Chris's Weblog – City Chickens

My diary from 2004

Tag Archive: ground cover

Chris's Weblog - City Chickens > ground cover

Alchemilla Mollis – Irish Silk – Lady’s Mantle

March 28, 2022 Garden , , , , , ,

I bought seeds of this Alchemilla Mollis, commonly known as Lady’s Mantle and today, 25th March, I have scattered them around my very established Erysimum Bowles Mauve. The perennial wallflower had gone quite woody but the head of it is covered in purple flowers for most of the season. I thought that this plant might be a good companion and form a clump around the base. We shall see. That’s the excitement of gardening. You never know what might work.

The variety is Irish Silk but the plant is originally a native of southern Europe. Its chartreuse yellow flowers grow above a mound of large leaved fresh green foliage. This deciduous perennial has gained the RHS award of garden merit. Apparently these plants are said to become invasive as they self seed. They will be challenged in my garden as no matter how much i care for it it often kills off my favourite plants. They propagate by forming large rhizomes so they sound as though once established they should survive. However, I have only sown seeds and seed to rhizome will take a year or two I bet.

Alchemilla – perennial ground cover plant.

Epimedium – Barrenwort

February 12, 2020 Garden, Photos by Glenn and Laura, Spring ,

Last year I discovered a ground cover, spring flowering plant called Epimedium. I did a bit of research and eventually bought myself a good sized root of a white variety from Ashwood Nurseries. I potted it on and after flowering I divided it into three. I am hoping that it survived the chickens and the Winter. Today I plan to have a look at them and bring them indoors for a bit of tender loving care. It is listed as ground cover and is said to thrive in dappled shade. Visually the plant looks robust then surprisingly the flowers are very delicate. I really hope that I can get a good colony of these beauties into our garden.

Apparently this species is becoming more opopular because of the arrival of a new species from China and Japan. The Asiatic varieties require summer moisture whereas Europeans can be mainstays in dry shade. A Genus of more than 50 species of evergreen and deciduous rhizomatous perennials from the Mediterranean to temperate easten Asia. They are found in woodland, scrub and shady, rocky places which gives an idea of their preferences. Info from Burncoose Nurseries.

Some varieties have been in western cultivation for the last 150 years. There is now a wide array of new Chinese species being cultivated in the west, many of which have only recently been discovered, and some of which have yet to be named. There are also many older Japanese hybrids of the genus in cultivation. Few genera of plants have seen such a dramatic increase in newly discovered species, primarily thanks to the work of Mikinori Ogisu of Japan and Darrell Probst of Massachusetts. Most varieties are proving extraordinarily amenable to general garden and container cultivation. Wiki

This plant is getting more and more interesting . There are so many different types and colours that like the Cranesbill I am spoiled for choice and my wish list it growing daily.

There is an amazing article by Tony Avent on the RHS site that is a mine of information about this very interesting genus. Its called An Overview Of Epimedium and, written in 2010, is the best source of knowledge about Epimedium that I have come across.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/publications/the-plant-review/2010-issues/march/an-overview-of-epimedium.pdf

Creeping Phlox Subulata

April 10, 2017 Garden, Pond , , , ,

The plug plants of creeping phlox ordered from T&M have been potted on into small pots of moist compost and put outside. The five varieties include, Snowflake, Candy Stripes, Emerald Cushion Blue, Red Wings and Drummonds Pink. This a completely new plant to me but caught my eye as ideal for around the pond if it gets done this year. At least they can hopefully flourish in pots for the time being.

Creeping Phlox Subulata is a stunning, wintergreen perennial and ground cover plant, with lovely star-shaped flowers. Flowering from April to June, creeping phlox grows out to an attractive and eye catching, spring flowering green carpet. Creeping phlox is much loved by gardeners all over the world for its rich flower display and grows to approximately 15 cm tall. It is an ideal rock garden or woodland plant and is a welcome addition to any flower border. This lovely plant is easy to grow and care for.

 

 

 

 

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