Ivydene Gardens Plants:
Groundcover Plant
Name - G

The plants normally selected by most landscapers and designers are by nature low-growing, rampant, spreading, creep-crawly things and yet the concept of ground cover demands no such thing. The ideal description of a groundcover plant includes:-

• a bold dense mass of leaves completely covering the ground most of the year; evergreens gain gold stars.
• They should require little or no maintenance - if you have to give the plant more than its share of attention, you might as well save your money and spend the time weeding.
• use the plant on ground areas that are difficult to maintain, such as steep banks or boggy patches.
• use the plant to cover areas where not much will grow, such as deep shade or sandy soils.

Ground Cover a thousand beautiful plants for difficult places by John Cushnie (ISBN 1 85626 326 6) provides details of plants that fulfill the above requirements.

Using these groundcover plants in your planting scheme (either between your trees/shrubs in the border or for the whole border) will - with mulching your beds to a 4 inch depth and an irrigation system - provide you with a planted garden with far less time required for border maintenance.
Wildflower Flower Shape and Landscape Uses gallery provides Landscaping List by Use pages which include some of these ground-cover plants. Landscaping with Perennials by Emily Brown. 5th printing 1989 by Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-063-0 provides the planting site pages for perennials, which include most plant types except Annuals and Biennials.

Plants for Ground-Cover by Graham Stuart Thomas. Published by J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd in 1970 - reprinted (with further revisions) in 1990. ISBN 0-460-12609-1. This gives details on many more ground cover plants with inclusion (in the Index) of figures denoting the Hardiness Zones for each species in the United States of America.

Plant Name

with link to page with photos and mail-order nursery in Comments Row

Type

with link to mail-order nursery in UK

Height x Spread in inches (cms)

Foliage

with link to mail-order nursery in USA

Flower Colour in Month(s).

Use Pest Control using Plants to provide a Companion Plant to aid your selected groundcover plant or deter its pests

Comments

United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map - This map of USA is based on a range of average annual minimum winter temperatures, divided into 13 of 10-degree F zones, that this plant will thrive in USA, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. There are other Hardiness Zone Maps for the rest of the world including the one for Great Britain and Ireland of zones 7a to 10a. Zone 5-9 indicates that the minimum zone temperature this plant will grow is 5 and top minimum zone temperature is 9 - above this number is too hot or below 5 is too cold for the plant. If your zone in your area of your country is within that range or your zone number is greater, then you can grow it in your garden.

Gaillardia x grandiflora

Deciduous Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Grey to
Mid-Green

Yellow, Red and Brown in
July-October

"Blanket Flower". Short-lived and needs staking. Cultivars are often raised from seed.
Full Sun
Zone 4
Any fertile, well-drained dry soil. Make good cut flowers. Best planted in groups of 4-5 in the middle or front of the herbaceous border. Deadhead regularly.

Galanthus nivalis

Herbaceous Bulb below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

4 x 4
(10 x 10)

Bright Green

Honey-scented White in
January-March

"Common Snowdrop".

The Hardy Plant Society Galanthus Group was formed in 2011.

Galax urcecolata
(Galax aphylla)

Evergreen Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

6 x 12
(15 x 30)

Mid-Green in Spring and Summer, Red-Bronze in Autumn and Winter

White in
May-June

Slowly spreading, dense mat, ground cover. From southeastern USA.
Part Shade
Zone 5
Moist, humus-rich, lime-free soil under rees or among shrubs. Leaves were once used in USA flower-arrranging.

Galium odoratum

Herb below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x indefinite (45 x indefinite)

Emerald Green

Scented White in
June-August

"Sweet Woodruff". This plant provides a lovely effect under trees, well-developed rose bushes, rhododendrons, and along garden paths. It gives a feeling of shady forest and is also a good bulb cover.

Garrya elliptica
'James Roof'

Evergreen Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

Dark Sea-Green

Silver-Grey catkins in
January-March

"Silk-Tassel Bush". Dense shrub from California and Oregon. It can be trained in espalier form. It has solvery catkins with golden anthers.
Full Sun, Part Shade in mild-temperate climate
Zones 8-9
Rich, well-drained soil. Slow growing, require little pruning, dislike being transplanted.

Gaulhteria 'Shallon'

Evergreen Shrub 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

48 x 60 (120 x 150)

Glossy Dark Green

Pink suffused White in
June-July

"Salal, Shallon". From northwestern North America, this suckering shrub produces purple fruit after flowering.
Part Shade in sheltered position
Zones 7-9
Well-drained, humus-rich, acid soil

Gaultheria forrestii

Evergreen Shrub 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

60 x 60 (150 x 150)

Glossy Dark Green

Fragrant White in
June-July

Black fruit.

