Groundcover plants under shrubs

[chrisdb]

I'm not sure if this is the right sub-forum or not, but none of them seems to fit since the question isn't specifically fruit/veg/herb related.

What I'm looking for is suggestions for good low growing ground-covers to protect the soil and discourage weed seeds from germinating, and just because bare ground isn't that appealing. Over the last couple of years I've been killing off the grass by mulching across much of the garden, with shrubs planted through the mulch already, and the mulches have now mostly done their job so I can start replacement planting.

The groundcovers would be growing under fruit bushes, trees and larger herbaceous plants, so I'm thinking a maximum height of about 30cm, and ideally perennial so I don't have to replant every year. Also good would be plants that spread out rapidly but which it's possible to remove if necessary without massive effort (so ground elder isn't a good idea!). The plants also need to be cheap since they need to cover a lot of space, so seed grown is ideal.

I already use a random mixture of oregano, strawberries and bird's food trefoil underneath some of my gooseberry and currant rows. Here's a list of some other plants I'm already thinking of trying, some for shade and some for sunnier locations:

Viola odorata "Sweet Violet" - tried to grow this from seed last year but didn't have much luck.
Ajuga reptans "Bugle"
Allium ursinum "Wild Garlic" - doesn't stick around all year, but I love the look in spring in wild forests. I've tried to grow it from seed before but struggled. Possibly it just needs multiple winters / stratification to germinate
Asperula odorata "Sweet woodruff"
Pulmonaria officinalis "Lungwort"
Asarum europaeum "Asarabacca"
Mentha pulegium "Pennyroyal" - there are conflicting reports on how prostrate this is. I wanted Corsican mint, but can't find seeds anywhere
Sedum spurium
Campanula poscharskyana - I already have one of these growing
Thymus serpyllum "Wild Thyme"
Duchesnea indica "Mock strawberry"
Primula vulgaris "Primrose"
Geranium macrorrhizum "Rock Cranesbill"
Oenothera macrocarpa "Evening Primrose"
Convallaria majalis "Lily of the Valley"
Trifolium repens "White Clover" - I already have this mixed into the remaining lawn!

Experience with using some of these for groundcover (and how easy they are to remove) would also be good.

[Two_Sheds]

You can add spring bulbs to the list. Look at woodland type planting, and shade plants, if you're wanting something to thrive in the shade of trees.
I let flowers and green manures self seed on my Lotty. Right now there's phacelia, caliente mustard and limnanthes growing well under bare fruit bushes. The ground cover potential decreases as the canopy fills out (with leaves).

At all times I have a covering mulch of chopped go weeds and old plants, which doesn't look as untidy as it sounds.

[hellybore]

That sounds like a great list you have got going already. I aim to do something similar at my allotment, replacing all the grass (which is riddled with couch grass) with white clover and birdsfoot trefoil in the sunny areas. In the shady areas under trees I have planted various mints (invasive so not suitable next to veg beds) and Nepalese raspberry, which is a spreading groundcover raspberry. I have also sowed some wildflower seeds suitable for shady areas. My wild garlic has failed to germinate too, I think I will blag a bit of a clump from someone who already has it growing, and let that establish.

[chrisdb]

Spring bulbs aren't a permanent groundcover though. I guess the same is true of wild garlic, which I semi-included on the list. They're something to plant through the groundcover, assuming your groundcover is low enough. That's the problem with a lot of green manures apart from clover, either they're annuals, or they're a bit tall to plant other things through, or both.

Incidentally, I've been reading up and a better allium than wild garlic might be Allium Victorialis. It is broad-leaved, but I think maybe doesn't die back after spring:

Allium victorialis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[chrisdb]

I have lots of couch grass as well. Grass in general is just a pain - it's about the most competitive thing you can have growing around other plants, sucking the life out of them. How many things will do well if planted in the middle of an existing lawn without giving them a grass-free zone to establish in?

I've heard of Nepalese raspberry and other groundcover raspberries, but the idea of a spiky groundcover worries me. How does it work for you?

[veggiechicken]

If you don't mind "invasive" but controllable - what about Allium triquetrum (Three cornered leek).
Its taken over a steep bank in my garden, under trees. Perennial, pretty flowers, edible and is green for most of the year.
Photos here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...lic_64372.html

[hellybore]

I've heard of Nepalese raspberry and other groundcover raspberries, but the idea of a spiky groundcover worries me. How does it work for you?

It isn't a spiky raspberry, and it seems quite low growing so far. Only put it in last year so no fruit yet, but it is spreading nicely. I also have lemon balm which does well under the trees.

[chrisdb]

If you don't mind "invasive" but controllable - what about Allium triquetrum (Three cornered leek).
Its taken over a steep bank in my garden, under trees. Perennial, pretty flowers, edible and is green for most of the year.
Photos here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...lic_64372.html

I guess most groundcovers are a bit invasive, since if they just sat where you planted them they wouldn't be very good at maintaining a ground cover. The problem is that you want spreading but not so aggressive that they completely wipe out other taller vegetation or out-compete it (e.g. larger herbs, shrubs, trees...). They have to be plants that can accept being in the middle rather than at the top of the pecking order.

[chrisdb]

It isn't a spiky raspberry, and it seems quite low growing so far. Only put it in last year so no fruit yet, but it is spreading nicely. I also have lemon balm which does well under the trees.

Maybe I'll give it a try at some point, although I think I'd need to order plants instead of seed.

I love lemon balm too, the only disadvantage is that for me it's not an aggressive self-seeder, although it does self-seed sporadically here and there, and it doesn't creep either, so I'd need to plant densely to turn it into a ground cover.