Ivydene Gardens Plants: Ground-Cover Plant Name: M
The process below provides a uniform method for comparing every plant detailed in the following galleries with the ones already compared in the relevant plant gallery from the last list of plant galleries in this cell:-

• These are the galleries that will provide the plants to be added to their own Extra Index Pages
• Bee plants for hay-fever sufferers - Bee-Pollinated Index
• Plants that grow in Chalk - A,
• Rock Garden and Alpine Flowers - A,
• Bulbs from the Infill Galleries see Hardy Bulbs, Half-hardy Bulbs, etc in the second row of Topic Table, usually positioned as the first table on the left.
• The complete Camera Photo is displayed on the screen
• Climber in 3 Sector Vertical Plant System
• Plants with Sense of Fragrance

The following Extra Index of Wildflowers is created in the Borage Wildflower Gallery, to which the Wildflowers found in the above list will have that row entry copied to.
Its wildflower flower thumbnail - or foliage thumbnail if it does not have flowers - will be compared with the others in that gallery per month.
The Header Row for the Extra Indices pages is the same as used in this 1000 Ground Cover A of Plants Topic:-
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, XYZ

Having transferred the Extra Index row entry to the relevant Extra Index row for the same type of plant in a gallery below; then
its flower or foliage thumbnail will be compared per month in that relevant gallery:-

• Aquatic
• Bamboo
• Bedding
• Bulb
• Conifer - Conifers have no flowers and are used for their foliage and cones
• Deciduous Shrub
• Deciduous Tree
• Evergreen Perennial
• Evergreen Shrub
• Evergreen Tree
• Fern - Ferns have no flowers and are used for their foliage
• Grass - Grass is used for its grass inflorescence and foliage
• Hedging
• Herbaceous Perennial
• Herb
• Odds and Sods
• Rhododendron, Azalea and Camellia
• Soft Fruit
• Top Fruit
• Vegetable
• Wild Flower

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 Dry Gardens by Jane Taylor. Published by Frances Lincoln Limited in 1993. ISBN 0-7112-0772-0. Jane Taylor and her husband grew plants in their garden of 2.5 acres of acidic shale mine waste on ground most of which could not retain water or nutrients and would scarcely sustain even the most tenacious of weeds.
A typical British garden with its flowery borders and green lawns needs the equivalent of 1 (2.5 cms) of rain every 10 days to look its best. By choosing from the plants in the above book, canny gardeners will quickly learn to give their gardens the best chance of looking respectable even through prolonged dry spells.
Start by improving your soil in your garden by studying the diagram showing the interaction between clay, organic matter, silt and sand to make soil and then follow the advice on how to improve your clay, chalk or sandy soil lower down the same page; before reading how you can provide the soil nutrients, including those for clay soil.
Then, choose your plants from:-

• Trees and Shrubs to form the framework,
• Palms and Cycads,
• Conifers,
• Climbers to provide backdrops, shade and cover for vertical surfaces,
• Perennials and Ephemerals for filling the garden with flower and foliage,
• Grasses for vertical outlines as foils and contrasts,
• Bulbs for companion, underplanting and massed display,
• Succulents and Xerophytes; and
• Dry Garden Maintenance - Starting with the Soil, Planting, Windbreaks, Lawns and Lawn Substitutes, and Irrigation Techniques.

Each ground cover plant of this 1000 has further details from her book, if it is in there.

 

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

Major source of honey in the UK Yes/No
Used by
HoneyBees - HB,
Short-Tongued Bumblebees - ST,
Long-Tongued Bumblebees - LT,
Solitary Bees - SOL
from Plants for Bees by w.d.j. Kirk and f.n. Howes ISBN 978-0-86098 271-5

Type

The key ingredients a bird needs from your garden are
Shelter,
Food and
Water,
as expanded in Ground-cover Plant
Name W Page

Height x Spread in inches (cms)

Spacing distance between plants of same species in inches (cms)

Foliage

Some poisonous ground cover plants are indicated, but there are others in Cultivated Poisonous Plants and
Wildflower Poisonous Plants

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.

Pruning of
Woody Plants in Groups 1 - 13 and
Herbaceous Perennials in Group 14 with
Ferns in Group 15 and
Evergreen Perennials in Group 16.
 

Macleaya microcarpa
'Kelway's Coral Plume'

Herbaceous Perennial above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

84 x 36 (210 x 90)

Grey to Olive-Green

Deep Buff to Coral-Pink in
July-August

"Plume Poppy". Invasive. Native to western and central China
Dappled shade in open woodland
Zone 4-9
Moist garden soil in a sheltered position. Annual compost mulches in spring helps to maintain vigour.

With its scalloped foliage it is very effective with perpetual-flowering roses such as some old Chinas, Teas, and Hybrid Musks, and many of the David Austin English rose cultivars. Its form is enhanced by a background of bronze or purple foliage. The rootstock of this plant is invasive so that plants tend to wander from their original positions.

This photo of the black support posts for the Macleaya microcarpa 'Kelways Coral Plume' was taken on the 4 March 2013. The maintenance staff have removed the support posts from last year's growth before cutting it down in the autumn. In the spring, they have reinstated the posts, but they have moved them at least 12 inches (30cms) away from the stumps of this perennial. This is changing the original planting plan, which they are not appearing to follow. Since this increase in the area used by these support systems each year by the 1 year students at RHS Wisley, they do not realise that they are changing the original planting plan out of all recognition.

48 out of 175 permanent herbaceous plants in the Mixed Borders could not be identified when in flower at RHS Wisley, some of which were due to the their plant label being overgrown by the plant in front or the plant in front obscuring it because it had been allowed to exceed its original alloted space.

That is why you need to create a history of the garden so that planting errors can be corrected.

The unnamed Miscanthus stumps are in the right hand half of the Netlon Garden Net Green black post support system shown above.