Gaultheria procumbens

Evergreen Alpine below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

4 x 12
(10 x 30)

Glossy Dark Green

Pink flushed White
in June-August

"Checkerberry". Scarlet berries. Provides good ground cover in shade. "Wintergreen" has leathery leaves that are aromatic when broken.

Gaultheria x wisleyensis

Evergreen Shrub 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Dark Green

White in
June-July

Purple-Red fruit. Bred in England.
Part Shade in sheltered position
Zones 7-9
Well-drained, humus-rich, acid soil

Gaura lindheimeri

Deciduous Perennial 2-6 feet in height

60 x 36 (150 x 90)

Dark Green

White in
June-October

Bushy with erect stems.
Zone 4-9

Companions - Tuck in among stronger plants; plant in front of a dark background, sedums, grasses, nepeta, iris, oenothera, oregano; admirably used in full-sun parking strips here in Pacific Northwest

Genista aetnensis

Deciduous Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

Bright Green

Golden-Yellow in
July-August

"Mount Etna Broom".
Genista are good rock garden and low maintenance plants that blend quietly into the landscape most of the year except for springtime or summertime, when their flowers become eye-catchers.

Genista hispanica

Deciduous Shrub 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

30 x 54 (75 x 135)

Mid-Green

Yellow in
May-June

"Spanish Gorse". From southwestern Europe, this dwarf shrub is ideal for rock gardens and dry, sunny banks.
Genista prefer Full Sun
Zones 6-10
Not-too-rich, well-drained soil. Good seaside plants

Genista lydia

Deciduous Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x 24 (45 x 60)

Blue-Green

Bright Yellow in
May-June

Mound-forming from the Balkans. Excellent plant for rock gardens, banks and for trailing over walls.
Zones 7-9

Genista pilosa 'Procumbens'

Evergreen Alpine below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

8 x 36
(20 x 90)

Dark Green

Bright Yellow
in June-July

Prostrate stems. European species.
Zones 5-9

Genista tinctoria
'Royal Gold'

Deciduous Shrub 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

36 x 36 (90 x 90)

Bright Deep Green

Rich Yellow in
June-August

"Dyer's Broom, Woadwaxen". Used as a source of yellow dye with flowers arranged in conical panicles to 3 inches (8cm) long.
Zones 3-9

Gentiana asclepiadea

Herbaceous Perennial 2-6 feet in height

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

Mid-Green

Blue in
August-September

"Willow Gentian". Clump-forming and long blooming.
Part Shade
Zone 6-9
Humus-rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soil.

Gentiana companions - ferns, hosta, hakonechloa, pulmonaria, astrantia, geranium, hydrangea, rodgersia

Gentiana asclepiadea 'Alba'

Herbaceous Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

24 x 18 (60 x 45)

Mid-Green

Green-tinged White in
August-September

"White Willow Gentian"
Part Shade
Zone 6-9
Humus-rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soil.

Gentiana verna

Evergreen Alpine below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

1 x 4
(2 x 10)

Dark Green

White throated Sky-Blue
in April-July

"Spring Gentian, Star Gentian". Carpet-forming.
Part Shade
Zone
Humus-rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soil.

Gentiana x macaulayi
'Wells's Variety'

Semi-Evergreen Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

2 x 12
(5 x 30)

Dark Green

Pale Blue in
September-November

Part Shade
Zone
Humus-rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soil.

Geranium
'Johnson's Blue'

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 24 (30 x 60)

Mid-Green

Bright Blue in
July-September

"Cranesbill". Sterile, spreads. Spawling groundcover with underground rhizomes.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 5-9
Any good fertile soil. In a wild part of the garden plant Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' and surround it with Geranium 'Johnson's Blue to have deep yellow surrounded by blue.

Geranium companions - The larger ones are a good cover for spring bulb foliage as it cures, the smaller varieties can be used in the rock garden or foreground of the perennial border

"Geranium 'Bob's Blunder' is totally hardy and happy even in my thick clay. Pewtered bronze leaves and big soft pink and white flowers with rounded form 2cm wide May-Nov, 30 x 50cm. " from Cotswold Garden Flowers

Geranium endressii

Evergreen Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x 24 (45 x 60)

Light Green

Bright Pink in
July-October

"Cranesbill". Vigorous, self-sows and cut back after flowering
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 3-9
Any good fertile moist soil - from the western half of the Pyrenees, mainly in France.

Geranium x oxonianum
'Wargrave Pink'

Evergreen Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

Light Green

Salmon-Pink in
June-September

"Druce's Cranesbill". Vigorous, self-sows and cut back after flowering
Dappled Shade
Zone 3-9
Any good fertile moist soil

The Hardy Geranium Group was formed in 1974 when interest in the plants was booming. There are now approx. 70 species and 700 cultivars in British gardens. They range in height from a few cm. to 1m. and in colour from white through pink, mauve and pale blue to deep magenta, violet and blue. There is a geranium for every site in the garden: hot and sunny or dry shade.

