Ground Covering Plants

[sherrardk]

I have googled, but any ideas on fast growing ground covering plants? Nice and sunny area, don’t mind watering them but the soil is rubbish. Would be nice if they flowered but not the end of the world if they don’t.

[Buenchico]

Some suggestions here:
https://www.tipsbulletin.com/ground-cover-plants/

[sherrardk]

Thanks - number 3 looks like it will do the trick (and stop my neighbour having a mini hissy fit when he looks at the weeds).

[gness]

Hi Sherr....Vinca is a winner for me every time......Major is great....minor has its place too.....Pachysandra is one I love but a bit slower growing than Vinca and benefits from chopping....Vinca you can just leave alone and it will root as it grows.....x

[sherrardk]

I’ll look at that too - need one that’ll cover the ground quickly (neighbour is being a right *** - can’t believe that anyone’s gardens looks great at this time of year, nutter is even taking photos of it).

[gness]

Really!!! What a plonker......nothing is looking fantastic just now. A large Vinca will cover lots of ground.....I take long pieces and prod them into the earth where they take root quickly and that helps them spread over a large area...x

[Malachite]

Oxalis perhaps, but be warned, it can spread like wildfire and is considered by many to be a weed. I like it.

[sherrardk]

Like the sound of both of the ones that grow like weeds - it’s a wide boarder that surrounds a concrete bit so should be fine. Bloke across the road has lived there since the houses were built and is (according to my landlady) a bully. He makes me feel a bit intimidated as I’m here on my own a lot but in truth (if he ever had the guts to say something to me and not my landlady) I’d probably give him a mouthful.

[albaqwerty]

he's not your landlord. If you keep your garden tidy with planting or not, then he can go and do one imo.
Is the garden similar to what it was when you moved in? (not that it matters anyway)
(I'm feeling quite irate about your bully neighbour - we had 2, one moved and the other one is no longer a bully - put in his place)

[sherrardk]

It’s actually better than when we moved in - needs de-wintering is all. He’s an ex-copper (I’ve nothing against most ex-coppers) and thinks he owns the place. You can tell his wife is mortified. He’s already moaned to my landlady about us (makes me feel insecure, this is our home).

[tonyav]

He’s already moaned to my landlady about us (makes me feel insecure, this is our home).

What's the miserable git whinging about.

[Mamyalynne]

Don't allow him to bully you , if you see him taking photos rush out and exclaim in an excited but cheerful voice 'Oh, have you spotted a rare butterfly or orchid?'.

[sherrardk]

There’s a hedge between us - end of a cul-de-sac, he’s opposite us. He thinks we should cut our half back because he scratching his little car on it, we don’t think we should because the birds are nesting and it’s not scratching our big car. He cuts his bit and then chucks the cuttings under our bit of hedge. I honestly think he has an issue with us because we rent (but so would the next people) and because of the kids (who don’t play outside). We are really quiet, we don’t have visitors or barking dogs. I know my landlady doesn’t have a problem with us but it just makes you feel uneasy, like she might not think it’s worth the hassle of having us here.

[tonyav]

Does he know it's nesting season ? maybe you ought to let him know.
He sounds like a proper DH to me.

[albaqwerty]

first things first - whose hedge is it?
secondly, I always thought it was illegal to disturb nesting birds (I'm not doubt wrong)

[sherrardk]

I know I should be braver and that he’s a complete twonk - I just think it’s just *** behaviour on his part. It’s just unsettling. But back to the plants, I will look into the options - favouring the ‘grow like weeds’ options at the moment.

[albaqwerty]

there's one whose name escapes me, starts with an H - not cheap when they are mature - hibriscus or summat like that. non-flowering though, variegated leaves.
I think they attract slugs tho :(

[sherrardk]

The hedge belongs to my landlady, it’s not an issue for her, it’s not overhanging anyone’s space, he just makes such a song and dance about moving his cars, you can here him revving them and see him making a real song and dance about it. I’m crap at driving but it wouldn’t cause me any bother.

[sherrardk]

Slugs are fine, the hedgehog might stumble upon them :)

[albaqwerty]

oooh, revving cars eh? I reckon Tonyav could give you advice (ahem,cough, cough) on why it's not a good idea - along the lines of heating up the bottom bits of engine and they get welded together cos of the heat :-D

(I really don't like hearing of nice people having a dipstick of a neighbour)