Groundcovers for Sun and Shade Gardens - Plants to Carpet the Ground
Groundcovers are perennial garden plants that offer wonderful alternatives to lawns. In woodland gardens, where turf fears to tread, many shade garden plants work well as groundcovers for shade. In open spaces try growing flowering perennials up through your groundcovers for a two-layer effect. Two plants can inhabit the same place at the same time...aka horticultural multi-tasking! If all you can find at your local garden center are the ubiquitous vincas and ivies, check out some of the more rare and unique perennial groundcovers that our wide selection of mail order plants offer. Anyone who plants perennials, should consider groundcovers as an important part of their garden. So what is the best ground cover for shade and sun? That all depends on your planting zone, climate, and soil conditions. We're partial to Carex, hardy garden ferns, woodland phlox, and ophiopogon mondo grasses for groundcovers for shade. Good sun groundcovers include Dianthus, Sedum, Liriope, Verbena, and Delosperma. These are but a few of the great groundcover mail order plants you’ll find listed below.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order Plant Sources - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
(aka Cyrtomidictyum lepidocaulon) We have been fascinated by this strange fern, shared with us in 2003 by pteridomaniac, Judith Jones. Hailing from mountainous rocky cliffs, the 15" tall x 30" wide evergreen specimens are composed of glossy, holly fern-like leaves. Polystichum lepidocaulon was originally in the genus, Cyrtomidictyum, where it probably should remain, although DNA researchers are trying to lump this and cyrtomium into polystichum...off with their reproductive organs! The unique attribute of Polystichum lepidocaulon (lepidocaulon means graceful, elegant leaves) is the terminal pinnae which morphs like a horror movie alien into a 2' long whip-like tip that extends outward where it eventually roots down to form a new plantlet...a true pteridophytic dominatrix! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Available 8-20-2012We have really enjoyed this wonderful groundcover from New Zealand in our garden. The zig-zag black stems are clothed with tiny round leaves forming a nice mat. The mat is topped with small, lobelia-like, white flowers from late spring through early summer...great for the rock garden and very tolerant of wet conditions. Reports from customers indicate that Pratia angulata has thrived for 8+ years in Cincinnati...surprise, surprise, surprise! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Primula sieboldii Seneca Hill #4) We are pleased to offer this 2004 Seneca Hill selection of the easy-to-grow Primula sieboldii. Primula 'Chubby One' is one of the earliest flowering of the Primula sieboldii selections we grow, topped in early April (NC) with 8" tall, but very compact flower clusters. The flowers are white on the face, but flushed heavily with pink on the reverse. Primula sieboldii goes summer dormant in hot climates, but returns just fine in our well-prepared garden beds. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Primula sieboldii 'Drag Queen' is a 2010 release from the former Seneca Hill Perennials. The slowly spreading patches of serrated green foliage are topped in mid-April (NC) with large, seemingly floppy petals, edged with lacy mauvy-lavender and highlighted by a white central stripe...what a floozy! The entire clump will go summer dormant in hot summer climates and well-drained soils with average moisture are perfect. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We have been thrilled at the performance of Primula sieboldii ' in our hot, humid, primula-deprived climate, and one of the best clones in our trials has been Primula 'Fuji Snow'. Our five-year-old clumps, acquired from the late Heronswood Nursery, are now 2' across. Emerging in mid-spring (early April, NC), the 6" tall clumps of serrated, upright, spade-shaped, light green leaves are topped with 10" tall stalks of pure white flowers. Moist, organically rich soils are preferred, but we have been quite successful with Primula sieboldii 'Fuji Snow' in much drier spots, although by late summer the clumps have gone dormant. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Primula sieboldii Seneca Hill #2) Primula sieboldii 'New Snow' is a 2004 introduction from Ellen Hornig at Seneca Hill Perennials that was selected for its large white, deeply-cleft flowers, which appear on 8" tall stalks starting in mid-April (NC). Rich, well-drained soils will yield the best success (a 2' wide patch in 5 years) with this summer-dormant Primula sieboldii. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Primula sieboldii 'Seneca Star' is a 2008 introduction from the former Seneca Hill Nursery. Primula 'Seneca Star' has been a star performer for us, forming a slowly spreading patch of serrated green foliage topped, starting in mid-April (NC), with 8" tall stalks of purple-pink, deeply serrated petals, highlighted by a central white band. All Primula sieboldii cultivars go summer dormant in hot climates...slightly moist, but well-drained soils are best. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
With leaves that look and feel more like a cow's tongue, it's hard to imagine that these are really ferns. Many books claim that Pyrrosia lingua isn't winter hardy here, but we grow only uneducated ferns that can't read gardening books. The hard rhizome grows along the ground and the leaves arise singly from it. The tongue-shaped leaves have a unique, cardboard-like texture with a felty backside and eventually make a nice evergreen mass. Pyrrosia prefers to grow on a steep slope or somewhere where the self-attaching rhizomes can adhere to a vertical surface. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Pyrrosia lingua 'Kei Kan' is a Japanese selection of evergreen tongue fern with foliage similar to Pyrrosia lingua 'Hiryu', except the frond is much wider, sometimes reaching 4" wide. Each thick evergreen frond is deeply lobed with the terminal tip resembling a wet duck feather. The fronds emerge vertically from the wiry rhizome that runs just above the soil. Sloped planting sites result in best growth. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Available 6-30-2013 This Japanese selection of the evergreen tongue fern has been hardy for over 10 years in our garden. The growth habit is similar to the species, forming a dense colony to 2' wide in 5 years, thanks to a short creeping rhizome. Pyrrosia lingua cultivars hate growing flat and must be planted on a slope to thrive in cold climates. Pyrrosia 'Ogon Nishiki' has thick, green, vertically-held leaves with diagonal, butterscotch-yellow banding...picture an anorexic run over by a yellow Volkswagen, and you get the picture. Each 1' long x 2" wide, upright, tongue-shaped leaf would make Gene Simmons proud. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Pyrrosia lingua 'Tachiba Koryu' is another of the many splendid Japanese selections of the Asian native tongue fern. The fronds emerge from a thin but stiff rhizome that runs just above the ground in most cases. The narrow, thick, leathery leaves are incredibly ruffled (like running your finger through a veggie shredder) and are held vertically above the rhizome. In well-drained sites, especially when growing on the side of a hill, the evergreen tongue fern can make a very nice colony, albeit far from invasive. In milder climates, they can also grow as epiphytes on rocks and trees as long as their base is in the soil. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(syn: Rehmannia angulata) Visitors have fallen in love with this easy-to-grow groundcover member of the scrophularia family. In loose, moist soils, Rehmannia elata will spread to make a nice mat of closely-spaced rosettes. From late spring through midsummer, Rehmannia elata is topped with 2' tall stalks dripping with massive, pinkish-purple, penstemon-like flowers...each with yellow specks deep in the throat. Flowering is heaviest in late spring, then sporadic in the summer...OUTSTANDING! Rehmannia is named in honor of the Russian physician, Joseph Rehmann (1799-1831). Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Shoulda, coulda, woulda been an elephant ear. Remusatia is one of those splinter groups of fundamentalist elephant ears that broke off from the genus colocasia over differences in reproductive philosophy. Remusatia pumila 'Mini Mask' is a PDN selection with a particularly dark face on the 8" long x 5" wide leaves. Each leaf is highlighted by muted silver veins and a dark purple blush to the leaf back. Remusatia pumila is a slowly stoloniferous species that makes a 4' wide non-invasive mound in 5 years. The plant is made up of 14" tall leaf stalks that emerge in mid-June. In early spring, the spiky, fragrant, yellow flowers are produced inside the leaf canopy. In the wild, Remusatia pumila grows in humus-like soil and occasionally as an epiphyte. