Ivydene Gardens Plants: Ground-Cover Plant Name: XYZ
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. Having transferred the Extra Index row entry to the relevant Extra Index row for the same type of plant in a gallery below; then
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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:-
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. 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.
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. |
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Plant Name Major source of honey in the UK Yes/No |
Type The key ingredients a bird needs from your garden are |
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 |
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 |
Xanthorhiza simplicissima |
Deciduous Shrub 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height |
24 x 60 (60 x 150) |
Bronze then Light Green in Summer, Red-Purple in Autumn |
Brown-Purple in |
"Yellowroot" grows on any reasonable soil; spreads / creeps fairly quickly by underground stolons in light soil. Sun or shade. Flowers inconspicuous before the leaves appear. Good plant for low, wet spots - areas for which the choice of plants is small. |
Yucca flaccida |
Evergreen Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height |
22 x 60 (55 x 150) |
Dark |
White in |
Yucca flaccida is suitable for dry soil. |
Yucca flaccida |
Evergreen Shrub below 24 inches (60 cms) in height |
22 x 60 (55 x 150) |
Dark Blue-Green margined-Yellow |
White in |
Yuccas are architectural plants used as focal points like Yucca aloifolia, Yucca elephantipes and Yucca gloriosa. A gentler impact with their leaves tending to flop is Yucca filifera, Yucca flaccida and its cultivars 'Ivory' and 'Golden Sword'. |
Yucca flaccida |
Evergreen Shrub 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height |
24 x 30 (60 x 75) |
Dark |
Green-tinged Creamy-White in |
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Zantedeschia aethiopica |
Evergreen Rhizome Perennial 24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height |
36 x 24 (90 x 60) |
Glossy Bright Green |
Pure White Spathes in June-August |
Companions - large-scale ferns, astilbe, aconitum, darmera, hosta, ligularia, caltha, pontederia, sagittaria; beside ponds or water gardens. |
Zantedeschia aethiopica |
Evergreen Rhizome Perennial below 24 inches (60 cms) in height |
18 x 24 (45 x 60) |
Glossy Bright Green |
Pure White Spathes in June-August |
As above and carries a mass of flowers |
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Ground Cover for |
After these 14 Special Situations Rows,
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1a. Plants best for |
Climber - Shrub - |
In dense shade, ivy (Hedera) is probably the best choice for low ground cover. Shaded sites that are dry are the worst possible areas for planting. Overhanging trees, with a mass of roots searching out and draining the soil of all available moisture in summer, severely limit the choice of plant. The first and essential operation is to improve the soil to the level where it will retain a degree of moisture. If the trees are deciduous then leave the dead leaves to create a layer of leaf mould and this should be supplemented with generous helpings of well-rotted farmyard manure or spent mushroom compost as a 3 inch (8cm) depth mulch each August (August is normally the month when rainfall is stored by topfruit tree roots to be used for new spring growth and foliage). I used cow manure from cows put in barns over the winter since their is no seeds left after the hay is eaten by cows. Beneath deciduous trees, planting in autumn may help new plants to establish before the spring leaf cover creates dense shade. Once planting is completed you will need to water regularly until the plants become established - use water ring for trees/shrubs for first 2 years. Plants for dry, shady sites include:-
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Good Combination |
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1b. Plants tolerant of |
Alpine - Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
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2a. Plants best for |
Climbers - Fern - Bulbs, rhizomes and tubers - Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - Mahonia nervosa. |
Moist and shady areas of the garden are easier, provided they are not completely waterlogged. Quite often trees overhang moist boggy areas but the shade is not usually very dense. The biggest problem is that the site can change from boot-sucking mud to cracked, parched clay in a period of weeks. Apply a 2 inch (5cm) mulch of 1-4mm Horticultural Grit to encourage drainage and reduce the risk of surface cracks or apply the mulch mixture in Soil Formation - What is Soil Texture? page. For sites that stay damp, there is the range of suitable ground cover plants:-
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Good Combinations:-
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2b. Plants tolerant of |
Herbaceous perennials - Shrub - |
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3a. Plants best in |
Conifers - Herbs - Alpines - Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
Sites in full sun have soil conditions playing a large part in determining suitable plants. Soils that are not retentive of moisture are like mini-deserts and can be the death of all but the toughest of ground cover. Thorough watering until the plants become established, and heavy surface mulches of shredded bark, moisture-retentive material such as spent mushroom compost, rotted farmyard manure or leaf mould will help the soil hold water. Mulches must be applied when the soil is moist and frost-free (i.e in late winter) to seal in the moisture. A mulching material spread on dry soil will prevent water from penetrating the ground, thereby making the problem worse. When I maintained client's gardens, I found that home compost bins were a waste of time because the total volume is insufficient to create proper compost and the amount added each time was too small. Having put a spent mushroom compost mulch of 3-4 inch depth on the beds, I would put the weeded plants and prunings on the lawn; then cut the lawn using a rotary mower and spread the mowings on top of the spent mushroom mulch. Being on top, the shredded weeds would dry out and the worms would eat them. Then each autumn, I would cut the lawn and the fallen deciduous leaves before applying another mulch of the mowings on the spent mushroom one. The waste food from the kitchen collected in a small plastic bin could also be used by putting it onto the existing mulch and covering with grass mowings. Problems with clay soil drying out, can be sorted out by applying a 2 inch (5cm) mulch of 1-4mm Horticultural Grit to encourage drainage and reduce the risk of surface cracks or apply the mulch mixture in Soil Formation - What is Soil Texture? page. Ground cover plants for Full Sun:-
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Good Combinations:-
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3b. Plants tolerant of |
Herb - Herbaceous perennial - |