Companions - the larger bolder grasses, phlomis fruticosa, solidago, kniphofia, phygelius, phormium. Macleaya is a good cut flower for fresh or dried arrangements, but be careful: the stems and leaf stalks produce a yellowish orange sap that can stain clothes and skin. As with any milky-sapped plant, singe the bottom of the flower stems when used as a cut.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth'

Evergreen Tree above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

Light Green leaves, russet-felted beneath

Creamy-White in
September-October. In cool climates the fragrant cup-shaped flowers begin to open from summer onwards, while in hotter areas the flowering season starts in spring

"Bull Bay, Southern Magnolia". From southern USA, where it is surprisingly drought-tolerant even in desert conditions, though it will need occasional deep irrigation to leach out soil salts. Dense conical shape with fragrant flowers. It makes a small tree in the desert, but can become very bulky in more favourable climates
Full Sun, Part Shade with protection from strong or salty winds.
Zones 6-11
Deep, fertile, well-drained soil with ample leaf-mould.

Transplant Magnolia as little as possible, and prune when required (which is but rarely) in summer. Plant in April or October. After flowering, prune out weak wood and dead flower shoots. Pruning thick branches causes internal rotting.

Magnolia liliiflora
'Nigra'

Deciduous Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

96 x 72 (210 x 180)

Dark Green

Deep Purple in
July-October

"Lily Magnolia". Bushy shrub from China with fragrant flowers.
Full Sun, Part Shade with protection from strong or salty winds.
Zones 6-10
Deep, fertile, well-drained soil with ample leaf-mould.

Magnolia stellata
'King Rose'

Deciduous Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

84 x 72 (210 x 180)

Dark Green

Pink and White in
March-April

"Star Magnolia". Many-branched, compact shrub from Japan with fragrant flowers.
Full Sun, Part Shade with protection from strong or salty winds.
Zones 5-9
Deep, fertile, well-drained soil with ample leaf-mould.

Mahonia aquifolium

Mahonia species. Plants that flower in autumn and winter may become more important to bumblebees in the future.
No HB, ST, SOL

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

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Bright Green in Spring and Summer, Bronze/Purple/Red in Autumn and Winter

Yellow in
April-May

"Oregon Grape, Holly Grape". Dense, bushy shrubs for hedges, windbreaks and ground-covers.
Blue-Black berries.
Full Sun
Zones 5-10
Well-drained, fertile soil with adequate water.

Bee Forage Plants and UK Butterfly with Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis and Butterfly Usage of Plants.

See Winter-Active Bumblebees Information Sheet from Hymettus Ltd.
Hymettus Ltd is the premier source of advice on the conservation of bees, wasps and ants within Great Britain and Ireland.
Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society (BWARS). A society dedicated to studying and recording bees, wasps and ants in Britain and Ireland.

Mahonia aquifolium 'Atropurpurea'

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

36 x 60 (90 x 150)

Bright Green turn dark Red-Purple in Winter

Yellow in
April-May

Blue-Black berries. Mahonia aquifolium, is fairly drought-resistant, but dislikes extreme heat and if grown in desert areas must have shade.

The whole plant of Mahonia aquifolium is poisonous.

Mahonia aquifolium 'Orange Flame'

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

24 x 36 (60 x 90)

Rust-Orange young foliage turning Red in Winter

Yellow in
April-May

Blue-Black berries.

Mahonia aquifolium is good in a woodland garden or towards the front of a shrub border.It associates well with bluebells, muscaris, smaller narcissi and tulips, and white flowering currants. Muscari armenicum 'Blue Spike' in front of Mahonia aquifolium 'Apollo' provides a continuity of blue contrasting with the yellow of the mahonia flowers.

Mahonia japonica

Evergreen Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

84 x 120 (210 x 300)

Dark Green

Fragrant Yellow in
November-April

Blue-Purple berries. A handsome large shrub with pinnate leaves, each leaflet rather like, and as spiny as, a holly leaf.

The arching sprays of yellow flowers appear in winter and are fragrant of lily-of-the-valley - Zone 7.

Mahonia japonica 'Bealei'
(Mahonia bealei)

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

72 x 120 (180 x 300)

Blue-Green

Fragrant Yellow in
November-April

"Motherleaf Mahonia". From western China. Blue-Purple berries.
Full Sun
Zones 6-10
Well-drained, fertile soil with adequate water

Mahonia lomariifolia

Evergreen Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

120 x 72 (300 x 180)

Dark Green

Fragrant Yellow in
December-March

One of the tallest and most elegant mahonias. Blue-Black berries.
Full Sun
Zones 7-10
Well-drained, fertile soil with adequate water

Mahonia napaulensis

Evergreen Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

96 x 120 (240 x 300)

Glossy Dark Green

Yellow in
April-May

Blue-Black berries.

Mahonia nervosa

Evergreen Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x 36 (45 x 90)

Glossy Dark Green

Yellow in clusters in
June-July

Blue-Black berries. A slowly suckering shrub forming mats of hard prickly leaves, green in summer and flushed with mahogany in cold weather - Zone 6.

Mahonia x wagneri 'Pinnacle'

Evergreen Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

84 x 120 (210 x 300)

Bronze in Spring, Bright Green in Summer, Autumn and Winter

Yellow in
April-June

Blue-Black berries.

Mahonia pumila

Evergreen Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 36 (30 x 90)

Grey-Green

Dark Yellow in
April-June

Blue-Black berries.

Mahonia repens

Evergreen Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 36 (30 x 90)

Matt Green

Dark Yellow in
May-June

"Creeping Mahonia". Blue-Black berries. A small shrub forming a low carpet of matt green leaves
Full Sun, Filtered Shade.
Moist Soil

This is a plant for medium and small areas, including borders and patio settings with rocks and lattice.