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This commonly seen US native, from Canada south to Florida, is surprisingly absent from American gardens. In appearance, it is a dwarf hardy version of its cousin, tibouchina. The 1' tall upright stems are topped with clusters of outfacing violet flowers from early August until frost. While Rhexia virginica is most at home in moist, acidic soils, we have found it to be extremely adaptable to much higher pH soils as well as typical non-bog garden sites. A well-grown Rhexia virginica makes a large patch to 3' wide in 3 years that integrates nicely with neighboring plants. If your garden needs a color boost in late summer and fall, rhexia is for you. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This cute, but truly odd, native groundcover member of the pokeberry family hails from Florida west to Arizona, where it can be found on moist, but well-drained soils in both light shade to part sun. In our trials, it has formed a 1' tall x 3' wide, salt-tolerant, deciduous groundcover of green leaves topped with short stalks of pink flowers that quickly change to tiny clusters of red fruit. Rivina is a favorite of numerous birds, butterflies, and mixed container designers. Rivina is also used in the Southwest as a red dye since it contains the pigment rivianin...a pigment similar to that in beets. If your soil gets too dry, pigeonberry will go dormant and re-emerge when rain arrives. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(syn: R. 'Asian Valley') This unusual rohdea whose name, Rohdea 'Chirimen Boshi' means "crepe paper hat" was first introduced from Japan in the late '70s (US National Arboretum #62147-D). The evergreen sacred lily clump reaches 12" tall with a 20" spread. Each leaf resembles a long, V-shaped valley. The rough and wavy plasticized green foliage is bordered by a narrow edge of creamy white. In fall, expect 3" tall stalks of red berries at the base...a very unique cultivar that will be prized by plant collectors. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We are pleased to add another collector's edition rohdea to our extensive offerings. Rohdea 'Gyoku Ho Nishiki', which means "jeweled phoenix brocade" (according to Barry Yinger, who knows these things) makes a small clump to only 3" tall x 8" wide. The dark green leaves are heavily pleated and ridged...reminiscent of some mountains I drove through in China. The leaves are then carefully hand-painted with streaks of white by master rohdea designers. In the ground, Rohdea 'Gyoku Ho Nishiki' needs a special spot so it doesn't get swamped by larger, more aggressive garden bullies. Although all rohdeas are drought-tolerant, they perform best in slightly moist, rich soils. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Rohdea japonica 'Kin cho Ju' is a nicely vigorous (as Rohdeas go) dwarf Japanese selection of sacred lily. Rohdea 'Kin cho Ju' makes an offsetting clump of upright 1' long, narrow leaves that develop an irregular white banded edge along with horizontal cloudy white banding on the new growth that eventually fades to green. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This amazing and very rare selection of the Japanese sacred lily has the most contortedly (take note...a new plant word) kinky leaves of any selection we grow. The Japanese cultivar name 'Nobori Ryu' means "climbing dragon"...a reference to the dramatically raised ridge running down the center of each thick green leaf. In winter, the deep shade-loving sacred lilies are highlighted for the season with short stalks of brilliant red berries. Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.892 L)
Available 6-13-13This selection of evergreen sacred lily is one we brought back from a visit to the UK in the early '90s. The dark green leaves appear to have been heavily brushed in a horizontal direction with white paint. Actually, it looks like the last home paint job I got when I took the lowest bid. At least in rohdeas, bad paint jobs make the plant worth more. How many do you want? If you have a shady spot near your house, plant Rohdea japonica 'Talbot Manor' nearby and tell your spouse you painted the house to match...on purpose. Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.892 L)
.jpg "Pyrrosia lingua 'Kei Kan' (Kei Kan Tongue Fern)")
.jpg "Rehmannia elata (Beverly Bells)")
.jpg "Rivina humilis (Pigeonberry)")
.jpg "Rohdea japonica 'Nobori Ryu' (Climbing Dragon Sacred Lily)")