Geranium macrorrhizum

Semi-Evergreen Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 24 (30 x 60)

Light Green

Magenta in
May-July

"Cranesbill, Bigroot Geranium". Effective ground cover in shade, and suitable for large areas.
Zone 4-9

Geranium macrorhizum 'Ingwersen's Variety'

Semi-Evergreen Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

20 x 24 (50 x 60)

Glossy Light Green

Soft Pink in
July

"Cranesbill".
Part Shade
Zone 4-9
Suitable for large areas.

Geranium maderense

Evergreen Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

54 x 54 (135 x 135)

Bright Green

Magenta in
March-September

"Cranesbill".
Full Sun
Zone 10
Grow in pot and since the UK is too cold for it in the autumn, it dies off; or bring it into the conservatory until the following summer..

Geranium nodusum

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x 18 (45 x 45)

Glossy Bright Green

Purplish-Pink in
June-November

"Cranesbill". Agressive. Use in woodland or the wild garden.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 4-8
Moist or dry soil. Comes from mountain woodlands from central France to the Pyrenees, to central Italy and central former Yogoslavia.

Geranium phaeum

Herbaceous Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

32 x 18 (80 x 45)

Soft Green with Purplish-Brown marks

Maroon or White in
June-July

"Dusky Cranesbill, Mourning Widow". Clump-forming. Cut back after flowering
Can grow in Deep Shade or Full Sun
Zone 3-9
Moist soil - from the mountains of southern and central Europe, naturalized throughout most of Britain.

Companions to geranium phaeum, geranium wlassovianum, geranium pratense and geranium 'Nimbus' do well in the summer border; pair them with hemerocallis, geum, crosmia, euphorbia, delphinium, anthriscus, helenium, heliopsis.

Geranium clarkei
'Kashmir White'

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x indefinite (45 x indefinite)

Mid-Green

Greyish-Pink in
July-September

"Meadow Cranesbill". Cut back after flowering.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 4-9
Any good fertile soil. From Kashmir.

Geranium psilostemon

Herbaceous Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

48 x 48 (120 x 120)

Mid-Green, Crimson-tinted in Spring, and Red in Autumn

Magenta Red in
June-July

"Armenian Cranesbill". Cut back after flowering.
Full Sun, Dappled Shade
Zone 4-9
Moist, well-drained soil. From northeastern Turkey and southwestern Caucasus.

Companions to try with geranium psilostemon are acanthus, helianthus, paeonia, aconitum, and taller astilbes

Geranium renardii

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 12 (30 x 30)

Velvety, Grey-Green

Purple-veined White in
May-July

"Cranesbill". Use for the front of the border.
Full Sun
Zone 5-8
Poor, rather dry soils aid flowering and produce greyer foliage. From the Caucasus

Geranium riversleaianum
'Russell Pritchard'

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 36 (30 x 90)

Grey-Green

Deep Magenta in
June-October

"Cranesbill". Long bloomer and short-lived.
Full Sun
Zone 8-9
Well-drained soil

Geranium sanguinem var. striatum

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

4 x 12
(10 x 30)

Dark Green

Pale Pink in
July-September

"Bloody Cranesbill". Full Sun to Part Shade and drought tolerant.
Zone 4-9
Use well-drained soil at front of border and gaps in paths. From most of Europe.

Geranium sanguinem var. striatum 'Splendens'

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

6 x 12
(15 x 30)

Dark Green

Bright Pink in
June-July

"Cranesbill". Very spreading form of above.

Gladiolus

(See Gladiolus Gallery)

Corm Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

from 4 to 60 (10 to 150 cms) x 6 (15 cms)

Mid to Dark Green

White, Yellow, Red, or Orange in
March-September

The Nanu Group hybrids and cultivars flower in July, and are ideal for cutting and corsages.

Geranium communis subsp. byzantinus and
Geranium imbricatus are fully hardy.

Glaucium flavum

Biennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x 18 (45 x 45)

Blue-Green

Bright Golden Yellow or Orange in
July-September

"Yellow Horned Poppy". Unruly. Seedpods are 10-12 inches (25-30 cms) long.
Zone 6-9

Companions - Yucca, artemisia, helictotrichon, salvia patens, euphorbia rigida, ruta graveolens; the dry border

Glechoma hederacea 'Variegata'

Evergreen Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

6 x 72
(15 x 180)

Soft Pale Green marbled pure White

Lilac-Mauve in
July-September
- reluctant to flower

"Variegated Ground Ivy". Spreads vigorously on straggling, mat-forming stems up to 40 inches (100cms) or more in length. Reverted shoots of variegated cultivars should be removed.
Full sun or Shade
Zone 6
Found on moist heavy soils in woodland and rough ground in Europe, including Britain. Commonly used as a houseplant and also in containers among annuals in the summer.