Mahonia x wagneri 'Undulata'

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

72 x 72 (180 x 180)

Glossy Dark Green turning Red-Purple in Winter

Rich Yellow in
April-June

Blue-Black berries.

Mahonia x media 'Charity'

Evergreen Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

144 x 108 (360 x 270)

Dark Green

Yellow in
December-March

Blue-Black berries. Mahonia japonica and the tall, rather frost-tender Mahonia lomariifolia are united to become Mahonia x media. The result is a group of hybrids with the showy yellow candle-clusters of the second parent, but hardier. There are many named cultivars, most of which are barely scented.
Full Sun
Zones 6-10
Well-drained, fertile soil with adequate water

Associate with a carpet of Euonymus fortunei cultivars, mingling with early-flowering winter heaths, evergreen ferns and sedges, and the earliest snowdrops.
Autumn foliage as well as fruits may remain as this Mahonia comes into bloom, as it is below the crab apple's fruits of Malus 'Professor Spenger', which stay on that tree throughout the flowering of the mahonia.

Malus
'John Downie'

Yes, HB, ST, LT, SOL

Deciduous Tree above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

312 x 240 (780 x 600)

Bright Green

White in
May

"Apple, Crab Apple". Orange and Red fruit.
Full Sun
Zones 3-9
Fertile, well-drained, loamy soil with protection from strong winds

Malus 'Royalty'

Deciduous Tree above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

336 x 300 (840 x 750)

Purple

Crimson-Purple in
April-May

Dark Red.
Malus (Apple and Crab-apple) are Trees for Lawn. See Top Fruit page for sizes and shapes that suit any size of garden, however small.

Malus toringoides

Deciduous Tree above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

300 x 360 (750 x 900)

Bright Green in Spring and Summer, Yellow in Autumn

White in
May

Yellow fruit.

Malus thrive in any good garden soil providing the drainage is adequate. The bloom most freel;y in sunshine. Varietal forms are usually grafted on crab and apple stocks and can be obtained in bush form, half-standards or standards. Prune to shape and keep the centre of the tree open.

Malus
'Golden Hornet'

Deciduous Tree above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

312 x 276 (780 x 690)

Bright Green

White in
May

Golden-Yellow fruit.

Malva moschata

Useful to bees and in flower until frosts arrive.
No HB, ST, LT, SOL

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

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

Dark Green

Rose-pink in
July-October

"Musk Mallow". Tap-rooted, bushy. Cottage garden favourite. Cut back the flowering stems to ground leaving the basal leaves after flowering
Full Sun
Zone 4-9
Well-drained, moist sandy soil

Companions - phlox paniculata, boltonia, coreopsis, veronica, phlomis, veronicastrum, lysimchia ephemerum. Plants will be small if kept too dry.

Meconopsis paniculata

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

72 x 24 (180 x 60)

Greyish-Green

Pale Yellow in
June-August

"Blue Poppy".
Dappled Shade
Zone 7
For Neutral to Acid soil, mulch with well-rotted manure and leafmould in spring.

Companions - pulmonaria, dicentra, hosta, helleborus, polygonatum, arisaema, geranium, heuchera; the woodland garden. Mulch with coarse organic material (compost would be best), along with manure (but not over the crown). Water during dry spells in the summer.

Meconopsis quintuplinervia

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

18 x 12 (45 x 30)

Mid- to Dark Green

Pale lavender-Blue in
July-September

"Harebell Poppy".
Rabbit Resistant - see other Rabbit Resistant Plants.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 7
Moist leafy, lime-free, soil.

Part shade Woodland garden association - has meconopsis, candelabra primulas and ferns .

Melicytus crassifolius

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

48 x 48 (120 x 120)

Dark Green

Yellow in
June-July

Purple berries.

Mentha gracilis 'Variegata'

Mentha species. When grown commercially, they are harvested before they flower.
No HB, ST, LT, SOL

Herb below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 36 (30 x 90)

Dark Green striped and flecked Gold

Lilac in
july-September

"Ginger Mint, Red Mint". Wide-spreading / creeping clump.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 6
Moist, fertile soil. Strongly invasive so restrict its growing area - or grow within a pot.

Mentha longifolia

Herb 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

48 x 36 (120 x 90)

Green to Silver-Grey

Lilac or White in
July-September

"Horsemint". Grown for ornament only - the musty scent of the foliage is not pleasant, so put it at the back of a large border.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 6
Moist, fertile soil.

Mentha x piperita 'Citrata'

Herb below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

20 x 36 (50 x 90)

Dark Green tinged Reddish-Purple in Sun or Copper-Red in shade.

Pinkish-Purple in
September

"Orange Mint, Eau de Cologne Mint". Strong-growing spreading / creeping mat.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 3
Moist, fertile soil.

Mentha pulegium

Herb below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 18 (30 x 45)

Bright Green

Lilac in
July-September

"Pennyroyal". Mat-forming with a fresh, pungent mint scent. Creeping in every direction. Needs protection from hard frosts.
Full Sun
Zone 7
Native to wet places on sandy soils in western and central Europe, and western Asia.

Mentha spicata

Herb 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

36 x indefinite (90 x indefinite)

Bright Green

Pink, Lilac or White in
July-September

"Spearmint". Upright plant. Best grown in a container to curb its spread / creep, this is the usual mint for sauce.
Full Sun
Zone 5
From damp grassy places in central and southern Europe

Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata'

Herb 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

36 x indefinite (90 x indefinite)

Greyish-Green

Pink or White in
July-September

"Pineapple Mint". Runs strongly, with shoots often arising some way from the original clump.
Full Sun, Part Shade
Zone 6
Grows on wasteland in much of Europe.

Mespilus germanica

No HB, ST, LT, SOL why not fan-train it to chainlink fencing in smaller gardens.