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4a. Plants best for |
Heathers - Alpine - Shrubs - |
Banks may be referred to as slopes, gradients, changes of level or terraces, but the word 'Bank', somehow or other, seems to sum it up. Is the bank facing the house or falling away from it? If seen from the dwelling the planting needs to be interesting, with year-round colour. Of course if the bank is facing the road or other houses in plain view, then it needs to look good. A change of level helps to create interest and structure. There are problems including soil erosion, surface water, summer drought, poor access and subsoil coming through to the surface of a bank. Leave a month after sewing the Green Manure for it to mature before Pit planting, which provides a mixture of the existing soil and the mulch mixture to be used as a backfill material. Then when that row has been planted another 2 inch (5cm) mulch of the above mulch mixture is applied after the area has been thoroughly watered. The Pit planting method above does provide the small ridge to hold rainwater in and once planting is completed you will need to water regularly until the plants become established - use water ring for trees/shrubs/plants for first 2 years. The green manure will provide nitrogen for the ground cover plants over the years. Some of the traditional twining rather than suckering climbers will cover a bank if given a support to scramble over. Galvanized wire mesh spread over the bank and firmly secured - using galvanized hoops of wire pushed into the soil or tied with galvanized wire to wooden pegs driven into the bank - is an ideal method of support. Plant clematis, honeysuckle, climbing or rambling roses. Remember to water well after planting. Train the new shoots through the wire mesh to ensure that they are securely held. A bank can be formed into a rock garden with the rock 'growing' out of the ground with much of the rock below the soil surface. If the rock has strata lines they should all be running the same way, just as they do in nature. The rocks should be placed close together with small pockets of soil to accomodate the plants. The alternative is often seen and best described as a stonery with stones like raisins in a bread pudding. Banks that slope away from the house or main viewing point can be made interesting by bringing the plants over the top of the bank on to the level surface. Allowing the planted area to encroach into the lawn will shorten the horizon, suggest that there is more beyond, especially if you use low-growing plants. In the same way a steep bank will look less severe when viwed from below if the planting is carried beyond the base of the bank on the level ground. Curving the front of the bed rather than finishing it abruptly with a straight line will give an appearance of depth, and of the natural spread of the plants. A series of lawned terraces looks very aristocratic, but grass will revert to its peasant ways long before it gets its next trim. Pit-planted ground cover will remove the necessity for mowing altogether. If the planting takes place after it has been weeded, mulched and a green manure (of 80% VIRGO PAJBJERG certified Yellow Trefoil and 20% MERLYN certified Med. White Clover) sewn as in the first paragragh above, then you will have easy maintenance terraces. |
Good Combinations:-
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4b. Plants tolerant of |
Shrubs - |
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4c. Plants best for |
Climber - Conifers - Alpine - Herbaceous perennials - Ajuga reptans 'Burgundy Glow'. Shrubs - |
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4d. Plants tolerant of |
Alpine - Shrubs - |
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5a. Plants suitable for |
Fern - Rhizomes - Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
Woodland and copses are a form of ground cover in their own right, albeit tall cover. Fewer weeds germinate and thrive in the shade of tree canopies. Where a second, lower layer of ground cover can also be established, weed population drops still further, providing a minimum maintenance regime. Where the canopy of leaves is broken, glade areas permit plants that require more light to be planted, especially those with evergreen or variegated leaves. Evergreen plants are more susceptible to damage from autumn leaf fall than deciduous plants and it may be necessary to rake brush or blow deep layers of large, decomposing leaves off some plants. Ground cover plants for Woodland:-
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Good Combinations:-
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5b. Plants tolerant of |
Shrubs - |
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6a. Plants best for |
Alpine - Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
Some soils are just on the limy or alkaline side of neutral and are capable of growing a wide range of plants. Many acid-loving plants can survive, but the excess lime will lock up trace elements such as iron and magnesium, giving the plants a stunted, chlorotic appearance with mottled and yellow leaves. Soils that form a thin layer over chalk restrict plant selection not only to those that like a high pH, but also to those tolerant of drought. Limy soils are usually shallow, stony and very well-drained, warming up quickly in spring. Generous mulching will increase the depth and quality of soil and help retain moisture. The addition of peat or ericaceous compost will lower the pH, allowing a wider range of plants to be grown. However, deep-rooted, lime-hating shrubs and trees such as Holly - Ilex crenata, Helianthemums, all the Juniper family, Berberis, Calluna, Rhododendron, Erica, Skimmia, Ledum and Gaultheria species will be unable to thrive. Ground cover plants for Alkaline Sites:-
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Good Combination Santolina pinnata neapolitana and Choisys 'Aztec Pearl' both have aromatic foliage. If the taller choisya is planted behind the santolina the contrast of leaf shape and colour is eye-catching. 'Aztec Pearl' flowers white in late spring and again in late summer and autumn and the small yellow, button flowers of Santolina appear in late summer. |
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6b. Plants tolerant of |
Shrubs - |
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7a. Plants best for |
Fern - Heathers - Alpines - Herbaceous perennial - Shrubs - |
Acid soils are often quite dark and rich in organic material, the best examples being peat, or woodland soils where years of leaf litter have built up a deep, humus-rich surface layer of soil. Clay soils are usually acid and retentive of moisture, requiring drainage and the addition of grit or coarse sand to make them more manageable. Such soils may be 'late' - slow to warm up at the start of the season - but if well cultivated they are ideal for all those lime-hating ground-covering plants such as Calluna, Rhododendron, Erica, Skimmia, Ledum and Gaultheria. Sandy, free-draining soils can also be acid and are often lacking in nutrients, which are leached from below the level of the roots. Adding lots of compost and well-rotted farmyard manure will make the soil more moisture-retentive. Ilex crenata, helianthemums and all the Juniper family will thrive in this sort of soil. Ground cover plants for Acid Sites:-