Glyceria maxima

Aquatic Perennial Grass 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

32 x indefinite (80 x indefinite)

Deep Green

Green to Purplish-Green Spikelets in
August-September

"Hay Grass". Creeping, bog grass with sharp-edged leaves.
Zone 5
Grow in water 0.5 feet deep or in any garden soil that is reliably moist in full sun. It is useful for preventing soil erosion on river and pond banks, so as it gets further away from permanent wet feet it is likely to not progress much further away from the water source.

Glyceria maxima 'Variegata'

Aquatic Perennial Grass 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

32 x indefinite (80 x indefinite)

Cream, Green, and White striped

Green to Purplish-Green Spikelets in
August-September

Grow in water 0.5 feet deep or in any garden soil that is reliably moist in full sun. Variegated version of above.

Gunnera manicata

Herbaceous Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

72 x 84 (180 x 210)

Deep Green

Greenish-Red in
July

"Brazilian Giant Rhubarb". Clump-forming.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 8-10
Rich, permanently moist soil - native to colder parts of southern Brazil.

Gunnera companions - Large species are best grown as focal points, with lower-growing perennials in mass plantings (petasites, darmera, rodgersia, primula), or with big group of Japanese iris, ligularia, and ferns; the damp garden.

Gymnocarpium dryopteris

Deciduous Fern below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

8 x indefinite (20 x indefinite)

Pale Yellowish-Green when young, become Rich Green with age

...

"Oak Fern". Will spread through a border if conditions are suitable. Delicate, carpet-forming fern making groundcover in cool, shady coniferous, deciduous or mixed woodland or among mature shrubs.
Moist Shade
Zone 3
well-drained, humus-rich acid to neutral soil

Gymnocarpium robertianum

Deciduous Fern below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

14 x indefinite (35 x indefinite)

Dull Dark Green

...

"Limestone polypody".

Height in inches (cms):-

25.4mm = 1 inch
304.8mm = 12 inches
12 inches = 1 foot
3 feet = 1 yard
914.4mm = 1 yard

I normally round this to
25mm = 1 inch
300mm = 30 cms = 12 inches =1 foot,
900 mm = 3 feet = 1 yard and
1000mm = 100 cms = 1 metre = 40 inches

Site design and content copyright ©December 2006. Page structure changed September 2012. Height x Spread in feet changed to Height x Spread in inches (cms) May 2015. Data added to existing pages December 2017. Zone and Companion Data added April 2022. Chris Garnons-Williams.

DISCLAIMER: Links to external sites are provided as a courtesy to visitors. Ivydene Horticultural Services are not responsible for the content and/or quality of external web sites linked from this site.  

Details of smaller Gaultheria, Genista, Gentiana and Geranium and which container to grow the plant in:-

• A. The plant can be grown in sinks, trough, pans or scree beds
• B. The plant is best accommodated in a trough or sink.
• C. Suitable for peat beds and raised beds (suitable for alpine rhododendrons)

Light Sandy Soil is usually fairly infertile, and it also dries out quickly. In such cases, use drought-tolerant plants, such as ones that grow in dry soil conditions (see plants in the Dry section of the Moisture column of the soil type, aspect and moisture list page) and also do the following actions, since any nutrients in the soil are usually washed out very quickly.

Acid soil is most common in places that experience heavy rainfall and have moister environments. Areas in red have acidic soil, areas in yellow are neutral and areas in blue have alkaline soil in the World Map. Find Me Plants has further details on other plants for acidic soils, when you set Soil Type in Part 1: Surveying the planting area to Sandy/Gritty, or Light Sand or Stony/Sub-Soil.

Action to assist in Light Sandy soil maintenance:-

• Mulch the beds with a 4 inch (100mm) deep layer of Spent Mushroom Compost to improve fertility and drainage; preferably in the Autumn in between the existing plants, and top it up each year after that with a Bark Mulch instead (available from garden centres or Gardenscape). This will stop the Light Sandy soil from drying out through the action of sun and wind on its surface, and to provide carbon to aid in soil formation and fertility. Adding clay in water solution as a spray will also greater improve the soil structure.
• If starting a new lawn or bed, add the 4 inch layer of Spent Mushroom Compost mulch and rotovate that in. If you also add an inch deep of clay, before rotovating that in as well, then that will provide part of the glue in creating a better soil from the sand. Heel and rake the ground for a new turf (or to be seeded) lawn, before laying or seeding it. Insert plants in new bed, before installing the irrigation system and then applying a 4 inch layer of this mulch on top of it.
• Spread 5Kg of Dolodust (Dolomitic Lime), with 2Kg of Maxicrop Seaweed Meal over a 25 square yard or 25 square metre lawn area, each April. This will improve the fertility of the lawn by providing calcium and the trace elements (See What is Soil Texture Page and How are chemicals stored and released from soil Page in the Soil Section for further details). Spreading the same amount of Dolomitic Lime and Maxicrop Seaweed Meal on the flower/vegetable beds at the same time would also be beneficial.

