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Is a low, creeping, ground cover plant the way to go?

chris.edwards.1981LOXhiCaDchris.edwards.1981LOXhiCaD Posts: 10
in Problem solving
I have dug a pond out in my garden which (I think) looks lovely and I can see from our patio, or kitchen when it's raining, the little birds coming down for a drink. At the moment I have a patch of ground about 6ft wide and 8ft long between the patio and the pond. It is currently bare soil. My original idea was to have ferns, hostas, fatsia japonica, canna's etc to go with the pond making it look tropical. However I have realised these plants will block my view of the pond. Therefore I was wondering if a creeping ground cover plant would be a better solution  something like creeping Phlox? My wife just wants to turf it but that's not really the effect I was looking for plus it means I would have to mow it. I was also thinking gravel garden but we already have one in the front garden and I was looking for something different. Does anyone have experience of creeping phlox or have other suggestions? Ideally evergreen, keeps the weeds down, and covers the muck so that when the dog is walking through it in the winter he doesn't come back in with muddy paws. Thanks

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Camomile?
    Is it in sun or shade? I like the hosta, ferns idea, but they are best with some shade.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • chris.edwards.1981LOXhiCaDchris.edwards.1981LOXhiCaD Posts: 10
    Hi, sorry. In the height of summer it probably gets about 3 to 4 hours of sun, the rest of the time it is in shade. The soil is a heavy clay and we are in NE England fir hardiness. 
  • TigerFeetTigerFeet Posts: 35
    I have pale lilac?? alpine phlox in various parts of the garden and love it during April and May when it's flowering. In the sunnier spots it flowers much earlier and for longer than in the shadier areas. It also spreads more in the sunnier spots. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2022
    I definitely wouldn’t turf down to the waters edge … we made that mistake … in heavy rain the soil in the turf gets washed into the pond … we’re going to have to remodel our pond before long … it’s becoming more of a swamp. 

    What about some ajugas … I’ve seen them work well in damp gravel 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Pearlwort might work, though I don't know if you can buy it easily. It's evergreen, spreads, but slowly, not like mind your own business, and looks like very short grass with tiny pale green 'pearl' flowers. I have some in paving cracks and it can take being walked on.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited September 2022
    How about pebbles.  Depending on the shape of the pond, they could slope down into the water.  The odd small specimen plant emerging from the pebbles would look good.

    Ivy, possibly variegated, would work.  Try "Eva".  For non-variegated, I like "Curly Locks" aka "Manda's Crested"
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • chris.edwards.1981LOXhiCaDchris.edwards.1981LOXhiCaD Posts: 10
    I already have some gravel leading into the pond and as i said before, i did think about a gravel garden but i already have one at yhe front of the house so didn't really want the same again. I like the look of the camomile and creeping phlox at the moment.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited September 2022
    If it's a pond for wildlife, it needs a lot of tall cover for the wildlife to feel safe and to hide in. Maybe keep the pond side closest to the window for lower growing plants.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Yes, seen the pics, my idea of Brighton Beach type pebbles would look great.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited September 2022
    If you insist on a plant, as per your original comments, look at Asraeus's post and pic (Jelly).
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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