Spirited Lady Gardening

The Creeping Wire vine, Muehlenbeckia, is a vine with strongly rooting and densely intertwining stems. The roughly circular leaves are 1cm across and the white, strongly scented flowers are borne in small clusters, followed by shining black fruits.vine, Muehlenbeckia, is different, odd, down right strange.This New Zealand gem has dark, wiry stems that contort, curl, and bend like nothing you've seen. Small, attractive emerald green leaflets. A choice and very hardy addition to combos.

The Houttuynia 'Chameleon Plant'O, Houttuynia cordata, is one of the most popular ground covers around. Small white flowers appear from July to August, but sometimes hard to see because of its foliage. It is an extremely hardy ground cover and easy to grow but can become very invasive. Being similar in shape to English Ivy, it features boldly variegated leaves of red, pink, white, green, and yellow with a plant height of 15'Y.Houttuynia requires light shade and needs a consistently moist soil in a well-drained area. They have a fresh, somewhat citrus-like scent when crushed. Use Houttuynia 'Chameleons'O as a ground cover, in rock gardens, with water plants or in scented gardens.

The Barren Strawberry', also known as Waldsteinia ternata, is a wonderful ground cover that grows in full sun to part shade and prefers normal to sandy soils. It has dark, dense, evergreen, strawberry-like foliage that forms into nice mounds with a height of 4-6". 'Barren Strawberry' bears yellow flowers in spring and then shows warm, yellow colors in Autumn. 'Barren Strawberry' looks great with Veronica 'Royal Candles', Saliva 'Marcus' and grasses.

The Artemisia 'Silver Brocade'O, Artemisia stelleriana, is a compact, silver-white, wooly perennial with a plant spread of 24-30'Y and a height of 15'Y. 'Silver Brocade'O produces yellow flowers in early summer, (not being showy). The foliage, however, has a wonderful fragrance. This striking variety is most noticeable when planted in perennial beds and borders and in herb gardens for color and texture.'Silver Brocade'O likes sandy soil but needs a well-drained area and should be planted in full sun with a small amount of afternoon shade. Try 'Silver Mound'O with Echinacea 'Purple Coneflower'O or Rudbeckia 'Black Eyed Susan'O to add interest in your garden or to accent fresh or dried flower arrangements.

The Lamium 'Orchid Frost', Lamium maculatum, has beautiful oval, silvery edges and bluish green foliage. The short spiked clear, pale pink flowers make it a wonderful ground cover. With a plant height of 6" and a spread of 18-24", Lamium 'Orchid Frost' blooms from May to July. 'Orchid Frost' will grow best in full sun, but will tolerate some afternoon shade in a moist area. Plant in a well-drained soil and do not allow it to dry out. Use Lamium in hanging baskets, in mixed containers, trailing over walls or as an edger, but spread must be controlled. 'Orchid Frost' looks great among Hostas, Ferns, Lungworts (Pulmonaria), bulbs and wildflowers.

The Lamiun, 'Golden Anniversary', Lamium maculatum, is a handsome variety without becoming invasive. The pretty pink flowers are almost eclipsed by the brilliance of the golden variegated foliage. In all but the most severe winters its foliage persists, making it good for winter containers especially hanging baskets, teamed with winter flowering pansies, primroses or polyanthus. It makes superb ground cover in shade under trees and shrubs, including dry shade where few plants survive. Underplant with dwarf bulbs, and chop back whenever stems become invasive.

The Lamium 'Beacon Silver'O, Lamium maculatum, has beautiful oval, gray-green to silvery-white leaves with greenish margins. The short spiked clear, pale pink flowers make it a wonderful ground cover. With a plant height of 6'Y and a spread of 12-24'Y, Lamium 'Beacon Silver'O blooms from May to July. 'Beacon Silver'O will grow best in full sun, but will tolerate some afternoon shade in a moist area. Plant in a well-drained soil and do not allow it to dry out. Use Lamium in hanging baskets, in mixed containers, trailing over walls or as an edger, but spread must be controlled. 'Beacon Silver'O looks great among Hostas, Ferns, Lungworts (Pulmonaria), bulbs and wildflowers.

Periwinkle, Vinca minor, is also known as Trailing Myrtle, Dwarf Periwinkle and Creeping Myrtle. This species of Periwinkle is one of the most popular and widely used ground covers. Trailing stems with smooth, evergreen leaves (to 1.5" long) root at th

The Lamium 'White Nancy', Lamium maculatum, has beautiful oval, variegated silvery-white leaves with greenish margins. The short spiked white flowers make it a wonderful ground cover. With a plant height of 6" and a spread of 12-24", Lamium 'White Nancy' blooms from May to July.'White Nancy' will grow best in full sun, but will tolerate some afternoon shade in a moist area. Plant in a well-drained soil and do not allow it to dry out. Use Lamium in hanging baskets, in mixed containers, trailing over walls or as an edger, but spread must be controlled. 'White Nancy' looks great among Hostas, Ferns, Lungworts (Pulmonaria), bulbs and wildflowers.

The Bigleaf Periwinkle, Vinca major, is also known as Greater (rosy) Periwinkle, Big Perwinkle and Large Periwinkle. The plant is shrub-like and grows to 12" tall with trailing ascending stems; 1-3 feet long. The leaves are dark green and bigger than t

The Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, is a fast-growing, high-climbing vine that attaches itself with tendrils which expand, disk-like, on their tips. The deciduous leaves that radiate outward from a leaf stem, like spokes on a wheel. Each

Japanese Honeysuckle 'Halliana', Lonicera japonica 'Halliana', is the most commonly seen Honeysuckle and is also known as Hall's Honeysuckle. It has whitish-yellow flowers with a delightful fragrance. Hall's Honeysuckles are a very fast growing plant t