Sources of further information:-

• Notcutts Catalogue of 1994 - retail catalogue of their plants for sale. It has Plants for a Purpose pages including one on Light sandy dry soil including trees for gravel workings.
   
• The Royal Horticultural Society Gardeners' Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Editor-in-Chief Christopher Brickell. Published by Dorling Kindsley Limited. Reprinted and updated 1990, 2/1990, 3/1990. ISBN 0-86318-386-7. The Planter's Guide suggests lists of plants that are suitable for growing in particular situations, or that have special uses or characteristics including Plants for Sandy Soil.
   

Gardening in Sandy Soil by C.L. Fornari. A very useful book and one you can have on a Kindle in December 2017. A Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin with this Index:-

• The benefits of Sandy Soil
  • Drainage
  • Root Penetration
  • Air Circulation
  • Digging
• The disadvantages of gardening in sand
  • Rapid water loss
  • Nutrient loss
• Strategies for Success: using amendmentss
  • Soil amendments
  • Green amendments
  • Amending new beds
  • Amending established beds
• Fertilizing
• Mulch
  • Mulching materials
  • How much mulch
  • Problems with mulch
• Choosing plants
  • Sandy soils and pH
  • Moisture-loving plants in sandy soil
  • Vegetables in sandy soil
• Plants for sandy soils - I have bought the book and read it, but unfortunately I have not added its recommended plants.
  I would at least recommend that its list is carefully looked at by the Americans; for whom it was written.
  • Ground covers and Grasses
  • Annuals
  • Perennials
  • Shrubs and Trees

Action to assist in other soil types in:-

• Read 'Explaination of how soil works' and 'Negative impacts on the soil food web' for Any and Peat
• Chalk
• Clay
• Acid (Lime-Free)

The following is from "A land of Soil, Milk and Honey" by Bernard Jarman in Star & Furrow Issue 122 January 2015 - Journal of the Biodynamic Association;_

"Soil is created in the first place through the activity of countlesss micro-organisms, earthworms and especially the garden worm (Lumbricus terrestris). This species is noticeably active in the period immediately before and immediately after mid-winter. In December we find it (in the UK) drawing large numbers of autumn leaves down into the soil. Worms consume all kinds of plant material along with sand and mineral substances. In form, they live as a pure digestive tract. The worm casts excreted from their bodies form the basis of a well-structured soil with an increased level of available plant nutrients:-

• 5% more nitrogen,
• 7% more phosphorous and
• 11% more potasium than the surrounding topsoil.

Worms also burrow to great depths and open up the soil for air and water to penetrate, increasing the scope of a fertile soil.

After the earthworm, the most important helper of the biodynamic farmer is undoubetdly

• the cow. A cow's digestive system is designed to make use of roughage such as grass and hay. Cow manure is arguably the most effective and long lasting of all the fertilizing agents at the farmer's disposal and has been found to have a carry over effect of at least 4 years. It is also one of the most balanced and it contains no grass seeds, since they have been completely digested.
• Pig manure is rich in potassium, attractive to earthworms and beneficial on sandy soils.
• Horse manure increases soil activity and stimulates strong healthy growth, but it does contain grass seed and other seeds."
   

Plant Combinations for Sandy Soil

Action to assist in Light Sandy soil maintenance is given in the row above and this is required annually.

Plants

Comments

Sun lovers - You can achieve a design with grey-leaved plants, interspersed with smaller or larger groups of taller perennials and a single shrub. Because the grey-leaved plants predominate they are used as a basis, with suggestions for plants which can be combined with them.

Grey Foliage with white and yellow flowers and plants that combine with these

• Yarrow (Achillea chrysocoma),
• pearl everlasting (Anaphalis),
• mouse ear (Cerastium),
• Raoulia,
• catchfly (Silene uniflora 'Robin Whitebreast') and the
• bunnies' ears (Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet')

all have grey leaves and either white, yellow or inconspicuous flowers.

If the above plants are planted together; the effect of different heights and size of leaf will be rather messy and unclear. Plant the above as the background ground cover and the ones in the next column within that background.

• Acaena buchanii and Acaena magellanica being silver-leaved species of the pirri-pirri-bur form pretty vigorous ground cover. Add a few groups of grey-leaved grasses for their contrasting shape to make an interesting picture. The ground-covering Festuca glauca and Koeleria glauca are especially suitable, to which can be added the tall, also grey-leafed blue oat grass Helictotrichon sempervirens, for a striking feature.
• Gypsophila, with its delicate flowers, can best be planted next to a plant which has a strong leaf structure, for example Geranium renardii.
• For a taller feature among the grey-leafed ground cover you can choose one of the beautiful cultivars of the common German flag, Iris germanica. The tall, sword-shaped leaves which are grey-green, stand out very well here.
• The Yucca has a similar structure, forming a stout clump of leaves with tall sprays of white flowers.
• The tall mulleins, especially Verbascum bombyciferum, with splendid rosettes of grey, felty leaves and yellow flowers like huge torches that can easily reach 60 inches (150 cms), a real must.
• Annuals that deserve a place in this predominantly grey planting include Gazania pinnata with yellow flowers and the white Senecio cineraria.

