Re: Groundcovers for shade?

Well, if the area you want to cover doesn't have any precious or tiny
perennials in it, Lamium galeobdolan (used to be Lamiastrum) would do
the trick.  It will grow in pretty dense shade; covers ground fast
via runners that root at the nodes and produces spikes of yellow
flowers in spring.  It will also seed around - be warned.

The variegated form offers an attractive foliage all season - it is
the only one I would consider.  It is almost evergreen for me, but
would probably not be for you.  You can set your lawn mower on high
and mow it down to tidy it up if you feel it's necessary or to clean
up in late winter/early spring if needed - looks like hell for a
couple of weeks and then puts out new foliage and looks great.  If
you just leave it alone, new growth covers any old, dead bits.  You
can grow bulbs through this - I have my main patch of Galanthus
growing happily up through this Lamium; has been for donkey's years.
 Woody weed seedlings will grow up through it, too and need pulling.
I have some Phlox that has seeded into this and does well, but not
many perennials will compete with it as it will just cover them in
waves unless you keep pulling it out around them.

This is NOT a plant for a small place - it has visions of world
conquest.  Not hard to pull out if not wanted, but best for covering
ground in out of way spots where you want low maintenance. You can
mow it around the edges to keep it in bounds.

Of course, the workhorse of groundcovers for shade is Pachysandra
terminalis, which is hardy to z 5 so should remain evergreen for you.
 It produces a small white flower in spring - not incredibly showy,
but nice.  This does want acid soil - it turns a rather sickly
yellowish green in alkaline soil or too much sun - it will grow, I am
convinced, in the dark.  It would probably be better at holding soil
than the Lamium as it spreads via underground stolens.  It makes a
very neat and tidy evergreen groundcover requiring virtually no
attention once established.  It will suppress all but woody plant
weed seedlings and these can be pulled out (tree seedlings, for
instance).  I have it fighting with the above mentioned Lamium -
they've been battling for space for years in one place.  It holds its
own and grows away under the Lamium....how's that for growing in
shade? :-)

And, of course, there is Vinca - any of the V. minor cultivars would
be hardy for you.  They have blue flowers in spring, but rather
sparsely and come in several variegated forms that make for more
interest.  It grows in quite a bit of shade and can be cut back or
yanked out if it gets out of bounds.  I do not find it as weed
suppressing as either the Lamium or Pachysandra, tho'.

Some years ago, I wrote a series of articles about groundcovers for
various degrees of shade - might be of interest to you.  Check out my
Index (link in my SIG) and hit the link for Perennials - think that's
it - and look for articles with groundcover in the title; think
something like covering ground at a trot or galloping groundcovers -
would be from back in 1997 or thereabouts, I think.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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From: JNJ <jnj@SPAMCOP.NET>

Wow, I thought for sure this group was either dead or I'd lost my
subscription for some reason.  :)

I have a few fairly shady areas that I need to plant.  I'm thinking
some
groundcovers to help hold soil in place would be a good way to go.
We're in
zone 6a, SW Ohio.  The area is fairly well shaded in -- sunlight gets
in
there indirectly but not much direct sun at all.  Something that
flowers
would be nice as well -- give the bugs something to eat.  :P

Suggestions?

James
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