I seek garden enlightenment

[Emily Spiers]

I know about the downsides of Ivy having exhausted myself opposing it loudly for weeks now. The PTB want what they want. I am powerless to stop them.
The worst part is that in a couple years...guess who will be pulling it out?.

Can you at least get them to consider periwinkle? It's not as hard to control as ivy, and it's marginally prettier with at least some blue flowers in the spring.
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Can you at least get them to consider periwinkle? It's not as hard to control as ivy, and it's marginally prettier with at least some blue flowers in the spring.

I guess you learn something new every day...I suggested vinca vines and you suggested periwinkle. Same thing and I didn't even know it !

 

[muirford]

I know about the downsides of Ivy having exhausted myself opposing it loudly for weeks now. The PTB want what they want. I am powerless to stop them.
The worst part is that in a couple years...guess who will be pulling it out?.

Can you at least get them to consider periwinkle? It's not as hard to control as ivy, and it's marginally prettier with at least some blue flowers in the spring.
.

Can you at least get them to consider periwinkle? It's not as hard to control as ivy, and it's marginally prettier with at least some blue flowers in the spring.

I guess you learn something new every day...I suggested vinca vines and you suggested periwinkle. Same thing and I didn't even know it !
.

I suggested vinca vines and you suggested periwinkle. Same thing and I didn't even know it !

I never remember the 'real' name for it and always use what I knew it as growing up - periwinkle. There are very few plants I don't kill - periwinkle is one of them.

 

[Morticia]

This is the creeping phlox I planted 2 years ago. I got one plant and all the others you see are cuttings.

The one on the lower right corner gets stepped on a lot when it is not in flower, so it's a little ragged looking for the moment. (The pink flowers.)

 

[Morticia]

I know about the downsides of Ivy having exhausted myself opposing it loudly for weeks now. The PTB want what they want. I am powerless to stop them.
The worst part is that in a couple years...guess who will be pulling it out?.

How about vinca if they insist on ground cover? At least you get some flowers with that. And mine bloom a couple of times in a season if the weather cools down and then warms up again. Pachysandra also has a small flower.
If you need a photo, let me know. I'll go out and take one.

 

[egoodell]

Periwinkle works great for us. Needs no maintenance, and is there year round.
Riki

 

[IronGate]

If you are going for a slightly woodsy feelilng, Sweet Woodruff (Gallium odoratum) is nice. Small white flowers in the spring, and foliage that can be dried and used in pot pourri. It grows quickly, and does very well as an underplanting. Like the other plants, you'll probably want to control its spread.
Violets can be pretty, but might not be what you're looking for if an ivy bed is the "look" you are going for. Once again, watch the spreading, which is done through popping seed heads, which can be harder to control than other plants.
Around here, Bishop's Weed (Aegopodium podagraria) is a good grower also.
If you're willing to plant every year, an expansive bed of impatiens is really pretty, flowers all season, rather than just the spring. We had a conversation on that recently. I've never been able to get it come back, and have to replant every year, but the effect is worth it. I normally put little plants between my flowering bulbs in the spring. By the time the bulbs have died back, the impatiens are filling in. Then the impatiens die off, and do not hinder the bulbs.

 

[EmptyNest]

If you are going for a slightly woodsy feelilng, Sweet Woodruff (Gallium odoratum) is nice. Small white flowers in the spring, and foliage that can be dried and used in pot pourri. It grows quickly, and does very well as an underplanting. Like the other plants, you'll probably want to control its spread.
Violets can be pretty, but might not be what you're looking for if an ivy bed is the "look" you are going for. Once again, watch the spreading, which is done through popping seed heads, which can be harder to control than other plants.
Around here, Bishop's Weed (Aegopodium podagraria) is a good grower also.
If you're willing to plant every year, an expansive bed of impatiens is really pretty, flowers all season, rather than just the spring. We had a conversation on that recently. I've never been able to get it come back, and have to replant every year, but the effect is worth it. I normally put little plants between my flowering bulbs in the spring. By the time the bulbs have died back, the impatiens are filling in. Then the impatiens die off, and do not hinder the bulbs..

Bishops weed can be too invasive as well. We have spent the past 9 years here trying to get rid of it!!! We may have finally succeeded. I like vinca... another to consider for shade is ajuga http://www.ajuga.org/

 

[Country Girl]

This is the creeping phlox I planted 2 years ago. I got one plant and all the others you see are cuttings.

The one on the lower right corner gets stepped on a lot when it is not in flower, so it's a little ragged looking for the moment. (The pink flowers.).

That looks so beautiful!

 

[One Day]

Ajuga is awesome.......easily controlled.......there is a chocolate ajuga.....dark brown leaves, stays more compact
Vinca.....can be cut down with a lawn mower in early spring if you'd like....to clean it out........doing so also promotes more flowers........not something I would do annualy......every 3 or 4th year is acceptable
Violets......will end up in the grass......very difficult to kill once it's in the lawn and it will spread
Bishops Weed.........ever wonder why it's called "Weed"?
Woodruff would not do well if it's dry and hot.......more so being dry.
You're talking 280 sqft........some of which is occupied by other plants and a bird bath or fountain........so, what are we realy talking about?........not much.......IMO Ivy would be huge mistake.....chose a few complementary perennials.......throw in some Impatient flowers.....mulch the whole thing and enjoy.

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

I might have made some headway. Pacasandra is being considered.