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Good Combination:- Lithodora diffusa 'Heavenly Blue' and Pieris japonica 'Little Heath' are quite happy together, with the lithodora providing sheets of blue under the pieris, whose pink-tinged leaves are margined with silver. |
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7b. Plants tolerant of |
Heather - Herbaceous perennial - |
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8a. Plants bst for |
Conifer - Herb - Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
More gardeners complain of trying to garden on heavy, sticky clay than on any other soil type. Often the problem has less to do with the geography of the site than with the builder who stripped the topsoil and, instead of stockpiling it to put back when the work was finished, sold it to another gardener in an equally new site of clay and rubble, who now marvels at the quality of the soil and the difference it makes to his garden. Hence the expression 'imported' topsoil - which is not foreign at all, just comes from up the road. The good news is that clay soils are extremely fertile, with all the trace elements necessary to produce healthy plants. What preparatory work should be done with clay is detailed in the second table on the right. It is not good practice to pit-plant into a clay soil any plants that have a weak or deeply penetrating root system, as the hard surrounding clay will act in the same way as a plastic pot, restricting the roots to the 'pit' of worked soil. Make as large a hole as possible, fork up the base of the hole, add grit or compost and plant strong-growing plants with shallow roots that spread at or just below ground level like mint or Pinus mugo 'Mops'. There is no shortage of plants that enjoy clay soils and given a little Tender Loving Care early on they will not only survive but really thrive on your worst nightmare of clay. Ground cover plants for Clay Soils:-
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Good Combination Viburnum davidii and Pinus mugo 'Mops' (a great dwarf pine for dense cover) are both evergreen and their foliage provides a complete contrast between large, glossy lraves and dull green leaves. Both male and female viburnum davidii plants are required if berries are to be produced. |
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8b. Plants tolerant of |
Herbaceous perennial - Shrubs - |
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9a. Plants best for |
Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
Dry, light, open sandy soils are not moisture-retentive, and are low in nutrients and humus, but to their advantage they are easily cultivated all year round and they warm up early in the season. It is actually enjoyable hoeing weeds growing up in a sandy soil because they uproot so easily. Working masses of humus into the soil will gradually improve its structure and help retain moisture. Surface organic material mulches will also help, but the worm population is lower in sandy soil, so that you can't rely on them to transport the mulch down into the ground. When you study the 2 Quartz Grain (2 grains of Sand) joined together by clay domains, bacterium and organic polymers in the soil structure diagram in the second table on the right, you can see that the Organic Polymers (in terms of humus or organic material mulch) is added to the sand but not the clay in the para above. So what will happen is as rain or irrigation is trickled through the ground then that Organic Polymers will be washed down, because they will not held in place by the clay, so you are wasting your time and money and that is Why you are continually losing the SOIL STRUCTURE so your soil - will revert to clay, chalk, sand or silt. Ground cover plants for dry sandy soils:-
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Good Combination Ballota acetabulosa and Potentilla fruticosa 'Tilford Cream' make a good combination of evergreen and deciduous leaves with the ballota plants dotted through the potentilla. Alternatively, if the ballot is planted in front, it will screen the potentilla's untidy winter appearance. The purple-pink and cream flowers blend well. |
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9b. Plants tolerant of |
Shrubs - |
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10a. Plants best for |
Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
The exposed garden is an area that is open to the elements and that includes cold, biting winds, the glare of full sun, frost and snow. There a few rules to stick to, to give your plants a good start
A wider range of ground-covering plants can succeed with a more conducive habitat through the use of windbreaks and shelter belts, that can be created. Temporary shelter can be provided until the plants become established or aclimatised, or, if space permits, you can make a perimeter planting of species such as Bupleurum fruticosum and Elaegnus x ebbingei 'Limelight' that are tolerant of the conditions. For the larger garden you could use the 3 lines of wind reduction as detailed in the Windbreak page or Hedge Laying as detailed in Hedge and Photos - Hedging sections. You can use hedging and screens to divide a windy garden into separate ‘garden rooms’. Create shelter for different seating areas around the garden depending on which direction the wind is blowing from. The more desirable landscaping can then be planted on the sheltered side. On windy sites, you may need to support taller plants with stakes and ties. Firm the plant roots into the soil after heavy frosts have broken up the surface, especially where low plants such as periwinkle are spread by runners. Peg them down with stones to keep them in place until they root. In the northern hemisphere, ground-covering plants at the base of south-facing walls are very likely to dry out in summer. The walls draw in available moisture and the eaves of the house prevent rainfall from reaching the soil and at the same time the sun, when it appears, is at its hottest. Surface mulches will help to retain moisture - you can put a spent mushroom compost mulch down in early spring and top it up by putting grass mowings at 0.5 inch (1cm) depth on top once a month from early spring to early autumn. Ground cover plants for Exposed Sites:-
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Good Combination Escallonia 'Pride of Donard' and Olearia x haastii. Both are evergreen, the escallonia with shiny dark green leaves and red flowers in mid-summer, the olearia also with dark green foliage but with daisy-like flowers appearing after the escallonia, in late summer. Two tough shrubs guaranteed to flower. |
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10b. Plants tolerant of |
Herbaceous perennials - Shrubs - |
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11a. Plants best for |
Ferns - Corm - Herbaceous perennial - |