Deciduous Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

240 x 300 (600 x 750)

Dark Green in Spring and Summer, Yellow-Brown in Autumn

White in
May-June

"Medlar". From Europe and southwest Asia bred for its brown fruit.
Full Sun
Zones 4-9
Well-drained soil and shelter from strong wind. It must not be allowed to dry out.

Microbiota decussata

Evergreen Ground-cover Conifer 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height

36 x indefinite (90 x indefinite)

Mid-Green turn Bronze in Winter

...

"Russian Arborvitae". From Siberia. Usefull ground cover, similar to the spreading / creeping junipers. Besides groundcover, it can be a Speciman on its own or grouped with other low-growing conifers or heathers. It also makes a good foil for other more colourful plants, such as bulbs.
Full Sun
Zones 3-9
Free-draining soil. Suitable for dry soil garden. Prune only if absolutely necessary and then only into the new wood.
Some garden centres will not stock it because customers return it when it 'dies' when its foliage turns completely brown in winter. Use this change of colour to grow some tall winter flowering daffodils in front of it to complement it. It likes a well-drained soil and quickly spreads.

The whole plant of Microbiota decussata is poisonous.

Milium effusum 'Aureum'

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

24 x 12 (60 x 30)

Rich Golden Yellow in Spring becoming Yellow-Green

24-36 (60-90) high Golden flowers in spikelets in
June-August

"Bowles' Golden Grass". Spectacular ground cover succeeding in cool positions in Part Shade.
Dappled Shade
Zone 5
Moist, well-drained, rich soil. Found in damp oak and beech woods on heavy alkaline soil throughout northern temperate regions, including Britain.

It is best treated as a short-lived perennial, as older plants tend to look dishevelled. Mass planting in blocks hides its natural grace, and it looks better scattered as individual tussocks, perhaps through a carpet of low-growing plants such as bugles, forget-me-nots, blue corydalis, geums, bluebells, brunneras, and omphalodes.

Tulipa tarda and Milium effusum 'Aureum'.

Mimulus guttatus

Herbaceous Stolon Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 36 (30 x 90)

Mid-Green

Yellow in
July-September

Invasive, upright or semi-prostrate. From western, midwestern and northeast USA.
All Mimulus are Rabbit Resistant - see other Rabbit Resistant Plants.
Full Sun
Zone 4-9
Damp soil
In cold localities, it is wiser to lift the mimulus roots and store them in a frame until May.

Companions ligularia, ajuga, carex elata, lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea', darmera, primula florindae; small ditches, edge of small waterfall. Ver attractive as a container plant.

Mimulus luteus

Herbaceous Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

12 x 24 (30 x 60)

Mid-Green

Yellow in
June-September

"Monkey Musk, Yellow Monkey Flower". Invasive, self-sows, can be grown in water
Full Sun
Zone 7-9 From Chile and naturalized elsewhere including Britain.

Mimulus ringens

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

36 x 12 (90 x 30)

Mid-Green

Violet or White in
July-September

"Allegheny Monkey Flower". Upright, thrives in shallow water (6 inches - 15 cms - deep)
Full Sun
Zone 4-9
Moist soil or shallow water - from Eastern North America

Mirabilis jalapa

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

36 x 24 (90 x 60)

Mid Green

Fragrant Red, White or Yellow in
July-September

"Four o'clock Flower, Marvel of Peru". Bushy perennial, sometimes grown as an annual.
Full Sun
Zone 8
Tubers can be overwintered frost-free, or grown fresh from seed each year in well-drained, fertile soil. From Peru, and tropical areas of North, Central and South America.

Mitella stauropetala

Deciduous Rhizome Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

20 x 12 (50 x 30)

Purple-tinged Mid-Green

White or Purple in
July-September

Moltkia x intermedia

Evergreen Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

9 x 12
(23 x 30)

Dark Green

Bright Blue in
July

Monarda
'Beauty of Cobham'

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

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Purplish-Green

Pale Pink in
August-October

"Bergamot". Clump-forming.
Full Sun where summers are cool, or in dappled shade where they are hot.
Zone 4-9
Moist soil
Do not allow plants plants to dry out in summer and protect from excessive winter wet.
Two-tone harmonies - Try it with Verbascum 'Helen Johnson' behind it and pink flowers from a bedding nicotiana slipped between the 2 of them to provide a consistency of bright, clear colour all through the summer.

Companions - larger grasses, phlox, salvia, acanthus, achillea, penstemon, alchemilla, eupatorium. Most effective in large colonies, wild gardens (meadows), and the grass border.

Monarda
'Vintage Wine'

No HB, ST, LT, SOL

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

36 x 18 (90 x 45)

Mid to Dark Green

Red-Purple in
August-October

"Bergamot, Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot".
Full Sun where summers are cool, or in dappled shade where they are hot.
Zone 4-9
Moist soil

Divide every 3 or 4 years using a sharp-edged spade. Top-dress with manure or compost every winter. Deadhead as flowers fade. Do not allow plants to dry out in summer. Cut back in late autumn to the crown.

Morina persica

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

60 x 24 (150 x 60)

Dark Green

Scented White in
August-September

Rosette-forming plant with toothed or deeply cut, very spiny leaves. From the Balkan Peninsula.
Full Sun
Zone 6
Very well-drained soil in a gravel garden. Growth will be unduly lush in rich soil. Plants dislike disturbance

Companions - saxifraga stolonifera, ajuga pyramidalis 'Metallica Crispa', acaena, euphorbia, sedum.

