A sparkling little groundcover Hebe with emerald green leaves on trailing black stems and clouds of violet blue flowers in early summer. to 8″ tall spreading to 2′ wide. It covers the ground very densely. It may be used as a small scale ground cover but never more than 4′ x 4′ square feet. Rich to average soil with consistent light water though summer. Cold hardy below 10ºF. Very easy to grow and handsome plant. Hummingbird and Butterflies adore the flowers. Excellent rock garden subject. Very good performance at the coast. Nice trough plant. Good looking year round. Avoid hot wet soils and compacted droughty places. Ideally sited on a slight slope. Stems will eventually root where they touch. Combine with Penstemon pinifolius ‘Mersea Yellow’. New Zealand.
Plant Type: Ground cover
Ground covers are useful for many different places. The important things are scale, vigor, and fertility of the soil. We advocate for plants that actually cover the ground in the most efficient way possible. Prepare the soil, at least double dig it so that there is oxygen in the soil. Smaller ground covers all uniformly require NON- compacted soil. And most benefit from an annual top dress of compost. Pour it right over the top and then water it to settle between the leaves. Water them reqularly unless they are completely drought adapted. For ground covers between pavers its important that the soil never becomes compacted- if it does (see above with compost).
Be realistic and care for your ground cover
A good ground cover blocks out weeds and creates the effect of a pool of foliage. Don’t try to cover the whole planet- that is rarely successful. Instead be realistic about what each plant can do. Some ground covers excel at erosion control, they often root into the ground along the stem stabilizing soil as they grow. Others work efficiently at blocking the growth of other plants- that means in the correct conditions they will be the dominant plant. Remember that weed seeds are born on the wind. They don’t just miraculously sprout from below. Therefore, you must concentrate on eliminating invaders. If that means hand pulling then that is what it takes. Very few desirable ground covers can get by with absolutely no care. Consider these plants your team and you are the coach. Heh. Here is a list of plants that do this job well.
Climate Adapted Plants for Gardeners in the PNW
Helianthemum ‘Annabel’
For several reasons this is a fantastic Helianthemum (Sunrose). Felted green/gray foliage is handsome as a backdrop to the masses of fully double pink flowers that appear for weeks. The single forms of Sunrose have flowers that last just one day but this double flowered form has flowers that individually last for days. It significantly lengthens the bloom time on this charming low plant. Blooms appear from mid May to July. To 10″ tall and spreading to an area 2′ x 2′ in several years. Full sun and well drained soil of rich fertility. Beautiful small scale groundcover for banks, drier borders, rock gardens. Its best to cut Helianthemums back hard when blooming has ended. Remove the blooming stems and part of the current seasons growth. In return you achieve a dense compact plant that will yield more flowers the following year. For pink-o-philes this is a must have plant and one of our favorites at Xera. Light summer water. Some deer resistance.
Helianthemum ‘Cheviot’
Sunroses are great flowery perennials for hillsides and the front of borders. Low growing gray evergreen foliage is a great foil to the 1″ pale pastel apricot flowers that obscure the whole plant for weeks in mid-late spring. To 8″ tall x 2′ wide. But back hard after flowering to encourage a denser more compact plant. Light, regular summer water is important- avoid total dust dry conditions. Mix with Pacific Coast iris and Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Electric Blue’ for a swoon worthy effect. Some deer resistance but not impervious. Each single flower lasts one day but masses of flowers appear opening in full sun, for weeks.
Helianthemum ‘Henfield Brilliant’
Fantastic low growing gray leaved evergreen Sunrose for sunny slopes. Gray foliage is a great backdrop to the masses of brilliant deep orange flowers that obscure the foliage for weeks in April/May. To 6″ tall and several feet wide in just a few years. Light, consistent summer water in rich, well drained soil in full sun. Cut back hard after flowering to ensure a more compact, tidy plant. Blooms simultaneously as Spanish lavender (Lavandula steochas) for a wonderful purple and orange blast of color. Low spreading trailing habit is ideal on slopes or at the top of a wall. Match with other low spreading plants for a tapestry of color.