Where low-growing carpeting plants are required at the base of hedges, there are problems. Usually the soil is impoverished, the roots of the hedge having depleted the ground of nutrients. An established hedge will continue to grow by sending its roots far out in search of food and moisture. For this reason the soil at the base of the hedges is likely to be bone dry and for a distance on either side as well. When it does rain the overhanging leaf cover acts as an umbrella, throwing the water well out beyond the sides of the hedge to be used by the hedge roots outstretched each side. Most of the food and water you provide for your ground cover plants will be taken by the hedge, encouraging excess growth, so it is more sensible to choose plants like those listed alongside that can tolerate the dry, poor soil that they have inherited. Weed the ground under the hedge and for 36 inches (90cms) on each side; remembering to dig out the weed roots carefully using a Fiskars Solid Planters Weed Fork so as not to damage the roots of the hedge. Then apply a 4 inch (10cm) depth of the mulch mixture in Soil Formation - What is Soil Texture? page to the weeded area and sow a Green Manure like Medicago lupulina which sets seed freely and is low growing so ideal for undersowing the ground cover plants. After a month sow these groundcover plants within that 4 inch depth of mulch and water them in. |
Good Combination Crocosmia 'Solfatare' and Euphorbia amaygdaloides robbiae grow to about 24 inches (60 cm). The euphorbia is a rapidly spreading evergreen with dark green leathery foliage and greenish yellow 'flowers' in late spring and early summer. Crocosmia 'Solfatare' has attractive lance-shaped bronze foliage that dies away in autumn and apricot yellow flowers in summer. Together they provide interest all year round. |
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11b. Plants tolerant of |
Herbaceous perennials - Shrub - |
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12a. Plants best for |
Herb - Alpines - Herbaceous perennials - |
Looking after some planted areas is usually worth the extra effort just to soften large masses of paving or other solid surfaces. Straight edges and defined boundaries can be broken up, allowing prostrate and creep-crawly ground-huggers to spread over the surface. Check that the plants you buy are not too rampant and scamper over the patio. Cotoneaster 'Skogholm' and Rubus tricolor are 2 such plants that are quite capable of making a patio disappear in a flash, or certainly in a season or two. Paths can also be made more interesting by softening their edges, or planting small-leaved, compact-growing plants such as Thymus serpyllum into the gravel or between the cracks in the slabs. All the varieties of thyme are ideal for crevice-filling, providing aroma, flower and a wide range of leaf colour. Where broken paving or flat slabs of rock are used to form hard surfaces the gaps are usually grouted with a cement-sand mix. If some random areas are left ungrouted a gritty mixture of soil can be used to fill the spaces which can then be planted with flat-growing scented plants such as chamomile that can tolerate being walked upon, releasing their aroma under the pressure of your feet. With small patios where space is at a premium it is not a good idea to remove slabs at random for planting up, as this restricts both movement and the use of garden furniture. Simply plant around the perimeter of the patio and allow the plants to grow inwards, softening the edges. Ground cover for Patios and Paths:-
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Good Combinations:-
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12b. Plants tolerant of |
Herbaceous perennials - |
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13a. Plants best for |
Heather - Herbaceous perennials - |
Knot or Knotte gardens - formed by planting low hedges in intricate patterns, usually interweaving and comparitively informal - have been with us since Elizabethan times. Parterres, which originated in France and are more formal, with dwarf plants forming rectangular patterns, became popular in Britain in the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Many of the early knot gardens used gravel, brick, cobbles or even clinker ash from the hothouse boilers of the big house to colour in and surface the beds formed between the dwarf hedges that were usually of box. Later, local authority parks departments planted elaborate parterres, using annuals on a massive scale to form huge colourful displays. Today ground-covering plants are in demand for this sort of design. A selection of plants to give a subtly coloured effect may include Ajuga, Vinca, heathers, Pachysandra and Santolina. Formal gardens with intricate patterns are best viewed from above, so if you haven't got a castle or even a two-storey house it is best to site your knot garden or parterre at the bottom of a slope. Maintenance is remarkably easy once the cover is complete, leaving clipping of the formal dwarf hedging the only regular task. Of course if you wanted to jazz it up with exciting colours of foliage, why not use Coleus bedding or Annuals from:- Coleus Bedding Foliage Trial Folder
Bedding Gallery has |
Good Combination:-
Topic - Flower/Foliage Colour |
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13b. Plants tolerant of |
Herb - Alpine - Shrubs - |
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14a. Plants best for |
Climber - Alpine - Herbaceous perennials - Shrub - |
Quite often it is desirable to have an area of soft landscaping in the vicinity of a swimming pool to soften the traditional paved zone that surrounds it. Grass is not ideal close to the water, as some of the mowings are inevitably carried into the water by wind or bare feet, and will necessitate daily hoovering to remove them. Thorny and spiky-leaved plants should also be set well back. Evergreen material will provide year-round structure without dying leaves blowing into the pool, and quick-growing plants to cover the soil are a must. The design should also allow for some plants that will appear to raise the temperature such as Yucca flaccida. If the pool is in full sun, lavenders, cistus and helianthemums will all do well. Tennis courts are often built into the side of sloping land, resulting in a steep bank at one end and partly round 2 sides. Such banks are difficult to maintain as mown grass and yet the grass has to be kept short or balls cannot be found. The answer is to plant the slope with extremely low-growing vegetation that won't conceal the ball and will withstand trampling and bashing with the racquet. A very forgiving plant that comes to mind is variegated ground elder Aegopdium podagraria 'Variegata'. It tends to die down in winter and is quite as aggressive as its big brother the green-leaved weed pest ground elder or bishop weed, but it still needs to be kept under control and well back from an all-weather surface. |
Good Combination:-
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14b. Plants tolerant of areas |
Heather - Shrubs - |
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Why grass/lawn should never be used as a groundcover in a flower/ topfruit/ vegetable or a single specimen bed, because it takes all the rain that falls on it and any nutrients applied onto it, leaving nothing for the roots of the plants under it.
