ground cover for pond edge
A.Malhotra
result, with a garden heaving with frogs and newts, and even some toads.
The growth rate of the frogs since they left the pond in June has been
amazing, many are already halfway to adult size. Anyway, to get to the
point: my husband and I had a bit of a disagreement about the grass growing
around, and into the pond. At this time of year, its got a little out of
hand (IMO) and is smothering the marginal and edging plants, and covering
the stones inset into the ground as a path so it's not very safe to walk
round it anymore. I wanted to get rid of the grass (try!) and plant some
alternative ground/wildlife cover plants. My husband disagrees, saying that
the grass looks right with a natural pond, and anything else would look
artificial, or would not be able to compete with the grass anyhow. The pond
is in a natural boggy area so that the edge in question can get very wet.
It is in a sunny location too so that the sort of thngs I had in mind
(bugle, vinca) might not do very well. Does anyone know of a wild or
wild-type ground cover plant that would do well in these circumstances and
be vigorous enough to compete with grass? We've tried creeping jenny but it
hasn't survived.
Thanks
Anita
Derek Turner
wrote:
>It is in a sunny location too so that the sort of thngs I had in mind
>(bugle, vinca) might not do very well.
I'm about to use vinca minor in a south-facing hedge-bank. Do a bit of
research on the 'net and you will sind several varieties that will
tolerate full sun. Mind you, I've been told it can be quite invasive!
--
Derek Turner
The english summer consists of three fine days and a thunderstorm. - Charles II
Martin & Anna Sykes
reasons ( We have a 2 year old daughter), but I planted a 1ft wide border
around the pond with larger shrubs which offer better protection for the
wildlife and cast enough shade to stop the grass spreading. We also used
some of the more 'ornamental' grasses, some of which look very natural, but
aren't nearly as invasive as the grass in a typical lawn.
I'd just cut the grass around the path if it's dangerous. ( but mow it
slowly to give the frogs time to get out of the way. There's nothing more
distressing than mowing the legs off a frog.)
I think you need to decide whether you want a *wildlife* pond which will
fill up with frogs, newts and the rest (We even got a kingfisher visiting
ours), or a *wild* pond, which left to its own devices will completely
naturally silt up and turn into a bog and eventually just a damp patch of
ground.
Jill
news:3D940F61...@bangor.ac.uk...
Does anyone know of a wild or
> wild-type ground cover plant that would do well in these circumstances and
> be vigorous enough to compete with grass? We've tried creeping jenny but
it
> hasn't survived.
how about oenanthe japonica flamingo
variegated water celery
its vigorous alright
very pretty
--
Jill Bowis
http://www.poultryscotland.co.uk http://www.henhouses.co.uk
http://www.domesticducks.co.uk http://www.poultry-books.co.uk
http://www.kintaline.plus.com/welshcottage
>
> Thanks
> Anita
Kay Easton
<bss...@bangor.ac.uk> writes
> The pond
>is in a natural boggy area so that the edge in question can get very wet.
>It is in a sunny location too so that the sort of thngs I had in mind
>(bugle, vinca) might not do very well. Does anyone know of a wild or
>wild-type ground cover plant that would do well in these circumstances and
>be vigorous enough to compete with grass? We've tried creeping jenny but it
>hasn't survived.
>
Round one of my ponds I have germander speedwell, but I'm not sure quite
how boggy it like it.
I think anything tiny is probably going to get pushed out by the grass.
Water mint is pretty tough, perhaps with the occasional clump of marsh
marigold.
Our ponds at the nature park are fringed with a mixture of purple
loosestrife, yellow loosestrife and watermint, but that's a vigorous
mixture and might be more problem than the grass!
Or you could compromise by encouraging wet-loving grasses and rushes
around the edge - there not quite as spready as meadow grasses.
--
Kay Easton
Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/
Derek Turner
<syk...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote:
>There's nothing more
>distressing than mowing the legs off a frog.)
I'm sure there must be. Coming home to find your partner has shot
him/herself for example?