The above comes from Ground Cover. How to use flowering and foliage plants to cover areas of soil by Mineke Kurpershoek. Published by Rebo Productions Ltd in 1997. ISBN 1 901094 41 3

Contents

• Chapter 1 What are ground-cover plants?
• Chapter 2 Plant combinations for normal garden soil
• Chapter 3 Plant combinations for sandy soil
• Chapter 4 Plant combinations for clay soil
• Chapter 5 Woodland, heaths and wet soil
• Chapter 6 Shrubs for slopes and large beds
• Chapter 7 The A to Z of plants for ground cover.
   

To locate mail-order nursery for plants from the UK in this gallery try using search in RHS Find a Plant.

To locate plants in the European Union (EU) try using Search Term in Gardens4You and Meilland Richardier in France.

To locate mail-order nursery for plants from America in this gallery try using search in Plant Lust.

To locate plant information in Australia try using Plant Finder in Gardening Australia.

To see what plants that I have described in this website see
Plant Botanical Index
...A, B, C, D, E,
...F, G, H, I, J, K,
...L, M, N, O, P, Q,
...R, S, T, U, V, W,
...X, Y, Z

Top ten plants that are bad for bees from Countryfile Magazine

"Lavender, alliums, fuschias, sweet peas - keen gardeners know the very best flowers to entice bees to their gardens. But what about plants that are  bad for bees? Here is our expert guide to the top ten plants that you should avoid to keep bees happy and buzzing, plus the perfect alternatives.

1. Rhododendron
Spectacular and beautiful, not many people know the common rhododendron hides a poisonous secret – its nectar is toxic to bees. It’s common practice for beekeepers to keep their hives closed until the flowering season is over. The resulting honey from rhododendrons has also been known to contaminate honey, making it unsafe for humans to eat.
Alternative: Clematis have beautiful, wide flowers and are 100 per cent bee-friendly.

2. Azalea
Rhododendron’s sister, azaleas are also toxic to bees.
Alternative: Foxgloves (Digitalis) are a bee favourite and despite being poisonous if consumed by humans, they are both honey and bee safe.

3. Trumpet flower, or angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia suaveolens)
Though ornamental and sweet smelling, the trumpet flower’s nectar can cause brood death in bees and is best avoided.
Alternative: Try honeysuckle (Lonicera) instead for deliciously scented results.

4. Oleander (Nerium oleander)
Harmful to butterflies as well as bees, oleander has a severe effect on hives. Nectar taken to the hive concentrates as it dries out, which increases the amount of toxins and usually results in a mass hive wipeout. 
Alternative: Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are equally as bright and arguably more attractive in small or large gardens.

5. Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
Pleasantly aromatic and attractive as they are, bees are often poisoned by the vines and flowers of the yellow jessamine and its toxins are said to be as severe as hemlock.
Alternative: Plant Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) in tubs and along fences for a pretty, easy-to-grow substitute.

6. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Part of the blueberry family, the mountain laurel is an evergreen shrub with sweet, white or pink flowers when in bloom. Pretty they may be, but the honey produced by mountain laurel is toxic to humans and is often bitter tasting.
Alternative: Lilacs (Syringa) are both beautiful and wonderfully sweet smelling. Easy to grow and are loved by bees and butterflies. 

7. Stargazer lily (Lilium 'Stargazer')
Stunning but deadly to cats, stargazer lilies’ pollen is poisonous to bees.
Alternative: Hollyhocks (Alcea) are impressive and just as beautiful as the stargazer but bee-friendly.

8. Heliconia Exotic and interesting, heliconia, or lobster-claws as its sometimes called, is very toxic to bees. You should not prune your heliconias, as the 'stem' is actually made up of rolled leaf bases and the flowers emerge from the top of these 'pseudostems'. However, each stem will only flower once, so after flowering you can cut that stem out. This is recommended, to encourage more flowering, to increase airflow in between the stems of your plant, and also to generally tidy it up and improve the appearance.
Alternative: Although not quite as exotic, hyacinths are fragrant, gorgeous and easy to grow. Hyacinth bulbs are poisonous; they contain oxalic acid. Handling hyacinth bulbs can cause mild skin irritation. Protective gloves are recommended.

9. Bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia -
All parts of the plant contain andromedotoxin and are considered poisonous)
Not to be confused with the herb, bog rosemary is acutely poisonous and the honey produced from the nectar of Andromeda polifolia contains high enough levels of grayanotoxin to cause full body paralysis and potentially fatal breathing difficulties due to diaphragm paralysis.
Alternative: Why not try planting a classic rosemary bush (Rosmarinus officinalis) – aromatic, resilient and favoured by bees.

10. Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)
Now most commonly recognised as decorative Christmas flowers, amaryllis are gorgeous in bloom but their pollen produces toxic honey. Bulbs, chewing or ingestion of the bulbs, leaves or flowers poisons goats and sheep with Lycorine (An emetic) and small amounts of alkaloids.
Alternative: Dahlias are a highlight of late summer gardens. Beautiful and simple to grow, dahlias often flower until the first frosts of the year."

This is another list of Plants toxic to bees, which includes:-
Aesculus californica,
Astralagus species,
Cuscuta species,
Cyrilla racemiflora,
Solanum nigram,
Veratrum cailfornicum,
Zygadenus cenesosus,
Corynocarpus laevigata,
Angelica triqueta,
Astralagus lentiginosus,
Camellia thea,
Ochrama lagopus,
Sophora microphylla,
Tillia species,
Verartrum californicum,
Asclepias species,
Astralagus miser v. serotibus.

The following details come from Cactus Art:-

"A flower is the the complex sexual reproductive structure of Angiosperms, typically consisting of an axis bearing perianth parts, androecium (male) and gynoecium (female).    

Bisexual flower show four distinctive parts arranged in rings inside each other which are technically modified leaves: Sepal, petal, stamen & pistil. This flower is referred to as complete (with all four parts) and perfect (with "male" stamens and "female" pistil). The ovary ripens into a fruit and the ovules inside develop into seeds.

Incomplete flowers are lacking one or more of the four main parts. Imperfect (unisexual) flowers contain a pistil or stamens, but not both. The colourful parts of a flower and its scent attract pollinators and guide them to the nectary, usually at the base of the flower tube.

Androecium (male Parts or stamens)
It is made up of the filament and anther, it is the pollen producing part of the plant.
Anther This is the part of the stamen that produces and contains pollen. 
Filament This is the fine hair-like stalk that the anther sits on top of.
Pollen This is the dust-like male reproductive cell of flowering plants.

Gynoecium (female Parts or carpels or pistil)
 It is made up of the stigma, style, and ovary. Each pistil is constructed of one to many rolled leaflike structures.
Stigma
This is the part of the pistil  which receives the pollen grains and on which they germinate. 
Style
This is the long stalk that the stigma sits on top of ovary. 
Ovary
The part of the plant that contains the ovules. 
Ovule
The part of the ovary that becomes the seeds. 

Petal 
The colorful, often bright part of the flower (corolla). 
Sepal 
The parts that look like little green leaves that cover the outside of a flower bud (calix). 
(Undifferentiated "Perianth segment" that are not clearly differentiated into sepals and petals, take the names of tepals.)"

The following details come from Nectary Genomics:-

"NECTAR. Many flowering plants attract potential pollinators by offering a reward of floral nectar. The primary solutes found in most nectars are varying ratios of sucrose, glucose and fructose, which can range from as little a 8% (w/w) in some species to as high as 80% in others. This abundance of simple sugars has resulted in the general perception that nectar consists of little more than sugar-water; however, numerous studies indicate that it is actually a complex mixture of components. Additional compounds found in a variety of nectars include other sugars, all 20 standard amino acids, phenolics, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, vitamins, organic acids, oils, free fatty acids, metal ions and proteins.

NECTARIES. An organ known as the floral nectary is responsible for producing the complex mixture of compounds found in nectar. Nectaries can occur in different areas of flowers, and often take on diverse forms in different species, even to the point of being used for taxonomic purposes. Nectaries undergo remarkable morphological and metabolic changes during the course of floral development. For example, it is known that pre-secretory nectaries in a number of species accumulate large amounts of starch, which is followed by a rapid degradation of amyloplast granules just prior to anthesis and nectar secretion. These sugars presumably serve as a source of nectar carbohydrate.

WHY STUDY NECTAR? Nearly one-third of all worldwide crops are dependent on animals to achieve efficient pollination. In addition, U.S. pollinator-dependent crops have been estimated to have an annual value of up to $15 billion. Many crop species are largely self-incompatible (not self-fertile) and rely almost entirely on animal pollinators to achieve full fecundity; poor pollinator visitation has been reported to reduce yields of certain species by up to 50%."

