Give up on grass, plant ground covers in shade
If there are areas in the landscape too shady to grow grass, don't fret. There are a number of ground covers that not only prefer growing in shady conditions, they look beautiful doing it.
The most common choices are Baltic ivy (Hedera helix "Thorndale"), creeping myrtle (Vinca minor "Dart's Blue"), and purple winter creeper (Euonymus fortunei "Coloratus"). These are fine choices but there are more plants that rapidly cover shaded spaces.
One of my favorite ground covers for shade is sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum). Its fine-textured foliage emerges bright green in spring before turning dark green and forming a dense, weed-choking mat that smells like freshly mowed hay when crushed. Charming, snowy white flowers bloom in May and June. It grows best in moist soils in part to full shade, but tolerates periods of drought in my garden.
Another ground cover I wouldn't be without is spotted dead nettle (Lamium maculatum). Its stems sprawl out to 24 inches. Silver-green variegated foliage brightens up a shady spot, and flowers appear in May and June. Anne Greenaway has mauve pink flowers, Beacon Silver offers dark pink blooms, lavender flowers bloom on Orchid Frost, Pink Pewter boasts clear pink flowers and White Nancy blooms in white.
Spotted dead nettle grows best in moist, well-drained soil in light shade. In prolonged periods of summer drought, it may die back but is rejuvenated by the cooler temperatures of fall.
Yellow archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) also has silver-green variegated foliage but produces yellow flowers in June. Variegatum is taller - up to 18 inches tall, has larger leaves and vigorously spreads through the garden. Herman's Pride is shorter - just 12 inches tall, has a neater look, and more politely expands.
If you are having a particularly difficult time giving up the idea of lawn grass, consider planting creeping lily-turf (Liriope spicata). It looks like grass on steroids. It grows 8 to 12 inches tall and each clump spreads by rhizomes 6 to 12 inches wide. In August to mid-September, purple flower spikes bloom just above the foliage followed by dark blue berries. Creeping lilyturf prefers part to full shade and can adapt to most soils.
Another popular choice is carpet bugle (Ajua reptans). Beautiful blue flowers on 4 to 6 inch spikes shine in May and June. It forms a dense mat that grows in sun to shade. The more sun it receives the more moisture it requires, and supplemental watering is required during extended periods without rain.
Bronze Beauty has metallic bronze-tinted green foliage, and Burgundy Glow sports pink, white and green variegated foliage. Catlin's Giant is a larger variety that reaches 6 to 8 inches tall with bronze-green foliage, and Chocolate Chip is a smaller selection that barely reaches 2 inches tall and features dark, chocolate-colored leaves.
Barrenwort (Epimedium) is another ground cover that, once established, gets high praise. Persian Epimedium (E. versicolor 'Sulphureum') has grown extremely reliably for me in dry shade. Its heart-shaped, semi-evergreen foliage covered a 6-by-3-foot area in five years. Its yellow starlike flowers are pretty in April and May.
Golden ragwort (Senecio aureus) is attractive in my garden in an area that is soggy in the spring and after heavy rains. Very shiny, round, toothed leaves form robust mounds 12 inches tall. Yellow daisylike flowers bloom in mid to late spring followed by fruits with small tufts of "hair." Golden ragwort prefers to grow in part to full shade, but will tolerate a lot of sun if given enough moisture.
Whichever ground cover you choose, it's a good idea to mulch when planting to prevent weeds while the ground cover is getting established and to prevent frost heaving during its first winter.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette, 28W571 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. Call (630) 293-1040, ext. 2, or visit planterspalette.com.