Carpet perennials for sunny or slightly shaded places

The author of the text is Dr Regina Dębicz.

They are planted in rock gardens and alpine gardens, on the banks of flower beds, along paths, on slopes. Before planting, we carefully prepare the soil and, above all, weed it thoroughly. Missing a few rhizomes of couch grass, horsetail or ground elder may make all our efforts wasted. For compositional reasons, we create colorful spots from a dozen (on larger surfaces from several dozen) plants of the same species or variety, carefully selecting the vicinity of individual perennial species.

A carpet made of three rhythmically repeated species can look very effective. The most famous are species of plants of the genus: geese, żagwin, flame, saxifrage, thymus, thymus, sedum and colon. However, it is worth taking a closer look at other perennials.

Clove saxifrage Petrorhagia saxifraga

Goździcznik squid in the 'Rosette' variety in Poland is almost unknown, and deserves to be disseminated. The greatest advantage of this perennial is its exceptionally long, abundant and effective flowering. Forms regular clumps of carpets, 20 cm high and dia. 30-50 cm.The stems are very thin and strongly branched, and the leaves are narrow.From June to September, the clove shows numerous delicate tops full of pink-lilac, small flowers (similar to the flowers of the gypsophila paniculata) .

The carnivore has low cultivation requirements, a fairly dry sandy loam soil is enough. It looks impressive in flower beds, against the background of dark stones in the rock garden, it looks beautiful in containers, it is suitable for walls and borders, and for green joints between elements of the paved surface.It reproduces by means of rosette cuttings.

Chilean wild strawberry Fragaria chiloensis

The Chilean wild strawberry in the 'Chaval' variety grows up to 5-10 cm. From May to September, a few white flowers appear on it on Wed. 2-3 cm.The plant does not bear fruit. Leathery leaves have the greatest decorative value, dark green and shiny on the outside, and silvery on the underside.Perennial creates numerous above-ground stolons, thanks to which it grows over the ground very quickly and evenly, giving a compact and flat carpet.

Plants are a good backdrop for many species of trees, shrubs and other perennials. They blend in interestingly with other ground cover plants. The Chilean wild strawberry requires permeable, slightly calcareous soils. Easily reproduces with runners.

Noble chamomile Chamaemelum nobile

The noble chamomile 'Plenum' is a carpet perennial with a height of5-10 cm, with pinnate, small leaves, with a characteristic smell. The 'Plenum' variety creates white full baskets individually mounted on shoots 10-25 cm long.Its great advantage is very abundant and long (from June to the end of October) flowering.It grows quickly, creating a dense, compact fleece. Plants should be planted at a density of 4-6 plants per 1m².

Noble chamomile 'Plenum' does not require any special soil requirements, it only needs to be provided with a sunny position. It is a perennial suitable for rock gardens, walls, borders, naturalistic plantings and flower beds. It is also suitable for flower meadows and "green joints" between tiles, stones or cubes of paths, pavements and driveways. It reproduces by division.

St John's wort Hypericum cerastoides

St John's wort is a strong bush, forming clumps 15 cm high. Its shoots are densely covered with blue-green, small, smooth leaves.Golden-yellow flowers 2 cm in diameter develop on the tops of the shoots.St. John's wort blooms profusely and long (from May to September)We can plant it in different places of the garden in sandy loam soil, moderately moist. It multiplies by means of apical shoot cuttings.

Spring Mokrzyca Minuartia verna

Spring moth forms a grassy "turf" on which, from May to July, white flowers, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, appear in loose clusters. Spring swamp blooms profusely and very effectively. For this reason, it is sometimes called the spring multiflower. Perennial has low cultivation requirements, its sandy-loam soil with low humidity is enough.It looks impressive in a rock garden, suitable for walls and borders, as well as for "green joints".It grows quickly and evenly It reproduces by division in early spring or after flowering.

Campanula garganica bell gargoyle

A gargoyle bell with a spreading habit, reaches a height of 10 cm. Its leaves and shoots are softly hairy. In June / July, clusters of star-shaped blue-violet flowers with a lighter center appear in the leaf axils.It is a valuable, non-planting, profusely flowering bell, especially useful for rock gardens and on walls, also suitable for growing in containers.

It blends in interestingly with other ground cover plants, such as white flowering thyme or sedum plants with yellow flowers. Requires light, permeable, moderately moist soils (sensitive to excess moisture). It should be lightly covered in winter. It reproduces by division and by seeds (sometimes it spreads itself).

Horned violet Viola cornuta

Horned violet Viola cornuta is a perennial with rising shoots 15-20 cm high. The 'Alba Minor' variety produces snow-white flowers, individually placed on stalks, 7-10 cm long. The flowers consist of five petals, the largest of which turns into a long spur. The great advantage of the horned violet is its profuse and long flowering (from April to September).It grows quickly, forming circular clumps. This violet has no special soil requirements.

Suitable for rock gardens, walls, borders, naturalistic and bedding plantings, as well as for growing in containers. Creates numerous self-seeding. And we can reproduce it by dividing, rooting cuttings torn off with a heel and from seeds.

Coastal Lepnica

The seaside lepnica is a carpet perennial with doubling shoots, 20-25 cm long. 'Druett's Variegated' has leaves that are broadly creamy-white and smooth.Flowers develop from May to June, and in late summer the plants often repeat flowering.Coastal moth is effective and easy to grow. It belongs to fast growing plants. It is recommended for rock gardens, for planting slopes, for walls and cemeteries.

Looks great in balcony boxes, rock crevices and in combination with elements of garden architecture (boulders, sculptures, stairs).Plants grow well in light, well-drained, moderately moist and slightly acidic soils. They are propagated by division and by apical shoot cuttings.

Potentilla cuneata

Potentilla cuneata clinker leaf grows up to a height of 15 cm. Its yellow single flowers Wed. 2-3 cm, set on short stalks, develop from June to August.Very decorative are small, tripartite leaves, dark green on the top and gray-blue on the underside.Cinquefoil creates underground stolons and grows quickly, so it can be used as a ground cover plant on larger surfaces.

It is also useful in large flower beds and in rock gardens. A quick effect of covering the surface is achieved by planting 4-5 plants per 1 m². It grows best in permeable soil, moderately rich in nutrients. It reproduces by division.

Penstemon kosmat Penstemon hirsutus

Hairy penstemon (downy turtle) Penstemon hirsutus 'Pygmaeus' is a bushy perennial with red hairy stems 20-30 cm long, lying in the lower part.In late spring and summer loose clusters of tubular-funnel-shaped pale purple flowers with white-yellow throats.During their abundant flowering, the plants are extremely effective. The shaggy penstemon is primarily used in rock gardens, on walls and perennial beds, as well as on slopes.

For a quick and satisfactory ground cover effect, plant it at a density of 7-8 plants per 1m². It grows well in sandy-humus and quite dry soil. It reproduces by means of herbaceous shoot cuttings and seeds. Penstemon gives abundant self-seeding.

The common feature of all perennials described above is good wintering, only three of them, namely the gargoyle bell, shaggy penstemon and St. John's wort, require light winter cover.