The following details about DOUBLE FLOWERS comes from Wikipedia:-

"Double-flowered" describes varieties of flowers with extra petals, often containing flowers within flowers. The double-flowered trait is often noted alongside the scientific name with the abbreviation fl. pl. (flore pleno, a Latin ablative form meaning "with full flower"). The first abnormality to be documented in flowers, double flowers are popular varieties of many commercial flower types, including roses, camellias and carnations. In some double-flowered varieties all of the reproductive organs are converted to petals — as a result, they are sexually sterile and must be propagated through cuttings. Many double-flowered plants have little wildlife value as access to the nectaries is typically blocked by the mutation.

There is further photographic, diagramatic and text about Double Flowers from an education department - dept.ca.uky.edu - in the University of Kentucky in America.

"Meet the plant hunter obsessed with double-flowering blooms" - an article from The Telegraph.

THE 2 EUREKA EFFECT PAGES FOR UNDERSTANDING SOIL AND HOW PLANTS INTERACT WITH IT OUT OF 10,000:-

• THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE 2 QUARTZ GRAIN SIBLINGS, and
• HOW ROOTS OF PLANTS ARE IN CONTROL IN THE SOIL
• before continuing in this website.

Explanation of Structure of this Website with User Guidelines Page for those photo galleries with Photos (of either ones I have taken myself or others which have been loaned only for use on this website from external sources)

Choose 1 of these different Plant selection Methods:-

1. Choose a plant from 1 of 53 flower colours in the Colour Wheel Gallery.

2. Choose a plant from 1 of 12 flower colours in each month of the year from 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index Gallery.

3. Choose a plant from 1 of 6 flower colours per month for each type of plant:-

Aquatic
Bedding
Bulb
Climber
Conifer
Deciduous Shrub
Deciduous Tree
Evergreen Perennial
Evergreen Shrub
Evergreen Tree
Hedging
Herbaceous Perennial
Herb
Odds and Sods
Rhododendron nectar and the nectar from the plants in the fifth row above are toxic to bees
Rose
Soft Fruit
Top Fruit
Wild Flower

4. Choose a plant from its Flower Shape:-

Shape, Form
Index
Flower Shape

5. Choose a plant from its foliage:-

Bamboo
Conifer
Fern
Grass
Vegetable

6. There are 6 Plant Selection Levels including Bee Pollinated Plants for Hay Fever Sufferers in Plants Topic.

or

7. when I do not have my own or ones from mail-order nursery photos , then from March 2016, if you want to start from the uppermost design levels through to your choice of cultivated and wildflower plants to change your Plant Selection Process then use the following galleries:-

• Create and input all plants known by Amateur Gardening inserted into their Sanders' Encyclopaedia from their edition published in 1960 (originally published by them in 1895) into these
  • Stage 1 - Garden Style Index Gallery,
    then
  • Stage 2 - Infill Plants Index Gallery being the only gallery from these 7 with photos (from Wikimedia Commons) ,
    then
  • Stage 3 - All Plants Index Gallery with each plant species in its own Plant Type Page followed by choice from Stage 4a, 4b, 4c and/or 4d REMEMBERING THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE SELECTION FROM THE CHOICES MADE IN STAGES 1 AND 2
  • Stage 4a - 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index Gallery,
  • Stage 4b - 12 Foliage Colours per Month Index Gallery with
  • Stage 4c - Cultivation, Position, Use Index Gallery and
  • Stage 4d - Shape, Form Index Gallery
  • Unfortunately, if you want to have 100's of choices on selection of plants from 1000's of 1200 pixels wide by up to 16,300 pixels in length webpages, which you can jump to from almost any of the pages in these 7 galleries above, you have to put up with those links to those choices being on
    • the left topic menu table,
    • the header of the middle data table and on
    • the page/index menu table on the right of every page of those galleries.

There are other pages on Plants which bloom in each month of the year in this website:-

• 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index
• Plants Blue, Orange, Red, Yellow, White, Other Colours which lead on to other pages
• Colour Wheel - All Flowers per Month 12
• Bedding
• Bulb
• Climber
• Deciduous Shrub
• Deciduous Tree
• Evergreen Perennial
• Evergreen Shrub
• Evergreen Tree
• Herbaceous Perennial
• Rhododendron
• Rose
• Wild Flower

• Plants for Cut Flowers in
  January
  February
  March
  April
  May
  June
  July
  August
  September
  October
  November
  December
• Climber 3 sector Vertical Plant System with flowers in
  Jan,
  Feb,
  Mar,
  Apr,
  May 1, 2
  Jun,
  Jul,
  Aug,
  Sep,
  Oct,
  Nov,
  Dec

• Indoor Bulbs for
  December
  January
  February
• Indoor Bulbs for
  March
  April
  May
• Indoor
  Bulbs for
  June
  July
  August
• Indoor Bulbs for
  September
  October
  November
• Plant Bloom
  Dec-Jan
  Feb-Mar
• Plant Bloom
  Apr-May
  Jun-Aug
• Plant Bloom
  Sep-Oct
  Nov-Dec