The bed in question has poor soil, a lot of sun, is on a slope, lots of stones from a previously metalled drive and lots of weeds including and especailly woodynightshade and spurge.Ideally I suppose weedmat and bark but I expect gravity would come into play.The area was previously undergrowth from trees, and is approx 10m by 1.5m. TIA
stevee6,
Jan 17, 7:21am
Ivy would probably be your best bet as it's pretty impervious to anything. As long as you can keep it under control around the end of the area, it makes a wonderful easy care groundcover and comes in lots of leaf shapes although mostly green or green and yellow/white. A beautiful and scented alternative would be the creeping form of rosemary, but it does let some weeds through.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 17, 7:45am
At least with the prostrates when weeds poke through they can be weed wanded or pulled easily! I'd be looking too at the South African natives, the osteospermums and the like. They'll thrive in those conditions, flower brilliantly and spread without too much help.
kateley,
Jan 17, 7:52am
how about that blue convolvulus (mauritania!) or spreading verbena (they come in a big range of colours)
nonumbers,
Jan 17, 9:10am
Right - thanks for ideas.Ivy is a no-no as there is ivy everywhere here and I seriously dislike it.Some of the ivy that was cut down had diameters of over 10cm!I will look up the other suggestions - thanks
dbab,
Jan 17, 9:48am
Violets form a fairly dense cover, and seem to do well in sun or shade.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 17, 11:48am
Ivy changes as it ages and goes arboreal. Makes a great hedge if you can keep it under control. Wetas love it, but so do the wasps, especially when it flowers and fruits.
yes indeed, grow something edible or medicinal. have you thought 'strawberries'! they tend to spread like wild fire, and mat together. beautiful AND useful.
Or sage is another goodie.
laurenlee,
Jan 17, 7:02pm
osteospermum-Very easy to grow on dry banks-spreads quickly but easy to control.A glistening white daisy with a deep blue centre-masses of flowers in summer-picture on http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1099/
gag5,
Jan 17, 7:17pm
what about one of the groundcover grevilleas! There is the red/bronze one that always looks great & is fairly fast growing too.
red2,
Jan 18, 6:03am
Japanese anenomes - also known as windflowers - so long as you can contain them to just that area . Leafy groundcover all year and lovely tall white and pink flowers around Feb . March.
maclad,
Jan 18, 6:45am
These can become a problem and if you decide to get rid of them it is hard to do, as for Convolvulus mauritania, it is a good ground cover and non invasive, Pimelia would be a consideration as it seems to do well in dry sunny spots and is very pretty. I agree with things like Osteospermum, arctotis and gazanias. Fast growing colourful, easy to grow and contain and should they get too big or straggly a good cut back and they are off again.
hazedaze,
Jan 18, 7:58am
Would the likes of mint or lemon balm grow there!I'm sure someone might know, but it's just that lemon balm, although tallish, spreads like mint, so you would have good pickings of herbs!
nonumbers,
Jan 20, 4:00am
I have got some lilirope plants which I will divide and spread about a bit and will add some prostrtates - grevillia and coprosmas like flat freddy. Thanks for the ideas.
.jillybeen.,
Jan 29, 4:13am
Is it a bank you want to retain with a creeper to help keep it stable ! If it is not i sugest hydrangers, I have seen them growing on banks and they lookgood,violets and hydrangers maybe.Hydrangers are easy to grow by cutting. violets grow wild
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