Larry Stoter
We are also in the process of establishing a pond. Creeping Jenny is in
fact doing quite well. We've also planted Monkey Flower (mimulus?),
Siberian Irises, Bistort and primula vialii (? 3"-4" spikes of tiny pink
flowers), all of which seem very happy. The Monkey Flower in particular
is growing out into the water and the frogs seem to love sitting in the
mass of of roots and stems.
--
Larry Stoter
Sue & Bob Hobden
"Derek >
> I'm about to use vinca minor in a south-facing hedge-bank. Do a bit of
> research on the 'net and you will sind several varieties that will
> tolerate full sun. Mind you, I've been told it can be quite invasive!
> --
I planted some of that 20 years ago and having tried to get rid of it, still
find it now and again, normally amongst other plants. didn't find it a good
ground cover either, not thick growing enough.
--
Bob
http://www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an allotment site
in Runnymede, fighting for its existence against bureaucracy.
Carol Russell
>> We dug a wildlife pond last autumn, and we have been delighted with the
>> result, with a garden heaving with frogs and newts, and even some toads.
>> The growth rate of the frogs since they left the pond in June has been
What about duckweed.
Art
Alison
"Kay Easton" <k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:52ifNxJv...@scarboro.demon.co.uk...
> Round one of my ponds I have germander speedwell, but I'm not sure quite
> how boggy it like it.
I'm not sure if this is the same thing that I've got - a veronica beccabunga
(love the name :-) ) It's got quite pretty little blue flowers, spreads
like fury but is easily pulled out, will grow in the water or on the banks,
and the roots provide great cover for all sorts of things in the water.
--A
Kay Easton
pAm.wideopenwindows.fsbusiness.co.uk> writes
shinier leaves than Germander speedwell, V chamaedrys, and is a water
plant for preferences whereas germander speedwell is a land plant of
hedgebanks and open woodland and a garden weed. Though I think the
garden veronica 'Georgia blue' is bred from it - the flowers are very
similar. And germander speedwell is always described as having a white
'eye' though when you look at it the overwhelming impression is of the
bright blue flowers - it's much more blue and a stronger colour than the
other speedwells that are encountered as weeds.
A.Malhotra
Kay Easton wrote:
>
> In article <3D940F61...@bangor.ac.uk>, A.Malhotra
> <bss...@bangor.ac.uk> writes
> > The pond
> >is in a natural boggy area so that the edge in question can get very wet.
> >It is in a sunny location too so that the sort of thngs I had in mind
> >(bugle, vinca) might not do very well. Does anyone know of a wild or
> >wild-type ground cover plant that would do well in these circumstances and
> >be vigorous enough to compete with grass? We've tried creeping jenny but it
> >hasn't survived.
> >
> It depends how big your pond is and how tall a plant you want.
Its 5m x 3 m (at the widest point). To reiterate, I'm NOT looking for
marginal plants that grow in the water (got lots of those) but a plant for
the terrestrial margin which sometimes floods, sometimes dries out and into
which stepping stones ar inset ie for safety I would not want anything that
grew very tall.
Joyce of Pendle
<bss...@bangor.ac.uk> wrote:
> To reiterate, I'm NOT looking for marginal plants that
> grow in the water (got lots of those) but a plant for the
> terrestrial margin which sometimes floods, sometimes
> dries out and into which stepping stones ar inset ie for
> safety I would not want anything that grew very tall.
Houttuynia cordata Chameleon is recommended for poor soil,
moist sites and also for pond margins. It grows about 4 in
high for me, but I've seen it nearly 10 in high up against
a south facing wall. It is very hardy if kept moist. The
roots can grow several feet underground before sending up
new plants, though.
Joyce of Pendle.
--
"The spear in the Other's heart is in your own: you are he." -- Surak
Paul
How about polygonum? (Knotweed, spreading habit, tolerates most and also
dry). See above site. I have some in my garden, its growing in a damp
condition, but I've noticed some growing in one of my neighbour's garden
where is dry.
A.Malhotra
Interesting idea...think I'll avoid japonicum though! My husband doesn't
like pink flowers, so we haven't tried bistort, but I hadn't realized there
was such a range of alternative colors.
Anita