Reading about Vinca... there is a very steep bank in my (rented) garden which the landlord has covered in weed matting and then bark chip. As would be expected the bark chip just slides down the slope, so I have to sweep it off the patio every week.
Anyway, the bank is hard to access and dangerous because of the sliding bark (I've fallen on it a few times and was only saved by the row of lemon cypress which are planted at the bottom of the slope), so I can't plant anything up there which needs regular maintenence (hence my entirely container garden on the patio).Â
I was thinking of making holes in the weed matting in a few places to plant Vinca, in the hope it would cover up some of the bare weed matting and make the slope prettier. Is this a bad idea?!?
@BlueBirder. If it's a steep bank where you don't want to grow anything else I would say vinca cpould be the ideal plant. Only caveat is that on 'normal' soil it seems to root wherever a stem node touches the ground - that is how it spreads throughout a border. I'm not sure if it will root through weed membrane. It probably will but perhaps someone knows for sure.
You could try one or two plants in easily accessed spots and see how well it takes /spreads.
There are quite a few different vincas - white ones, purple ones and I have a rich cornflower blue. I also have a variegated one which is a little less thuggish.
If vincas work you could finish up with quite a pretty patchwork of colour on the bank.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
If you are able to contain it within that area then yes I think it could work. Im not sure if it would be able to root through the weed matting but if you planted a fair few in some strategic holes in the fabric then it would probably have enough to hold the plants rooted in the bark in place
I would certainly give it a try, but l think you would definitely have to cut holes (or strips as @B3 suggests). There are several varieties to choose from (other suppliers are available). My local GC had quite a few to choose from a few weeks ago. https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pl_id=4278
I've put a few "thugs" in one bed far away from anything else....with two poor ferns (I may need to rescue them).
It's the garden's version of the dodgy part of town you wouldn't walk through alone at night!
It's gonna be interesting to see which one wins! Woodruff is currently out in front.....
Woodruff and something else I can't remember the name of (courtesyof @fire); vinca; japanese anemone; two ferns which may come out and be put somewhere less hairy.
@Topbird@Jellyfire@AnniD@B3 Thank you for your suggestions! I may well try it - I was thinking it might look very pretty if I got some variegated leaf varieties in there as well, and a couple of different flower colours. At least it won't be competing with anything else - I sort of want it to take over!Â
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Anyway, the bank is hard to access and dangerous because of the sliding bark (I've fallen on it a few times and was only saved by the row of lemon cypress which are planted at the bottom of the slope), so I can't plant anything up there which needs regular maintenence (hence my entirely container garden on the patio).Â
I was thinking of making holes in the weed matting in a few places to plant Vinca, in the hope it would cover up some of the bare weed matting and make the slope prettier. Is this a bad idea?!?
You could try one or two plants in easily accessed spots and see how well it takes /spreads.
There are quite a few different vincas - white ones, purple ones and I have a rich cornflower blue. I also have a variegated one which is a little less thuggish.
If vincas work you could finish up with quite a pretty patchwork of colour on the bank.
https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pl_id=4278
Creeping veronica. I don't think it's a thug.
It was in amongst some of the woodruff when I took a chunk from under the hedge.
Thank you for your suggestions! I may well try it - I was thinking it might look very pretty if I got some variegated leaf varieties in there as well, and a couple of different flower colours. At least it won't be competing with anything else - I sort of want it to take over!Â