Remove any grass - using a fork - in the shaded area because it absorbs most of the rainfall before it can reach either the tree roots or the roots of your groundcover:- "Native Grass Meadow
Perhaps Suncrest Nurseries Inc can provide the replacement plants instead of grass/lawn Partly by design, partly by pursuing other fancies with plant groups from California, the Southwest, Mexico, temperate South America, Australia and South Africa, we at Suncrest have gradually accumulated a collection of several hundred plants with a record of at least moderate tolerance of summer drought. This means simply that they can be maintained in good condition with substantially less summer irrigation than the average popular garden plant (And vastly less than the lawns that still fill major portions of many California landscapes). The fact that many of these plants are also beautiful, fill nearly every possible garden niche, and collectively provide year-round seasonal interest, would make them desirable garden candidates even if water were not an issue. You can use the alphabetical listings below on their linked page (with page divisions for the larger groups) to easily access informational displays on these plants. |
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Why seaweed is a necessary ingredient for gardens - It contains every trace element that any plant requires and it also has other ingredients to aid your plants. Weblink is https://maxicrop.com with its product range. Maxicrop Original The original seaweed extract plant growth stimulant. Approved for organic growing by the Soil Association.
Maxicrop Seaweed Meal This is a dried seaweed, milled into powder form and is approved by the Soil Association for use in organic growing systems. Maxicrop Cal-Sea-Feed Maxicrop Take Root
Maxicrop Compost Maker
Sea Magic Organics wrote the majority of the following on their website about seaweed:- Soil conditioner Foliar feeding Caution Combining seaweed extracts with fish emulsion PO Box 251,Coffs Harbour. 2450, Ph 02 6652 3131 • Fax 02 6652 3132, enquiries@seamagic.com.au |
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Single flowered cultivars (some are marked as 'Single Flowers') are useful to honeybees, but double flowered cultivars are no benefit at all.
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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. Height in inches (cms):- 25.4mm = 1 inch I normally round this to I have included within these pages on 1000 Ground Cover Plants information from other pages within this PLANTS Topic like
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. |
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"Arum Lilly, Calla Lily". Long-bloomer and clump-former. It has arrow-shaped, shiny green leaves
Feed can be used on heavy clay soils, to help improve soil structure and on soils where acidity needs to be reduced. Apply anytime from spring to autumn.
This table was copied from Case Studies Pages Case
3 - Drive Foundations What are the Soil Nutrients besides What types of organisms are found in the soil? and What Pysical changes occur in Soil because of weather? and what Chemical changes occur in Soil because of weather? leading to This leads to an 3b Pre-Building Work for Builders to treat polluted soil using phyto-remediation plants.
Then, they could follow my following Suggested Action Plan for Builders after they have built their houses:-
And finally on the same day pour a depth of 11 inches (27.5 cms) depth of the builders soil mixture detailed below onto the remainder of the new garden areas and alongside the Instant Hedging.
A fortnight later the following type of turf containing RTF (Rhizomatous Tall Fescue), bred by Barenbrug Research USA, could be laid over the proposed lawn areas. The roots of that grass will reach the clay below and stabilise the new builders soil mix, before the proposed owners view the property a month later. The builders soil mix should within 3 months become roughly the same proportion of clay, silt and sand which is within a Sandy Clay Loam to create a sweet spot for growing plants as shown on How is material lost from the soil? Page, since it will mix with the clay below.
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Design Cases When designing a garden, it is vital to know who and for how long the resulting designed and landscaped garden is going to be maintained by. The book 'The One Hour Garden' describes what maintenance work can be done in the time that you have allotted; and therefore what besides a lawn, you can have in your garden. My redesign and construction work to be done on my 3 gardens - as shown by Case 2 - must be to reduce the maintenance time required to the time I have available. If the gardens are first weeded, pruned, mulched, mown and bare earth converted to lawns using grass seed, then construction can take place in the future - as free time allows during a week or fortnight after the maintenance has been done. In Case 4, the combination of the Structural and Planting Designs would create a garden that I would be able to maintain in one day a fortnight. I would install a 3" deep mulch in the spring on the beds, so that I can prune the shrubs/trees and hoe the odd weed; whilst the father mows the lawns, the mother tends the vegetable garden and their teenage daughters play football!! The children in Case 5 loved to look at creepy-crawlies and wildlife, so that together with low-cost the design for different areas in a terrace house garden was created.
Construction Cases Case 3 is building a drive on clay and it is important to get the part you will not see - the foundations - done correctly. Case 8 is creating a pond with its pitfalls for foundations.
