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Ground cover for damp shade

The_herpetologistThe_herpetologist Posts: 481
in Plants
I’ve got a shady area in my garden which is permanently moist and a favourite hangout for the local slug population. Anyone got any ideas for a ground cover plant that will do well in damp shade but not end up as an appetiser for my slugs before their normal main course (my much nibbled, but doggedly persistent hostas).
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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I would say it depends just how shady the area is.

    Pulmonaria, woodruff, geraniums. Possibly astilbes and astrantias.
  • The_herpetologistThe_herpetologist Posts: 481
    Thanks Fire, Woodruff is a good shout.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    It's great stuff. Just flowering now. Will grow anywhere. Just tear up a bit of the plant and put it somewhere else, straight in, and the chances are it will root. Dense, short, ground cover, easy to take out where you won't want it.
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Ivy needn't be sombre - have a look at an online nursery called Fibrex, they have lots of decorative varieties.  I've found them very good to deal with, good quality, good value.  You could grow native ferns, which can look quite dramatic.  Or butcher's broom, which has insignificant flowers but bright red berries.  None of these is slug-prone.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Fire said:
     easy to take out where you won't want it.
    It wasn't for us - spent years try to get rid of it from a heavy clay soil ... buyer beware!
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Ajuga might be suitable. Lovely blue flowers just now and spreads fairly fast but easily controllable. I don't think slugs like it.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    This website is for shade loving plants.

    https://www.plantsforshade.co.uk/
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I think Ajuga as well, I think if you want ground cover it’s  very good, ground hugging, little flower spikes about 6” tall. Nice dark leaves tinged purple.  No slug damage.  
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • tessagardenbarmytessagardenbarmy Posts: 346
    I love heucheras whole range of leaf colour and absolutely slug proof, also primula, agua, ferns, astible,astrantia,flag iris, periwinkle, hardy geraniums like Sambor, Ragged Robin ok once established but will get knocked by slugs initiailly.
  • micearguersmicearguers Posts: 646
    I'd look to see if there is a spreading fern, just because I love ferns so much and there is bound to be one for dark moist shade (not sure about spreading though). For me ajuga was a bit too rampant.
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