Morus nigra 'Wellington'

Deciduous Tree above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

480 x 600 (1200 x 1500)

Mid-Green

Pale Green in
June-July

"Black Mulberry". Green turning Red then dark Purple in September edible fruit. From Britain and northern Europe
Full Sun in sheltered position
Zones 6-10
Ferile, well-drained soil

Muscari

Muscari species yield pollen and nectar at a time when rather few other sources are available.
No HB, ST, LT, SOL

Herbaceous Bulb

8 x 2
(20 x 5)

Mid-Green

Blue or White in
April-May

Most of the "Grape Hyacinth" are undemanding small bulbs with tiny, tight-lipped bells packed into a tapering spike. They all grow to between 4 (10) and 6 (15) in height and are suitable for dry soils on rock gardens. Plant in October, from 2-3 inches (5-7.5) deep and 3 inches apart; lift from the ground only when overcrowded.

Photo of Muscari botryoides 'Album' taken at Sissinghurst on 22 September 2019 by Garnons-Williams.

Photo of Muscari massayanum taken by Garnons-williams in the rock garden outside the Alpine House on 17 February 2015.

Photo of Muscari azureum used in a bedding area taken by Garnons-Williams on 16 March 2013.

All Muscari are Rabbit Resistant - see other Rabbit Resistant Plants.

Muscari armeniacum is used in the front of the border and for gravel or rock gardens, and excellent for underplanting late-leafing herbaceous plants and deciduous shrubs. Its foliage appears in the autumn, but by flowering time the leaves have flopped into an untidy mat. Planting among erythroniums, wood anemones, pulmonarias or euphorbias help disguise this fault. Plants associate well with white, cream and soft yellow flowers, such as smaller narcissi.

Muscari latifolium with its deep purple-blue fertile florets contrasts with soft yellow and yellow-green foliage and flowers; when seen at close range. Associate with euphorbias, erythroniums, wood anemones and smaller narcissi at the front of a border or in a rock garden, and for underplanting late-leafing herbaceous perennials.

Myosotidium hortensia

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

24 x 24 (60 x 60)

Very Glossy Mid-Green

Dark Blue in
July

"Chatham Island Forget-Me-Not".

Myosotis sylvatica and it's cultivars

Myosotis species
No HB, ST, LT, SOL

Herbaceous Perennial

12 x 6
(30 x 15)

Grey-Green

Blue or White in
May-July

"Forget-me-not". Behaves like a biennial, self-sows.

All myosotis thrive in the sun and in ordinary soil. Many are useful for bedding or for the rock garden.
All Myosotis are Rabbit Resistant - see other Rabbit Resistant Plants.
Zone 4-9

Companions - Spring-flowering bulbs,early irises, viola, dicentra, meconopsis cambrica, galium odoratum, erysimum; the white form pairs very nicely with 'Viola 'Bowles' Black'; try myosotis alpestris 'Gold 'n' Sapphire' with tradescantias or centaureas with the same combination of blue flowers and golden leaves

Myrteola nummularia

Evergreen Sub-Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height

2 x 12
(5 x 30)

Dark Green

White in
July

Pink berries.

Myrtus communis

Double flowered varieties of this plant will be no benefit to bees, like Myrtus communis 'Flore pleno'.
No HB, ST, LT, SOL

Evergreen Shrub above 72 inches (180 cms) in height

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

Glossy Dark Green

Fragrant, White flowers with central puff of stamens in
August-October

"Common Myrtle, True Myrtle". An erect aromatic Mediterranean shrub is very tolerant of neglect, and also able to withstand drought once established.
Full Sun, Light Shade
Zones 8-11
Moist, well-drained soil. Trimming keeps them compact - shorten back over-long shoots or cut to shape in April. They can be used for hedging or as container plants, clipped into a ball or pyramid. In cooler areas, container plants need protection during winter.

Myrtus communis var. tarentina is more compact, slow-growing variety with tiny leaves, ideal for hedging.

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. The 1000 Ground Cover plants detailed above will be compared in the Comparison Pages of the Wildflower Shape Gallery and in the flower colour per month comparison pages of Evergreen Perennial Gallery starting in November 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.  

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

Details of smaller Muscari, Myosotis and Myrtus 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) - remember that rhododendrons are toxic to honey bees

I have included within these pages on 1000 Ground Cover Plants information from other pages within this PLANTS Topic like

• Poisonous Plants
• Flower Arranging
• Rabbit Resistant
• Bee Forage
• Attracts Bird/Butterfly

and links to Rock Garden Plants Suitable for Small Gardens Index Gallery.

Any of these 1000 Ground Cover Plants may well have further details about them in the remainder of the pages in this PLANTS Topic linked to from the PLANTS PAGE MENU above.
 

MULCHES
A good, weed-free mulch is a most valuable addition to a new ground cover planting. A couple of inches (5 cms) will keep weeds down and make them easier to pull out if they do appear; 4-5 inches (10-12.5 cms) will prevent most weeds from growing. Some of the better mulches are sawdust, fir bark, ground bark, and tree leaves, as well as gravel and rocks. There are many others of limited availability, depending on your area.

Besides preventing weeds from growing, some organic mulches improve the soil and add nutrients as they decompose. They also conserve moisture, an important consideration where summertime water is in short supply and anytime young, shallow-rooted plants are just getting started. Finally, soil temperature is controlled evenly, creating a more favourable root environment.

You might also try a living mulch of flowering annuals - see Bedding - while the ground cover is filling in or have a green manure of Caliente Mustard 199 to provide nutrients for the ground cover plants. It will hide the bare spots with colour.

In some harsh-winter areas, some ground covers benefit from a winter mulch. A mulch applied at the time of a new autumn planting will prolong the time it takes the soil to freeze, allowing plants to become further established.

With an established ground cover, apply the mulch
after
the ground is frozen, to keep it that way. Damage occurs when the soil alternatively thaws and freezes. A loosely applied mulch such as straw or shredded leaves over the ground cover also insulates plants against drying winter winds. Air should be able to circulate around the foliage.

Your Ground Cover requires watering and this guide may help you.
Use a strimmer to mow the ground cover to about a 6 inch (15 cm) height in the spring before new spring growth occurs - to tidy it up.

