Creeper

Discussion in 'Water Gardening' started by Lewie, Nov 8, 2016.

  1. Lewie

    Lewie Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi all.
    I have a small stream going into a small pond.
    At the head of the stream is a rock that I drilled to take the water pipe.
    I want to plant something at the back of the rock that will grow up and over the rock covering the pipe and most of the rock so it looks like the water is pouring through the plant.
    I thought I had found the perfect thing, Creeping Jenny, then I read just how invasive it can be.
    I have just got rid of an invasive alpine so I don't want that to happen again.
    Any suggestions of something that looks as good as the Jenny without the invasion?
    Thanks in advance.
     
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    • "M"

      "M" Total Gardener

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      :sign0016: to GC Lewie

      Water gardening isn't really something I know much about, but I think @pete or maybe @ARMANDII or possibly @kindredspirit may have some suggestions for you.

      I have grown Creeping Jenny and I do like it. I don't think I lived long enough at the houses with the gardens I've had it in to give an informed opinion on how invasive, or not, the plant might be.

      Hopefully someone will be along to answer your query soon :)
       
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      • kindredspirit

        kindredspirit Gardening around a big Puddle. :)

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        My suggestion would have been Creeping Jenny. I haven't found it to be too invasive and anyway, it's easily controlled.

        There's Pratia Pedunculata but that's invasive. I presume you're looking for something low growing?
         
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        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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          Hi Lewie, I have two clay pots laid on a slab of welsh rock, on of which has water pumped through it to create a waterfall which falls onto a series of rocks below.
          But you can use a variety of plants to cover rock, like Ferns, grasses, Yellow Flag Iris, Astible, and even marginal plants in baskets on either side of the rock. I've used a Skunk Cabbage in a basket placed in the margins. It's amazing how quickly they will grow and cover the rock during late Spring through until Winter. My favourite are the Ferns as they fit in so naturally and are great to see as they unfurl.
          But I would mix them with at least another plant to give contrast.......and of course there's no real, in my opinion, candidate for that use during Winter, i.e: Evergreen.
          It doesn't really matter what size of pond you have, a little thought, time and Nature will soften the pond edges.:dunno::snorky::coffee:
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          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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            I tend to think any plant that is easy to grow and propagate could be described as invasive.
            I think the word invasive is used too much to describe an easy growing plant that will get out of hand, if you let it.
            Having said that, most really invasive plants are classed as weeds.

            I'd be inclined to say plant it and see what it does.:smile:
             
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            • noisette47

              noisette47 Total Gardener

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              Wouldn't a small-leaved Ivy fit the bill for evergreen cover? The one sold as part of 'compositions', think it's called 'Glacier', is very pretty.
              Euonymous fortunei has several cultivars that spread well, too.
              A less well-known 'creeper' is Acaena. There's a stunning blue-leaved form that has attractive red burrs as a bonus.
               
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              • Lewie

                Lewie Apprentice Gardener

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                Thanks for the replies all.

                Armandii, that's looking a bit advanced for me, must try harder.:-) any chance of naming the plants picture by picture as those are the types of things I want.

                As 'm', kindrespirit and pete have given the thumbs up to Jenny I think I will give it a go as it's what I've been after for a while.

                noisette, I'm not a fan of ivys I'm afraid. But thanks for the suggestion.

                BTW, the invasive alpine I had was called Ajuga reptans (burgundy glow).
                I couldn't believe what it did.
                Smothered all in it's path, and entangled taller plants.
                I tried controlling it but no matter what I did it reapeared.
                I had to dig all plants up to disentangle it and sieve the soil to get rid of the runners, hence my caution for any more invasive beasts.
                Creeping Jenny looks less aggresive.

                While I'm at it, another suggestion please.
                I want two planters (one either side of the front door (though it's actually on the side of the house).
                Apart from buxus what else could go in them that stay looking good year round and stays 'within' the planter area. It's a shaded area.
                Thanks
                 
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                  Last edited: Nov 15, 2016
                • ARMANDII

                  ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                  Don't kid yourself, Lewie. Forget about the size of the Pond and think just about the plants that will do the job that you want:dunno::snorky:
                  In this pic there's the leaf of a Polystichum Fern along with a Yellow Celandine, as well as a White Celandine by the log in the your top right. Move across to across to your top left and there's a Hart's Tongue Fern and in the centre middle is the Lysichiton Americanus [Skunk Cabbage]
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                  Yellow Flag on your left [which will happily sit in a basket in the water margins And by in the bottom left by the Yellow Flag Iris flower is a Marsh Marigold [Caltha Palustris] and if you squint enough between the Yellow Flag Iris and the large leaves of the Skunk Cabbage is a Bowles Golden Sedge [Grass]
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                  Bowles Golden Sedge which has great seed heads.
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                  Have you got a pic of your pond? What's the size [big or small doesn't matter] in feet or inches:scratch: And what's the depth, and is there much soil around the rock with the pipe?:coffee:That info will give everyone a better idea of what plants might suit.:coffee::snorky:
                   
                  Last edited by a moderator: Nov 15, 2016
                • Anthony Rogers

                  Anthony Rogers Guest

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                  Hi Lewie,

                  Can't comment on your pond, sorry .

                  But, for your two planters have you seen Ilex Crenata also known as Japanese Holly ?

                  It's similar to Box but has tiny greenish yellow flowers and berries. It's very easy to train into any shape you want.

                  Also, Sarcocca ( common name Wintersweet ), which has lovely scented flowers during the Winter ( ours is just coming into bud ).

                  Other than those how about herbs such as Bay or Rosemary.

                  All of these are evergreen so provide interest during the Winter.

                  During the Summer you could underplant them with summer bedding or small perennials.
                   
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                  • Lewie

                    Lewie Apprentice Gardener

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                    Thanks Armandii, very helpful. Been to a garden centre today to have a browse.
                    I've posted a few picks.
                    First one is the back of the rock, plenty of soil. I would remove the light coloured rock, plant the Jenny and possibly plant a lower growing beast behind it.
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                    The second picture is the rock
                    side on and the third is where I want it to spread out and dangle over the edge so the water is spilling through it.
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                    The fourth is the whole thing, as you can see it's in need of plants. I want some shrubs near the fence with some grasses or whatever nearer the stream.
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                    The fifth is another area I want planting wit something that will hide the pipe.
                    Obviously I can't do anything yet as it would disturb the duck family :-)
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                    Anthony, thanks for the suggestions, I saw a couple of them at the garden centre.
                    I had thought of herbs but most need sun and it will be shaded most of the day.
                    I really liked the look of lavender but again it says sun :-(
                     

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                    Last edited: Nov 17, 2016
                  • ARMANDII

                    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                    Hmmm, for some reason I'm not able to see your images!!:wallbanging::snorky:
                     
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                    • Anthony Rogers

                      Anthony Rogers Guest

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                      H
                      Ave you lost your glasses again ?
                      Have you felt on top of your head, that's where they were last time, remember :)
                       
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                      • ARMANDII

                        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                      • Lewie

                        Lewie Apprentice Gardener

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                        OOOOPs!
                        My bad!
                         
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                        • kindredspirit

                          kindredspirit Gardening around a big Puddle. :)

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                          Some suggestions for the two pots.

                          Sarcocca as per Anthony Rodgers.

                          Bowles Mauve wallflower. Mine have flowered 365 days of the year for 4 years. They seem to like their pots. (Fill with poor soil.)

                          and here's an unusual one but it works for me. The size of the pot controls the size of the plant........Cortaderia Richardii.

                          My preference would be for Drimys lanceolata. Fabulous in a pot. Mountain Pepper Bush.
                           
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