Maintenance Cases If you are asking someone to maintain your garden, then do provide the complete picture. If as in Case 1, you intend to sell the property, then look at this - as not a maintenance but as a selling job - and get that job done instead. Case 6 is creating a vegetable garden in a back garden during the maintenance program of one day a fortnight to maintain it and the remainder of the back and front gardens. This was done over 7 years using a crop rotation system Concrete ponds are likely to crack open due to movement in the ground levels due to being in clay or vibration caused by road traffic if it is fairly close. Case 7 shows no planting shelves for the pond plants. |
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Section below on Problems for Houseowners and Builders when the new home is surrounded by clay and how to solve them. |
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Problems for Houseowners and Builders when the new home is surrounded clay and how to solve them. 8 problems caused by clay:-
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Builders do sell the original topsoil including
where the new building and its garden areas are to be built.
The consolidated parent material (bedrock) is usually sand, chalk or clay with flint possibly. At the end of building; the builders rubble is covered with possibly only a 2 inch (5 cms) depth of imported topsoil, which might be the washings from the sugar beet in the sugar industry. This is covered with turf and the unsuspecting public is offered the result. As likely as not one of their gardens slopes towards the house and even with the modern depth of foundation wall, there is no guarantee that subsidence will not occur.
If every garden of a new house had a 12 inch depth of soil removed from its new garden area, then at the end of the building work, the Aquadyne Drainage System would be laid round the entire boundary. Next to it then plant the relevant Instant Hedge on the non-house wall sides to absorb the rainwater collected by that drainage system
The mix to change clay soil into a friable useful soil in less than 4 months for the above domestic garden problem was in royal blue colour typing. Using the burgundy colour typing components, the builder could create the following soil mix for his gardens:
If water with 150 kgs of clay was first added to the Concrete TruckMixer and then the required volume of cullet followed by the required volume of waste plasterboard, the mixture is then mixed for an hour. If the cullet/waste plasterboard mixture is passed through the poultry houses to mix with the poultry litter on the litter floor before being collected into the next Concrete TruckMixer, then the houses would be cleaner and smell less. The required volume of waste from beer making could replace the Peat above and the requisite Sulphate of Iron and Sulphate of Potash could be added to the Concrete TruckMixer before that mixture from the Poultry Farm litter floor is added. That soil mixture could then be mixed for 30 minutes before applying it to the garden areas of the new houses built by the builder to an 11 inch (27.5 cms) depth. The resulting mixture would then integrate with the clay and create a deep topsoil within 3 months. All the requirements for a soil as shown in the figure above would then have mixed together and time will increase the bacteria and get a new soil structure created. The following type of turf could then be laid over the proposed lawn areas a fortnight later:- RTF (Rhizomatous Tall Fescue), bred by Barenbrug Research USA, produces rhizomes (an underground stem) that send a shoot up to the soil surface while extending new roots downwards. In fact, RTF can root to 1.5 metres deep giving it a chance to tap into water reserves that normal lawn turf cannot reach. |
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There is other compostable waste that could be used in the above mixture - The following is from a farmer who runs Riverford Organic Farmers who deliver weekly boxes of vegetables, meat etc from their farms to the homes of members of the public in Britain in his weekly epistle dated Monday 4th December 2017:- |
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"So why now, in my 57th year, have I seen the light?
So, I have seen the errors of my youth and come inside. Milan tells me we have only just started. It is shocking how much compostable material is wasted at such cost to our environment:
The reasons are:-
Time is running out; we cannot afford 100% safety when environmental destruction is 95% certain if we continue on our current path."
If the above waste was turned into compost that would last as a mulch like spent mushroom compost, which lasts for 2-3 years with 25-35% loss replenishment each year in the autumn, then it could be sold to the above home owners in bags to put alongside their hedges, in planted pots and in the flower beds throughout the year.
If you cannot be bothered to buy the commercially produced soil conditioner and collect your own seaweed to be harvested from beaches, then the following could still provide these other benefits in the same time slots as in above paragraph:- |
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China sells a lot of seaweed. The Cornish Seaweed Company sells edible Cornish Seaweed and The following is from No Dig Vegetable Garden Website:-
What's the best way to use seaweed on the garden?
