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Re: [SG] Hosta replacement plants

In a message dated 9/4/98 11:49:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
harryd@CAPACCESS.ORG writes:

<< leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)>>

I think the original question was from a gardener in zones 3/4.  Leadwort does
not have a prayer here.  Some of the others mentioned are not for zone 4
winters.

The invasive stories, no doubt true, in areas south of us are not the case in
most zone 4 gardens.  We have late frosts in spring and soils are slow to
warm.  Fall frosts for me are 4 years out of five about September 20.  This
gives these running groundcovers less time to spread so quickly.  In shaded
dry soil archangel needs hand pulling once a season and lamium occasionally is
difficult to establish.

Again, if curbed with a mown edge, any vigorous plant can be grown.  Bishop's
weed, archangel and lamium are all pretty in masses.  Did anyone mention
common blue myrtle a plant with deep green shiny leaves.  On another list this
plant was condemned as a weed in the south but is a beautiful addition to a
northern garden.  It is slower to establish but offers a gardener a ground
cover that will allow you underplant it with early hardy spring bulbs.  If
started in dry soil watering is necessary for a few months.

Claire Peplowski
East Nassau, NY
z4
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