Mulching Materials

Sawdust, Wood Chips, Wood Shavings

Low in plant nutrients, decompose slowly, tend to pack down. Well-rotted material preferrred. Can be decomposed if nitrate of ammonia or nitrate of soda is supplemented at the rate of 1 pound (444 grammes) per 100 square feet (9 square metres) to stop the decomposing process without it depriving the ground cover plants of nitrogen. Keep away from building foundations; may cause subterranean termites (you may be able to buy these from a pet store) to arrive.
I would not recommend using fresh sawdust, wood chips or wood shavings, since they take from the ground more than they give.

Peat Moss

Attractive, but expensive for large areas. Should be kept moist at all times.
Peat is disappearing fast and should not be used for any purpose otherwise there will be no peat bogs left in the world.

Rotted Manure

May contain weed seeds.
Rotted cow manure from overwintering in barns is unlikely to contain seeds, since the cows have 4 stomachs and eat the same food 4 times.

Spent Mushroom Compost

Often available in areas where commercial mushrooms are produced. Usually inexpensive, with a good colour that blends into the landscape.
I find that about half disappears by each autumn, and it is light to replace. I prefer this mulch for its nutrients, stopping of weed seeds germinating, and ease of hoeing it when weeds do appear using a swoe.

Shredded Hardwood Bark

Makes an excellent mulch that is easy to apply and very attractive. Lasts longer than peat moss, adds valuable organic matter to the soil.
It has the same problem as for the Sawdust, Wood Chips and Wood Shavings in that it takes nitrogen from the soil to decompose it. As you walk on it to maintain the bed you are likely to push it into the soil. Although it may last longer that Spent Mushroom Compost, I would still prefer to use Spent Mushroom Compost.

Pine Needles

Will not mat down. Fairly durable.
Advantage is that it would acidify the soil as well and a useful mulch to use round acid-loving plants like hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas as well as these plants in
Info - Lime-Free (Acid) Soil
Lime-Free (Acid) A-F 1
Lime-Free (Acid) A-F 2
Lime-Free (Acid) A-F 3
Lime-Free (Acid) G-L
Lime-Free (Acid) M-R
Lime-Free (Acid) S-Z.

Tree Leaves
(Whole or Shredded in the autumn).
There are several reasons why deciduous trees lose their leaves: 

• It means the tree spends less energy through the harsh winter
• It conserves moisture within the trunk and keeps it from drying out
• It allows wind to blow through the branches, putting less strain on the tree – a serious concern in winter storms and gales 

Excellent source of humus. Rot rapidly; high in nutrients. Oak leaves especially valuable for Azaleas, Camellias, and Rhododendrons.
Dropped leaves generally have lost most of their water content but retain many of their other components which can be recycled to be used for other plants. I tend to mow the leaves on the lawn for the ones that have landed there and the others from the flower beds that I have blown from them or raked from those same beds. I then get shredded leaves which when laid as a mulch do not blow away as the unshredded ones would, especially on a slope. You can also mow your drive, paths, pavement and road to collect your own leaves and the ones from public areas for the same purpose - use the highest cut height on your rotary mower so that you do not cut into the path, road, pavement etc.

Ground Corn Cobs

Excellent for improving soil structure
and is especially useful for the soil around young evergreen trees and shrubs.

Gravel, Stone Chips

Limited use, but particularly good for rock garden plantings. Extremely durable, holds down weeds
but does not stop them growing,
nor does it supply nutrients or humus.

Hay, Grass Clippings

Unattractive, but repeated use builds up reserve of available nutrients that lasts for years.
According to this American Research it is a good idea to cut the grass and leave the mowings on top of the lawn. IF YOU FOLLOW THEIR GUIDELINES, THEN YOU WILL NOT BE CREATING MORE THATCH AND IT WILL BE OKAY. I tend to collect mine and lay a 0.5 inch (1 cm) layer onto flower or vegetable beds, under hedges and under shrubs and trees once a fortnight. The green mowings turn light brown and look fine. If you put another mulch like hay or any of the others on steeply sloping beds, then the only way of keeping those mulches in place is put this grass mowings on top - it will not move even in heavy rain and so the stones in the bed will not be washed out onto the lawn area below.

Straw

Same as "Hay, Grass Clippings", but lower in nutrients, although furnishes considerable potassium.
 

Strulch ® is a light and easy to use garden mulch made from wheat straw for organic gardening. A patented process developed by Dr Geoff Whiteley at The University of Leeds, is used to ‘preserve’ the straw so that it lasts for up to two years and gives an earthy brown colour.

Strulch has a neutral pH and can be used throughout the garden on borders, raised beds, around cultivated fruit and on vegetable plots.

Why Strulch is beneficial?

▪ Strulch mulch reduces weed growth by up to 95%

▪ Strulch mulch helps retain moisture around plants

▪ Strulch mulch enriches soil and its structure

▪ Strulch mulch is suitable around flowers, shrubs, fruit and vegetables

▪ Strulch, the straw garden mulch, lasts up to two years, spreading the cost, saving water and fertiliser, making your plants grow healthier and stronger and giving you more time to relax.

▪ The physical properties of Strulch mulch together with the embedded minerals deters slugs and snails.

Bark

Ground and packaged commercially. Especially attractive in this form. Sometimes available in rough form from pulpwood loading sites.

Melcourt Industries sells many different types of mulches and you can use their Bag for Life, which you can re-use over and over again.

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,
Angelica triqueta,
Asclepias species,
Astralagus species,
Astralagus lentiginosus,
Camellia thea,
Corynocarpus laevigata,
Astralagus miser v. serotibus,
Cuscuta species,
Cyrilla racemiflora,
Ochrama lagopus,
Solanum nigram,
Sophora microphylla,
Tillia species,
Veratrum cailfornicum,
Zygadenus cenesosus.