 

[One Day]

Pachysandra........better choice than Ivy from the maintenance perspective
collects garbage........easier than Ivy to clean out.......this to can be cut down with a mower.....then it's realy easy to blow it out well and the fresh new growth is nicer looking..........We cut down with hedge clippers. Not annualy.
Any cutting down is after it is well established.........and if one would want to do a good cleaning out of it...........and to rejuvinate.
And you can still add a perennial or three of interest......buy one and divide it.........Hostas would be bold enough to grow within Pachysandra.......chose the larger/taller varieties

 

[Samster]

Ok I have more information to work with now.
The bed is 280 sq feet including the fountain/arborvitae/laurel that will stay there. There are also 2 hydrangias and a scattered handful of boxwood and hostas that will be left after I rip out the things we are not keeping.
I am told that English Ivy needs 12 " of space per plant and there are 10 plants in a flat.
According to my (perhaps flawed) calculations, I will need about 23 plants to do this garden.
Is that correct?.

If I were you and I wanted English Ivy I would just find a neighbor who has lots of Ivy and ask for starts. You will get so much and plant in larger clumps that what you get in a flat. We have Ivy everywhere and are more that happy to give people very big starts. It is very shallow rooted so it is easy to dig up starts. We have Ivy everywhere and I got mine from a lady who in another town. I just ask what it was and next thing I knew she had two grocery bag for me. That is how we started 26 years ago. Now of course we are the Ivy House.
If you come to see me I will all the starts you could want.
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I spent the better part of an afternoon pulling out invasive ivy from my neighbor's yard. :-( It went to the city shredded compost heap.

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

Pachysandra........better choice than Ivy from the maintenance perspective
collects garbage........easier than Ivy to clean out.......this to can be cut down with a mower.....then it's realy easy to blow it out well and the fresh new growth is nicer looking..........We cut down with hedge clippers. Not annualy.
Any cutting down is after it is well established.........and if one would want to do a good cleaning out of it...........and to rejuvinate.
And you can still add a perennial or three of interest......buy one and divide it.........Hostas would be bold enough to grow within Pachysandra.......chose the larger/taller varieties.

Pachysandra........better choice than Ivy from the maintenance perspective
collects garbage........easier than Ivy to clean out.......this to can be cut down with a mower.....then it's realy easy to blow it out well and the fresh new growth is nicer looking..........We cut down with hedge clippers. Not annualy.
Any cutting down is after it is well established.........and if one would want to do a good cleaning out of it...........and to rejuvinate.
And you can still add a perennial or three of interest......buy one and divide it.........Hostas would be bold enough to grow within Pachysandra.......chose the larger/taller varieties

How far apart do you space the pachysandra?

 

[EmptyNest]

Pachysandra........better choice than Ivy from the maintenance perspective
collects garbage........easier than Ivy to clean out.......this to can be cut down with a mower.....then it's realy easy to blow it out well and the fresh new growth is nicer looking..........We cut down with hedge clippers. Not annualy.
Any cutting down is after it is well established.........and if one would want to do a good cleaning out of it...........and to rejuvinate.
And you can still add a perennial or three of interest......buy one and divide it.........Hostas would be bold enough to grow within Pachysandra.......chose the larger/taller varieties.

Pachysandra........better choice than Ivy from the maintenance perspective
collects garbage........easier than Ivy to clean out.......this to can be cut down with a mower.....then it's realy easy to blow it out well and the fresh new growth is nicer looking..........We cut down with hedge clippers. Not annualy.
Any cutting down is after it is well established.........and if one would want to do a good cleaning out of it...........and to rejuvinate.
And you can still add a perennial or three of interest......buy one and divide it.........Hostas would be bold enough to grow within Pachysandra.......chose the larger/taller varieties

How far apart do you space the pachysandra?
.

Normal spacing is 12 inches apart. but you can plant closer and more if you want it to fill in quicker.

 

[One Day]

We install at 6 - 8" on centers

 

[gillumhouse]

Anyone who wants to come play in my yard is welcome! I am with gardens as I was with kids going to the doctor - you are either going to make it or you are not, your choice.
I plant, GOD waters. The strong survive (unless they get in the way of DH's mower! The kid has taken over whre DH left off.)

 

[Leonardo]

Contact your local county or state horticulturist (did I spell that correctly). They will help you for FREE. I use them all the time.

 

[Morticia]

Contact your local county or state horticulturist (did I spell that correctly). They will help you for FREE. I use them all the time..

Contact your local county or state horticulturist (did I spell that correctly). They will help you for FREE. I use them all the time.

The local extension service at a college will, too. It's a great idea as they know what grows well, what is invasive and what is on the 'do not plant' list.

 

[EmptyNest]

Contact your local county or state horticulturist (did I spell that correctly). They will help you for FREE. I use them all the time..

A state horticulturist probably won't be able to assist personally ...but usually the County Extension Agent, Horticulture, or Agriculture can assist you for no cost. Also if there are Master Gardener volunteers with the Extension office, they usually can be a huge assistance with information. Neither of these will do the work for you, but will provide you with necessary information. But, I will caution, in these tough economic times, many of the Extension Services have cut back drastically on their staff and programs due to state budget cuts :-(

 

[Morticia]

Contact your local county or state horticulturist (did I spell that correctly). They will help you for FREE. I use them all the time..

A state horticulturist probably won't be able to assist personally ...but usually the County Extension Agent, Horticulture, or Agriculture can assist you for no cost. Also if there are Master Gardener volunteers with the Extension office, they usually can be a huge assistance with information. Neither of these will do the work for you, but will provide you with necessary information. But, I will caution, in these tough economic times, many of the Extension Services have cut back drastically on their staff and programs due to state budget cuts :-(
.

Here they have gone to an extensive online page of FAQs. It seems to be working out very well.