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Plant advice for ground cover

janinerjaniner Posts: 66
in Plants
Hi everyone
I've got a north facing garden. My beds are a work in progress, but I have a couple of Peonies, a couple of young hydrangea, a fuscia and some grasses. 
I enjoy a garden I can potter in. But I have a LOT of bare soil that I have to constantly weed. 
I recently went on holiday and saw some parks that just have low growing ground covering plants. I'd love this, but im worried they will take over. Is this what they will do? And of so do you just dig a portion up to put in a new shrub?
And while I'm here, what ground cover do you suggest? 
Thank you
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Posts

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Just some points to cover which will help with recommendations - how big is the area you want to cover, what type of soil do you have and what part of the country do you live in?  A photo would also help if possible.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • janinerjaniner Posts: 66
    Sorry, I should have given this info. Attached are photos. I just want to fill the bare spaces and the beds are just so big. Everything I plant just seems lost. 

    I'm in Cheshire, on the welsh border and im not sure what my soil is. 
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    edited April 2023
    That's helpful @janiner, much easier to visualise your situation!  If you want something low growing to cover your beds while you are planning on adding other shrubs and perennials to your borders, you can't go wrong with hardy geraniums, also known as cranesbills (not the red flowered Pelargoniums which are tender and also referred to as Geraniums.)  Most grow in a clumping or sprawling manner, are not invasive and can be easily maintained. They will also grow happily around the stems of other plants.  I have a range of them in a north facing border in my garden, including Geranium Rozanne, G. Brookside, G. Sanguineum, G. Johnson's Blue and G. Ann Folkard.  Most good garden centres will stock them and there are also specialist nurseries like the Cranesbill nursery with a online shop.  I'm sure you'll also receive other recommendations here soon!
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • janinerjaniner Posts: 66
    Thank you for those. I'll get googling!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @janiner  Another plant you could take a look at are the ground covering Campanulas. You will find them at the garden centres too.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    My own favourite ground cover plant is Ajuga which is blooming at the moment with nice blue flowers that are popular with bees.

    Happy gardening!
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • ontopofthehillontopofthehill Posts: 76
    I put in sweet woodruff last summer cause have a bed that's all dry shade and weeds and it's gone beserk. But it does look nice so that's fine. Agree with ajuga and the hardy geraniums. Persicaria bistorta superba is also doing this job well in our garden.
  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    ontopofthehill said:
    Persicaria bistorta superba is also doing this job well in our garden.

    Persicaria affinis 'Dharjeeling Red' in ours. This is it on a bank below the patio on the north side of our house. It flowers from May right through to November. But it needs a moisture retentive soil so don't go for it you're on sandy soil.




    Close-up of a flower:


    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. 

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
  • ontopofthehillontopofthehill Posts: 76
    I actually have this one too @LunarSea but couldn't remember it's name and it's only been in two years so nowhere near as impressive a swathe. Yours is really gorgeous! Amazing colour.
  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    edited April 2023
    Thanks @ontopofthehill. Yeah, all that came from one 8" pot about 20 years ago. It spreads readily and it's really easy to take layered cuttings. Definitely one of my favourite plants.
    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. 

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
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