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 is 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

Pruning

Pruning Made Easy - A gardener's Visual Guide to when and how to prune everything, from flowers to trees by Lewis Hill. Published by Storey Publishing as one of its Storey's Gardening Skills Illustrated Series in 1997.
ISBN 1-58017-007-2. Lewis Hill owned Berryhill Nursery.

The illustrations combined with the text tell you precisely what to do in the above book.

I have spent a long time investigating the state of the trees in pavements within Funchal in Madeira and I have taken 100's of photos to show what happens when any tree is pruned and allowed to rot followed by the inside rot being set light to. You can look at the welcome page, and below this leads on to the start page of the 100's of photos linked to in the comments on cavity repair, for further details.
 

• This information about pruning is very useful to people not living in England in 2023, since by 2030 much of England is going to run out of water and therefore the English population that it affects will have to move out of their existing homes into another country; leading to a major financial mortgage and housing value crash in England.
  Southern Water Authority is responsible for water undertakings in Medway from 1973.
  "Twenty-five years from now we will have lost a third of our water sources through climate change, seen a reduction in the amount of water we are allowed to take from rivers and underground sources, and our population will have grown by 15%. Without action, we predict a supply and demand deficit by 2030 equivalent to around 50% of our current supply. Our Plan proposes 43 performance commitments for the five-year period from 2020 to 2025, directly aligned to 10 key outcomes to create a resilient water future." from Southern Water. Southern Water has £5,100,000,000 of debt, so how does it intend to execute these performance commitments?
  Medway has a population of 274,015 in 2014, which has grown to 280,000 by January 2023. So Medway has increased its population by more than 2% in 9 years where our water supply has shrunk by more than 18%. See further details about 'Lack of drinking water from Southern Water by 2030' in Mission Statement page.
  Since West Midlands, London, Parts of the South West, East Midlands, East of England and South East regions of England are at risk of running out of water by 2030, cemeteries and churchyards in England will then be abandoned as its 35,000,000 population has to leave.
  From South East Rivers Trust report on Water, water everywhere ... or is it? - "By 2050, the South East of England will need to find at least an additional one billion litres of water per day to meet demand in the region. That is about a fifth of the water used in the region today, and equivalent to the water use of seven million people per day.  Demand for water will exceed supply by 2030."
  Since the privatised water companies in England are so much in debt (due to asset stripping and borrowing to pay the high dividends and payments in salary and bonuses to their staff during the 30 years of privatisation), it is extremely doubtful if anything has been done about it for the last 30 years or for the next 7.
  They and the government blame the increasing population in overusing the decreasing
  a) by 33% of the rainfall water resource plus
  b) the reduction that the water companies will be allowed to take from rivers and underground sources plus
  c) the reduction in the rainfall being allowed into the ground by the new buildings, roads etc covering it.
  Further details concerning the involvement of the government in this fraud; is on the Welcome Page;
  for those from America, Canada and other countries who will experience the loss in their retirement pension value from this future market crash in the UK.

Chapter

Contents

Comments

Reasons to prune

Pruning with a purpose.
Pruning when planting or transplanting.
Pruning to train.
Pruning to control size.
Pruning for appearance.
Pruning for health.
Pruning for production.
Pruning for rejuvenation.
Pruning to create a barrier.

Tools and Equipment

Clippers and loppers.
Sharpening pruning shears.
Shearing equipment.
Tree paints and sealers.
Tool storage.

Pruning Methods

A proper pruning cut.
Pruning at different life stages.
When to prune.
Training.
Shearing.
Pinching.
Removing large limbs.
Beheading.
Disbudding.
Thinning fruit.
Basal pruning.
Root pruning.

Ornamental trees and shrubs

Pruning a bare-root shrub.
Pruning container-grown or balled-and-burlapped plants.
Pruning flowering trees.
Pruning Flowering Shrubs.
Pruning a viburnum.
Pruning a lilac.
Restoring an old flowering tree or shrub.
Turning a shrub into a tree.
Pruning shrubs that produce fruit or berries.
Plants with coloured bark.
Shrubs and trees that need special care in pruning.
Pruning roses.
General rose maintenance.
Pruning a hybrid tea rose.
Pruning shrub and species roses.
Pruning climbers and ramblers.
Pruning tree roses.
Choosing a tree or shrub.

From shrubs and trees for the smaller garden by Frances Perry. Published by C. Arthur Pearson Ltd in 1961:-

When pruning trees.
Never leave dead, damaged or diseased branches. Remove these as soon as possible or the trouble may spread. Paint with a wood preservative such as Stockholm Tar any cuts over 0.5 inch (1 cm) in diameter. Pine tar is a product from our trees. By treating wood with pine tar, you are adding natural substances that the tree itself uses to protect itself from e.g. mildew and algae. Impregnation with pine tar also prevents moisture penetration like Imprex 845, instead allowing the wood to breathe. This helps prevent the wood from drying out and cracking.
Remember cherries, prunus and even rhododendrons can contract Silver Leaf disease. Never leave dead wood lying about and in an infected area paint the wounds and prune between May and July (when the spores of Silver Leaf are inactive).
Remove large branches in at least two sections to prevent damage farther down to the trunk or lower branches.
NEVER LEAVE STUMPS.