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Finally, we should not forget about Noise Reduction for the new residents of the estate just built. See last row in the midlle table for further details. Nor should we forget about the changes required for the infrastructure (see Pre-Building Work for Builders with Polluted Soil Page) . |
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From Annuals and Biennials chapter in Plants for Ground-cover by Graham Stuart Thomas - Gardens consultant to the National Trust. Published by J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd in 1970, Reprinted (with further revisions) 1990. ISBN 0-460-12609-1:- "I think there is a case to be considered for annuals and biennials in ground-cover schemes so long as they will sow themselves freely. |
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Use |
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Lawn and ground-cover under conifer trees |
Poa annua |
The needles under a cedar tree were weekly swept away and the grass, despite fertilizers, top dressing, re-seading and re-turfing, simply would not grow. The needles were left alone and within 12 months the area became self-sown with a close and permanent sward of Poa nnua. This little grass regenerates itself constantly so that it makes a lawn, though each plant has only a short life. |
Oxalis rosea |
This is highly successful in the shade of conifers or any other tree |
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Cyclamen hederifolium |
This is a perennial, though sowing itself freely when suited and it is here because plants to grow under cedars and yews, somewhat away from the trunks, are very few. |
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Temporary ground-cover under trees |
Tropaeolum or Eschscholtzia |
A sheet of 'Gleam' nasturtiums or eschscholtzia; both are free-flowering and easily pulled up, though like all annuals it may be a year or two later before all dispersed seeds have germinated. Silene armeria and Iberis amara are equally successful, with Sett Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) creating a dwarf ground-cover carpet in late summer. |
Ground-cover under trees with high rainfall |
Claytonia sibirica (Montia sibirica) |
This grows under trees where the grass is thin at high altitude and high rainfall. It covers the area - interpersed with primroses and Oxalia acetosella - with a mass of pinky-white stars a few inches (cms) above the ground. Claytonia perfoliata is an annual; it is usually classed as a weed but is excellent cover in cool, acid soil, but far less conspicuous in flower |
Streamsides, river banks and fringes of boggy ground |
Impatiens glandulifera (Impatiens roylei, Annual Balsam) |
It is a rapid colonizer because its seeds are ejected with some force from the ripe pods. It seeds with great abandon and grows to 72 (180) or more; its many pink flowers make a great show. |
Full sun and drier soils than by streamsides |
Angelica archangelica |
It very quickly produces great green heads in spring, ripening quickly, with the result that the ground is thickly covered with seedlings in late summer. Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose) will colonize any sunny waste place and produce yellow blooms for weeks in the summer Lychnis coronaria is a prolific seeder with rosettes of silvery basal leaves. Erysimum linifolium (Wallflower) produces lilac flowers |
Plants that seed about with abandon |
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From Appendix II Lists of plants for special conditions in Plants for Ground-cover by Graham Stuart Thomas - Gardens consultant to the National Trust. Published by J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd in 1970, Reprinted (with further revisions) 1990. ISBN 0-460-12609-1:- |
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Plant |
Plant |
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1. Plants requiring lime-free soils
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Arctostaphylos. |
Erica. |
Philesia. |
2. Plants which will thrive in limy soils
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Acaena. |
Cotula. |
Paeonia. |
3. Plants which tolerate clay.
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Acanthus. |
Euonymus fortunei. |
Rodgersia. |
4. Plants which will grow satisfactorily in dry, shady places. Apart from ill-drained clay, this combination of conditions is the most difficult to cope with in the garden. * indicates those which will not tolerate lime. |
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Alchemilla conjuncta. |
Fragaria. |
Reynoutria. |
5. Plants which thrive on moist soils. Genera marked * are suitable for boggy positions. |
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Ajuga. |
Cornus stolonifera. |
*Onoclea. |
6. Plants which grow well in shady positions. The bulk of these are woodland plants, growing well under shrubs and trees, but those marked * are not so satisfactory under trees, though thriving in the shade given by buildings. For those requiring lime-free soil, compare with List 1. |
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Adiantum. |
Carex. |
Epigaea. |
Helxine. |
Onoclea. |
Shortia. |
7. Plants which will thrive in hot, sunny places on dry soils. Those marked * require lime-free soil. |
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Acaena. |
Dimorphotheca. |
Lychnis coronaria. |
8. Plants which thrive in maritime districts. Many of the following will stand wind and salt-spray, particularly those marked *. Those marked ** will provide shelter for others and shelter is highly important in seaside gardening. For genera requiring, lime-free soil, compare with List 1. |
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Acaena. |
Aubretia. |
Ceanothus. |
*Genista. |
Pulsatilla. |
*Sedum. |
9. Plants which create barriers. The following by their dense or prickly character will deter small animals and human beings as well as weeds. |
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Arundinaria anceps. |
Mahonia japonica. |
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10. Plants for town gardens. Genera marked * prefer acid soil; those marked £ will thrive in impoverished soils. Soil in towns is usually deficient in humus. |
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£Acanthus. |
Euonymus. |
Ribes. |
EXPLAINATION OF WHY SOIL IN UK TOWNS IS USUALLY DEFICIENT IN HUMUS.
Humus is dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant and animal matter decays.
The humus provides the organic polymers to interact with the clay domains and bacterium to stick the 2 grains of sand together. This soil molecule of 2 grains of sand, organic polymers, clay domains and bacterium will disintegrate by the action of the bacterium or fungal enymatic catalysis on the organic polymers. So if a continuous supply of humus is not present, then the soil molecules will break up into sand and clay. |
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Cultural Needs of Plants "Understanding Fern Needs
Only Earthworms provide the tunnels which transport water, gas and nutrients to and from roots. When the roots of the plant requires the mineral nutrients dissolved in soil water, oxygen and nitrogen intake and waste gases output, it gets it through the action of the earthworm continously making tunnels to provide the transport system. |
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11. Plants suitable for covering rose-beds. The following are all small plants that will not be strong-growing for the purpose, and will help to make the beds more attractive during the 7 months when Hybrid Teas and Floribundas are not in flower. Small spring-flowering bulbs can be grown through them. The more vigorous shrub roses will tolerate many others among the shorter growing plants in this 1000 ground cover table. |
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Acaena. |
Cardamine trifolia. |
Primula auricula. |
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PLANTS PAGE PLANT USE Ground-cover Height Poisonous Cultivated and UK Wildflower Plants with Photos
Following parts of Level 2a, 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) |
Plant Selection by Plant Requirements
Photos - with its link; provides a link to its respective Plant Photo Gallery in this website to provide comparison photos. ------------ Ground-cover Height |
REFINING SELECTION Plant Selection by Flower Shape Plant Selection by Foliage Colour
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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 |
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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 2. Azalea 3. Trumpet flower, or angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia suaveolens) 4. Oleander (Nerium oleander) 5. Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) 6. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) 7. Stargazer lily (Lilium 'Stargazer') 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. 9. Bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia - 10. Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) This is another list of Plants toxic to bees, which includes:- |
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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) 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.
