what does one do during the year of a pandemic? I have been working on a new book for sometime, but it really came to be during this past year, as I had the time to think and reflect. It's called Gardening by Month, and is due to come out very soon! As the title indicates, it is a reference that organizes plants with interest by month for the northeast and mid-Atlantic planting regions. Whether it be blooms, bark, berries and some other feature, you can have something to look forward to 12 months a year in your garden. Watch for the release date on Amazon, which should be sometime this month!

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden for January Be sure to stop by on the 1st. of each month as I share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! Here's to a happy and healthy New Year! (Linking with: Floral Fridays, Macro Monday 2, Our World Tuesday, Travel Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, My Corner of the World, Friday Photo Journal,  Image-in-ing Weekly Photo Link-Up and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.)

Visit My Author Page 

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations 

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

~As Always...Happy Gardening! ~

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up October: The Changing Garden

Welcome to my October Garden!

Welcome to my Long Island zone 7a October garden. It's autumn and the colors of the changing seasons are starting to become evident as daytime temperatures drop into the 60's, and there is a slight chill in the air. It's the time of year when temperatures are perfect for working in the garden and the 70's are considered a heat wave. It's a time when there is still much to enjoy and the garden can be looked upon as either getting ready to go to sleep, or just preparing for the next big display. October 15th is also the time for another monthly walk in the garden to see what's blooming. Come along for a stroll!

It's Chrysanthemum Season!

When autumn arrives, it is Chrysanthemum season and the mums are out in full display. A Knucklehead (Wart) pumpkin is added as a conversation piece. This pumpkin is a cross between a gourd and pumpkin and I make a point of finding one each year. It just fascinates me!

Buddleia 'Pugster Blue'

Behind the mums is Buddleia 'Pugster Blue' This dwarf variety of butterfly bush is much hardier than its predecessors and blooms all the way through to the first frost. This one will return to the garage for overwintering.

Mums!

This variety of mums were intriguing with their multiple colors, so they were a must have!

Kousa Dogwood

Let's stroll around to the back gardens. One of my favorite things are the fruit on the Kousa Dogwood as the tree goes into fall mode. We will come around for a close up in a little bit.

Monarch Butterfly

Back to the patio area, we need to take a peek at this beautiful Monarch Butterfly on the butterfly bush (of course!). This butterfly is one happy camper!

Fruit of Kousa Dogwood

Back to the Kousa Dogwood. Did you know that the soft pump of the fruit is edible with a taste similar to ripe persimmon? They are also a picnic for birds.

Montauk Daisies

Here are the Montauk Daisies I planted by the back patio in the cut out garden a couple of years ago so that I could enjoy their blooms from the window every year. There are a nice addition for fall interest and help to extend the season.

Montauk Daisies October Bloom

I enjoy viewing and photographing these from up close!

Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort)

On a stroll through the nursery, I came across this Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) and it caught my attention. I have not had this plant as part of my designs, but perhaps I will start incorporating it. It gets yellow flowers in summer followed by red berries in fall and is "deer resistant". I am giving this one a test run in the back garden to see how it does.

Daylily Stella D' Oro

It many be autumn, but here are two plants that just keep on giving throughout the fall until the first frost. They are Stella D' Oro Daylily (with a little deadheading and rejuvenation) and Double Knock Out Rose.

Double Knock Out Rose

Sometimes in late autumn, there can be frost or snowflakes on roses, but I can still get to enjoy the plants from the window overlooking the garden. Thankfully, no frost in the forecast yet!

Hydrangea 'Tardivia'

Here is Hydrangea 'Tardivia' on the northeastern side of the garden. It is a later blooming variety of panicle Hydrangea that displays flowers through mid-autumn. They make for a nice cutting flower too.

Fall Foliage

Autumn is beginning to show its signs as the foliage of the Coral Bark Maple in the front bed starts to change to hues of gold and orange.

Weeping Japanese Maple 'Viridis'

The Japanese Maple on the front lawn is starting to change its color too.

Liriope 'Variegata' (Lillyturf)

Variegated Liriope in the front bed is displaying its lovely purple-blue blooms for fall. It has been a very good season for this plant with just the right combination of temperatures and rainfall.

Red-headed Woodpecker Visitor!

Look...a visitor! This Red-Headed Woodpecker has been frequenting the feeder for the past couple of weeks, so I am keeping him well fed. While the birds have relied mostly on the garden all summer, the abundance of food is starting to decline, so it's time to keep the feeder full! I hope this visitor sticks around.

Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima'

Once of the signs that summer has ended and fall is here are the plumes on the Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' and this one can be seen in the back pool garden. It is a more compact cultivar, standing at about five feet in height. In the foreground are Sedum 'Brilliant'.

Stachys (Lamb's Ear)

In the perennial border, the Lamb's Ear have completed flowering and are now showing off their bright white soft foliage. It always looks more prominent this time of year against the yellowing foliage of Astilbe.

Tricyrtis (Toad Lily) 

Last, but not least, is this Toad Lily that I encountered while at the Peconic River Herb Farm out in Calverton, Long Island. It's not in my garden yet, but could be! It prefers moist shade, so I am looking for a place where one could go. This may mean a return trip back to the farm!

October Garden

Thank you for visiting my October garden and I hope you enjoyed your visit. As always, I enjoy hearing from you and seeing what's going on in your garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays. 

~Sharing my knowledge and passion of gardening~

My Author Page and Books

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations 

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

As Always...Happy Gardening! 😊

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2020. All rights reserved.