Shrub pruning.
Shrubs should be carefully examined once a year.
Start by checking over the bush and removing broken, dead or diseased branches. Old, worn-out and weak shoots should next receive attention and must be taken out entirely or shortened back to a younger or stronger shoot. One important object of thinning is to admit light and air and many shrubs which have become leggy grow out again freely from the older stems when cut hard back at the right season.
Further pruning of deciduous shrubs will be closely related to their method and time of flowering, a point on which the gardener must satisfy himself with every species he grows.
a. Shrubs flowering in early spring on wood made the previous year. Examples - Jsminum nudiflorum, Forsthia suspensa, Clematis montana and Prunus triloba plena. As soon as the blooms fade, cut back the flowering shoots, almost to the old wood. New shoots will soon break and thus receive the longest possible season in which to grow and ripen. These in turn will carry the next season's flowers.
b. Shrubs flowering from April to July on wood made the previous year. Examples - Lilacs, ribes, spiraeas and philadelphus. These require very little pruning and often flower well for years with little attention. Thin crowded shoots and remove weak twigs, and if the bush is traggly and over-tall (a common fault with lilacs and philadelphus) remove a few of the worn-out branches at ground level and shorten back the top flowering shoots to strong young growths on the main branches. This may spoil next season's flowers but the plant will eventually benefit and be brought back to more reasonable proportions.
c. Shrubs flowering in late summer on growths of the current year. Examples - Bufddleia davidii, Tamarix pentandra, Clematis jackmannii and Ceanothus 'Gloire de Versailles.' In order to encourage strong flower shoots, cut back all last year's flowering stems to within a few inches (cms) of the old wood in January or February, that is before growth commences.

Evergreen shrubs.
Do not prune evergreens in winter, but in spring, just before the recommencement of growth, or, with plants like Berberis stenophylla (which blooms in April) immediately after the flowers fade.
Autumn flowering heaths may be improved by having the old flowering shoots trimmed back in spring. Cutting them over with shears is usually sufficient.

Pruning and clipping hedges.
Freshly planted hedges must not be allowed to run up until a thick dense bottom has formed. Cut the plants back hard and repeatedly until this is achieved. Height will come later but in future years it will be found difficult to induce new shoots from the bottom of a thin hedge.
Prune evergreen hedges hard in spring when the fresh new growths quickly mask the scars of cutting. Very old yew or holly hedges should not be treated too drastically. Reduce them gradually, the top one year and one side in each of the next 2 years.
Young, fast-growing hedges need 3 or 4 clippings during the season, and mature hedges 1 or 2 - in spring and late summer. The clipping of beech, hornbeam and similar deciduous hedges is best performed in winter or in August. At the latter season beech produces short new growths which retain their leaves during the winter.
Ivy on walls or fences may be clipped with shears or a hedge trimmer in April, but it is better to use secateurs in August to remove any long, loose shoots.
Shrubs grown for the beauty of their stems in winter, notably Salix britzensis, Salix vitellina and certain Cornus species should be treated like the deciduous shrubs in category c. The object is to obtain as much new growth as possible each year and to that end the previous year's shoots are spurred back hard in March to within 1 or 2 eyes of the old wood.

Pruning hints.
Prune so that the maximum time is allowed for fresh growth before a new flowering season comes round. All tools used for pruning should be kept very sharp."

Shade trees

Basic tree shapes.
Choosing the proper tree.
Pruning at planting time.
Maintenance pruning.
Basal pruning.
Care of mature trees.
Tree surgery.
Cavity repair.

Cavity repair.
"1. Clean out the cavity carefully. Remove all dirt, old bark, insects, and rotten wood right down to soil wood, much as a dentist cleans out a tooth prior to filling it, If possible, flush out the area with clean water." Fine.

"2. Smooth out the rough edges with a heavy-grit file" No, that would tend to remove the remains of the branch collar and further damage the tree.

"3. Fill the hole with a good tree-cavity sealer. Asphalt compounds, such as those used in patching driveways and roofs, are suitable..."
No, asphalt as well as concrete are solid and may shrink slightly as they dry out leaving a gap where the water, insects can get back in and rot the tree.

I suggest the following:-
"Solution to holes in trees.
Remove ... rot within the hole. Then blast the remaining rot with a high pressure water hose to try and clear more of the rot. Spray with Boron (a water based preservative kills only wood boring insects - not spiders, birds or bats) as a treatment for insect, wet and dry rot attack. While it is still wet, apply a layer of Expanding Foam to the bottom of the hole. Immediately place bottles on this and allow to set for 5 minutes. Apply another layer of expanding foam and another layer of bottles. The aim of the bottles is to occupy space, they are not there as a deterrent. That is why the foam has to be in contact with the inside of the tree not the glass bottle. The poisons in the foam will kill anything eating it and the foam does stick better when wet with water. Keep up this operation until the hole is covered. 
Leave to set and then paint the foam surface twice with a recommended water-based, but not oil-based, sealant.

Solutions to stop creating holes in trees.
When a branch is cut off, remember to cut it off on the other side of the Branch Collar - see figure in next row. (See Figure 1 - Optimum position of the final pruning cut in "Guide to Tree Pruning" by the Arboricultural Association which shows the branch collar within and outside the tree. My Comments: I disagree with their recommendation not to apply wound paint as you can see the result if you do not paint trees which are dehydrated, starved and gassed as these trees in the pavements of Madeira are.) 
Once that is done, then immediately apply Boron and 2 coats of protective sealant as used for holes in trees above." from Photo Damage to Trees in Madeira Page 1.

I also saved the yew tree in my local churchyard.

Branch Collar

Pruning evergreens

What is an evergreen.
Needled evergreens.
Shearing basics.
How to shear.
Shearing specimen evergreens.
A shearing timetable.
Shearing dwarf evergreens.
Creating a dwarf evergreen.
Shearing windbreaks and screens.
Pruning needled evergreens.
Broadleaf evergreens.
Renewal pruning.

Pruning hedges

Starting a new hedge.
Shearing a hedge.
Making an arch in your hedge.
Reviving an old hedge.
Formal hedges.
Hedges for barriers.
Flower- and berry-producing hedge plants.
Hedges needing careful maintenance.
Annual hedges.
Low-maintenance hedges.