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%." |
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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. |
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THE 2 EUREKA EFFECT PAGES FOR UNDERSTANDING SOIL AND HOW PLANTS INTERACT WITH IT OUT OF 10,000:-
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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
4. Choose a plant from its Flower Shape:- Shape, Form
5. Choose a plant from its foliage:- Bamboo
6. There are 6 Plant Selection Levels including Bee Pollinated Plants for Hay Fever Sufferers in
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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:-
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There are other pages on Plants which bloom in each month of the year in this website:-
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Pruning The illustrations combined with the text tell you precisely what to do in the above book.
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Chapter |
Contents |
Comments |
Reasons to prune |
Pruning with a purpose. |
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Tools and Equipment |
Clippers and loppers. |
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Pruning Methods |
A proper pruning cut. |
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Ornamental trees and shrubs |
Pruning a bare-root shrub. |
From shrubs and trees for the smaller garden by Frances Perry. Published by C. Arthur Pearson Ltd in 1961:- When pruning trees. Shrub pruning. Evergreen shrubs. Pruning and clipping hedges. Pruning hints. |
Shade trees |
Basic tree shapes. |
Cavity repair. "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..." I suggest the following:- 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
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Pruning evergreens |
What is an evergreen. |
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Pruning hedges |
Starting a new hedge. |
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Artistic pruning |
Topiary. |
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Pruning fruit trees |
Pruning a bare-root fruit tree at planting time. |
A solution for grass round trees depriving them of water and nutrients; using the expertise of DLF. |
Pruning small fruits |
Grapes. |
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Nut trees |
Planting a nut tree. |
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Vines and ground covers |
Pruning a woody vine. |
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Garden plants and houseplants |
Reasons to prune perennials. |
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Bonsai |
Choosing your specimen. |
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BULB FLOWER SHAPE GALLERY PAGES |
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Number of Flower Petals |
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Flower Shape - Simple |
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Flower Shape - Simple |
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Flower Shape - Elabor-ated |
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Flower Shape - Elabor-ated |
Stars with Semi-Double Flowers |
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Natural Arrange-ments |
Bunches, Posies and Sprays (Group) |
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FURTHER BULB FLOWER SHAPE GALLERY PAGES |
History, Culture and Characteristics
Alphabetical Guide - Pages 154-543 provides an Alphabetical Guide to these bulbs, with each genus having a description with details of culture, propagation and details of each of its species and varieties:- Agapanthus is on pages 159-160 with Anemone on pages 169-175. with these Appendices:- |
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Bulbs for Small Garden by E.C.M. Haes. Published by Pan Books in 1967:-
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Bulbs in the Small Garden with Garden Plan and its different bulb sections |
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Bulb Form |
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Bulb Use |
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Bulb in Soil |
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Bulb Height from Text Border |
Brown= 0-12 inches (0-30 cms) |
Blue = 12-24 inches (30-60 cms) |
Green= 24-36 inches (60-90 cms) |
Red = 36+ inches (90+ cms) |
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Bulb Soil Moisture from Text Background |
Wet Soil |
Moist Soil |
Dry Soil |
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Flowering months range abreviates month to its first 3 letters (Apr-Jun is April, May and June). Click on thumbnail to change this comparison page to the Plant Description Page of the Bulb named in the Text box below that photo. |
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Click on Black or White box in Colour of Month. |
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I have updated the plant type and plant use for the Evergreen Perennials by February 2023,
followed by continuing to insert all the plants with flowers from Camera Photo Galleries as indicated by I will continue to insert all the plants planted in chalk as indicated by then the following plants shall be added from
finally - I am inserting these from February 2023, I will continue to insert all the plants |
The following is from the current Site Map of Evergr Perenn Gallery in October 2023:- 104 from the 1000 Ground Cover Plants (up to Aster novi-belgii in Plant Selection Level 5 Plant Name - A Index page of Plants Topic) as indicated by
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Look for:- |
There are 180 families in the Wildflowers of the UK and they have been split up into 22 Galleries to allow space for up to 100 plants per gallery. Each plant named in each of the Wildflower Family Pages may have a link to:- its Plant Description Page in its Common Name in one of those Wildflower Plant Galleries and will have links to external sites to purchase the plant or seed in its Botanical Name, to see photos in its Flowering Months and to read habitat details in its Habitat Column. |
It is worth remembering that especially with roses that the colour of the petals of the flower may change - The following photos are of Rosa 'Lincolnshire Poacher' which I took on the same day in R.V. Roger's Nursery Field:- |
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Closed Bud |
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Opening Bud |
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Juvenile Flower |
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Older Juvenile Flower |
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Middle-aged Flower - Flower Colour in Season in its |
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Mature Flower |
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Juvenile Flower and Dying Flower |
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Form of Rose Bush |
There are 720 roses in the Rose Galleries; many of which have the above series of pictures in their respective Rose Description Page. So one might avoid the disappointment that the 2 elephants had when their trunks were entwined instead of them each carrying their trunk using their own trunk, and your disappointment of buying a rose to discover that the colour you bought it for is only the case when it has its juvenile flowers; if you look at all the photos of the roses in the respective Rose Description Page!!!! |
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Plant Selection by Flower Colour |
Blue Flowers |
Other Colour Flowers |
Red Flowers |
White Flowers |
Yellow Flowers |
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Fragrant Plants adds the use of another of your 5 senses in your garden:- |
Flower Perfume Group:- |
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