Category Archives: Ground cover

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  Euphorbia cyparissas ‘Fen’s Ruby’

  Posted on September 16, 2017 by stephenryan in drought tolerant, Foliage plants, Ground cover, Perennials

  This tough as they come dwarf herbaceous perennial was something I originally imported from Beth Chatto’s nursery in England although I seem not to have been the only one. As the accompanying picture attests its spring foliage is ruby coloured turning slowly grey-green and its heads of bright green flowers are a stunning complement to […]

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  Persicaria virginiana filiformis ‘Painter’s Palette’

  Posted on May 20, 2017 by stephenryan in Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Ground cover, Perennials, self seeds, Woodlanders

  If you don’t like variegation don’t read on! This herbaceous perennial has to have some not the most over the top leaf colour of any cold hardy plant and I for one love it! It grows to about 60cms. or so and builds into a substantial clump in a fairly short time. The large leaves […]

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  Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’

  Posted on April 26, 2017 by stephenryan in autumn colour, berries, Climbing plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Ground cover, shade tolerant, Shrubs, winter interest

  This has to be one of the most indestructible plants that I grow and although it is common it the U.S. and Europe is for some reason rarely offered in Australia. It is evergreen and its foliage will turn fabulous colours in winter if it is in enough cold and even if it doesn’t colour […]

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  Danae racemosa

  Posted on April 17, 2017 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Ground cover, Perennials, shade tolerant, winter interest

  This slow growing evergreen plant from South West Asia to Iran has long been on my want list and over the last few years it has come my way as it should come yours! It is called Poet’s Laurel or Alexandrian Laurel and is in fact the plant used to make the wreaths that crowned […]

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  Oxalis melanosticta

  Posted on March 31, 2017 by stephenryan in autumn colour, bulbs, Collector Plants, drought tolerant, Foliage plants, Ground cover, winter interest

  I love the autumn because the winter growing Oxalis suddenly start to erupt out of the ground and yes I know that includes the weedy ones but with so many species in the Genus (some hundreds apparently) they can’t all be weeds obviously. One of the early ones is this lovely yellow flowered African species […]

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  Halimium ocymoides

  Posted on March 29, 2017 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, evergreen, Ground cover, Shrubs

  A very useful evergrey ground cover shrub to about 60cms. tall by 1.5metres wide for a sunny well drained aspect. It comes from the Mediterranean area and so is ideally suited for our climate in southern Australia. In spring it is covered with bright yellow Cistus type flowers (it may well end up being a […]

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  Euhttp://stephenryan.com.au/wp-admin/update-core.phponymus fortunei radicans

  Posted on March 22, 2017 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Ground cover, shade tolerant

  Euonymus fortunei from Asia is a remarkably hardy and incredibly diverse species including trailing ground covers, climbers and even quite large shrubs. In the case of variety radicans it is a bit of a trailing ground cover that will also climb up any suitable surface and in both instances it is a light open plant […]

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  Cyclamen cilicium

  Posted on August 12, 2016 by stephenryan in autumn colour, Collector Plants, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Ground cover, self seeds, shade tolerant, winter interest, Woodlanders

  This charming little species is rarely grown in Australia and for no god reason as it is hardy, showy and self seeds well in a semi-shaded aspect in Southern Australia. Perhaps as it is autumnal in flower it is overlooked for the more common species of C. hederifolium which is better known and also worth […]

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  Halimium ocymoides

  Posted on August 5, 2016 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Ground cover, Shrubs, winter interest

  This may or may not stay as a Halimium as I have heard that it may be dumped into Cistus which does seem logical. What ever it is it is a great evergreen  (or perhaps evergrey) ground cover shrub for a sunny well drained site. It will grow to about 60cms. tall by up to […]

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  Genista hispanica

  Posted on May 8, 2016 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, evergreen, Foliage plants, Ground cover, Shrubs

  The Spanish Gorse is a rarely seen but highly attractive non invasive ground cover shrub ideal for sunny dry banks. It grows to about 1metre tall by as much as 3metres wide and has spiky green stems without foliage for much of the year so is texturally interesting. Come spring it erupts with a mass […]

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