Helianthemum ‘Stoplight’
This little gray leaved evergreen shrublet becomes a fire of true red flowers for 4-6 weeks in mid to late spring. To 10″ tall and spreading to several feed wide in rich, well drained soil with light but consistent summer water. Better in soil that has been enriched with a bit of compost and light organic fertilizer. Each flower lasts just one day but they come in such profusion that the display is continuous for weeks. Excellent slope cover- rooting where stems touch the ground- ideal erosion control. Cut back hard after flowering has ended. Cut approximately 1/3 of the plant away and new fresh foliage will emerge creating a solid mound of foliage. Very brilliant Sunrose that we love.
Helianthemum ‘The Bride’
The combination of silver evergreen foliage and the clear white pristine flowers of this perennial is exceptional. To 6″ and spreading May to June the foliage is obscurred by a daily supply of flowers. Very showy. Full sun and light but consistent summer water. Cut back hard when blooming has ended. This yields a more compact tideir plant. Good deer resistance. Banks, hillsides, parking medians.
Juniperus ‘Daub’s Frosted’
If you are going to grow a juniper then it better be good. This useful selection has new growth tipped yellow before turning to blue/green. The outside of the plant is always bright and the interior softer and darker- a happy combination. Low and spreading to 18″ high by 4′ across. Excellent drought tolerant easy to grow evergreen for tough sites. Banks, hellstrips, places where you would rather not have the pets potty. Full sun to very light shade. Regular summer water to establish and then none is necessary. Grows faster in better soil- slower where its impoverished. Either way it will grow and thats what you want.
Juniperus communis ‘Hoodview’
Low growing incredibly blue common juniper that we found on the slopes of Mt. Hood on the eastern side of Multnomah county. To just 10″ tall but usually much lower it creeps slowly and densely to 3′ wide in 5 years. Rich, well drained soil in full sun though it makes due with less than ideal conditions. Handsome blue cast to the foliage is nice looking all the time. Growth is dense and blocks out weeds. Nice to have a locally native Juniper from a relatively low elevation. Long lived and care free. Water or once established do not. Oregon native plant.
Juniperus conferta ‘All Gold’
Nice, nice creeping juniper for lighting up hillsides or hellstrips. The needles on this low spreading plant are actually closer to chartreuse/lime green than gold. But its a vivid color and the 1′ tall x 5′ wide plant shines. Full sun and well drained soil. Light to little summer water when established. Excellent ground cover for a steep dry bank. Endures extreme cold as well as heat. Tiny flowers turn into blue fruits that contrast nicely with the foliage. Very easy to grow and good looking year round. Moderate deer resistance. Great performance at the Oregon Coast. Tolerates dense clay on slopes. Striking winter and spring appearance that glows from a distance. Well behaved plant. Combine with blue and gray leaved foliage for extra contrast. Hebe pinguifolia ‘Sutherlandii’ or Arctostaphylos pajaroensis ‘Warren Roberts’. You really can’t go wrong with blue/gray and chartreuse foliage. It provides just enough contrast that you can see the texture of each plant but is not an overall jarring contrast. Excellent garden juniper that we’ve all grown to love.
Juniperus horizontalis ‘Pancake’
So many junipers and so few that are really interesting. This guy caught our attention for its relatively soft growth (to the touch) that is incredibly dense and flat to the ground (prostrate). In summer the foliage is a soft blue green and in winter it changes to soft lavender buff. Very pretty. Excellent solution for tough dry sites where you need to cover the ground completely. To just inches tall a single plant will spread 3′-4′ wide. Light to little summer water in full sun to very light shade. Easy to grow, useful plant. Nice looking year round. Growth flows around any obstruction- around, up and over. Excellent flowing over rock walls. Moderate deer resistance. This has been used as a groundcover/ lawn substitute and it really does work. As with all ground covers the object is not to cover the whole planet but to cover perfectly the space you need (be realistic) and this plant quickly does that. Pretty at the front of borders and combined with winter blooming Cyclamen coum. In time the stems will layer and aid in erosion control- it takes a few years for this process to kick in. Plant on 2′ centers for a fast and total cover. Water to establish and speed growth and then back off.
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