I've been looking for a vigourous, evergreen ground cover to replace part of my lawn and saw Clematis Praecox suggested as a hardy, easy to grow ground cover. I'm wondering if that is true and if anyone has any experience with this plant and it's habits in Vancouver, BC?
Would Clematis be green in the winter? I doubt it, other than the costly specimen-type evergreen clematis types which seem to be entirely different plants with totally different leaves... I don't know why Vinca minor or periwinkle doesn't grow well here in BC, I don't think it does... it makes a great thick groundcover in NS, is about the only one that stays green, and is so glossy and lush there. Here, it seems to grow upward more than out, and doesn't fill in well. I am testing all sorts of ground covers, just for fun, and the thymes seem so far the most satisfactory, although I am liking the samples of something called Corsican sandwort [Arenaria balearica] and the thing I purchased called St. John's Wort [others seem taller more substantian plants] this one it is very flat and prone -- Empetrifolium nanum. These last two you don't see in the nurseries all that often. Be careful which thymes you choose -- some grow quite high and fluffy and aren't the best sort of ground-cover for that reason, although they might make nice mini-plantings here and there, like small shrubs, in a flatter thyme landscape... We like Hartington Silver or Highland Cream, which might be the same thing, we aren't sure, as it has a tiny bit of variegation and is very full, and Elfin Thyme, so mysteriously tiny and flat, and I am about to try some Woolly Thyme which seems to stay small. Mother of Thyme no, it's big and bushy and, well, is a "Mother" of a thyme... Does anyone have a suggestion which is comparable to Kinnikkinnick? When that grows mature, it seems quite woody, which is fine for a "show"-slope somewhere but it can't be walked on comfortably, it has stems like prone cotoneaster... there does seem to be a mini one which I have, but I only have a single sample I think and it's hard to tell yet how woody that will get...
Periwinkle grows very thickly in my backyard, here in north vancouver, but only in places of medium/dense shade and where it doesn't get trampled. It doesn't like to be stepped on at all. its a very slow grower though and takes its own sweet time to creep around. I've heard of using clematis as ground cover, but have yet to try it. Some of my clematis did wander off the fence a few years ago and trailed out in to the garden, it looked very pretty among the roses and Lily's. I don't think it would be all that hardy for walking on though. A number of my vines died when we replaced the fence and got stepped on a couple times. Thyme is my choice for full sun and dry areas, for walking areas, also clover- black medic- is small and hardy. While i encourage periwinkle and Sweet woodruff in the shade- again not where people walk.
Just to point out that in Victoria's dry season, on my patio the Corsican sandwort [see above] is beginning to brown a bit where a watering is missed, but the Elfin Thyme is as green as ever.
Thyme is a Mediteranian (sp) plant therefore is probably happy with less water. Clematis is not really a ground cover but I have seen it used as a plant that drapes all over as an extra. This garden had lots and lots of varieties and they just happily scrambled up roses through bushes and trees. The lady said they did no real harm to the other plants and she just pruned them down wach year. Liz
