23 stunning ground cover plants - create a tapestry of colour and texture (in difficult places!)

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Alexandra you have hit another one outta the park with this video!! Woodland groundcovers are my garden language. Such a comprehensive listing with the appropriate visuals. Stunning garden this gentleman has. I appreciate you sharing this!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@franconianable]

Thanks again. I’ve been gardening for about 30 years and your videos always give me a lot to think about and I learn a lot! I appreciate the straightforward presentation very much.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@juliekane1156]

So glad to see this, Alexandra. I've been missing your weekly posts. And the content was just what I need right now as I develop this new garden in a hotter, dryer place.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! I missed last week, but I've got next week's lined up!

[@lulajohns1883]

A lot of good ideas. Thank you, Alexandra. Lovely as always

[@coriooo8886]

Again a wonderful an very informative video! Thanks so much Alexandra for your great guests and your inspirational information! Greetings from Germany 🤗!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much

[@sjspaulding919]

I appreciate your noting the zones for the plants that you discuss. I live in Canada and my garden is in Zone 4 in some areas and Zone 5 in others. Thus, I can hone in on the discussions in your videos that discuss plants that will thrive where I live. Also, thank you for the discussion of the concept of invasive plants. I was speaking with someone in the UK who suggested yellow rattle to change my lawn into an area that could be naturalized. I found out that it is not sold in nurseries where I live, because it is highly invasive in my area. Thank you for your videos and such interesting interviews.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you. It takes a bit of time to check out the hardiness zones, but I know it's frustrating for people to get interested in a plant and then find out they can't grow it.

[@nicholasmarshall3191]

I am in Wyoming. I try and plant zones 3-4 plants in hopes they can survive the long and harsh winter.

[@SecnarfWobneb]

Enchanting tapestries... another good thing about ground cover plants is that they catch dew and prevent the soil drying out

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

They do

[@tanyastephens3187]

I love the natural landscaping of this garden....with the fruit trees. very pretty. Good info..thanks.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I thought it was very pretty indeed

[@folee_edge]

I don't know what's more lovely - the ground covers or your outfit. Beautiful, all!

[@athomewithfrancsicio]

Stunning right?❤

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you - I had no idea when I put on the purple coat that there would be purple flowers in the garden, so it was a stroke of luck!

[@soothirak]

😂😂😂

[@lesleyfrenzartist]

As a relatively new gardener, these types of "lists" are so helpful! We garden in Zone 8b in Washington State and Italium Arum is VERY invasive here and has become my husband's mortal enemy. 😆 As our garden slowly evolves, I'm looking forward to planting more and more ground covering plants.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It's definitely a thug, even here, though it is so pretty.

[@flowerpixel]

Happy he mentioned geranium phaeum. I have a difficult backyard but it looks fantastic

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I'm going to try it - looks a good geranium

[@vickimaiorano5763]

Thank you. Lots of options there

[@karlsorchidparty2395]

Very beautiful garden.

[@margaretmichelsen766]

Great ideas for woodland planting.

[@maryannharding6235]

Great information as usual! I love the idea of thinking about your plants as part of a community. I'm in Western Washington in the States and am appreciating you giving us the USA plant zones!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@brendalomax1879]

Love your channel and this episode is exactly the advise and inspiration I am in need of as I develop my woodland garden. Thank you Alexandra and keep up the exceptional work!!! Cheers from the west coast of Canada.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you from Kent!

[@maureenmckenna5220]

Wonderful advice about ground cover. Thanks.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@drawyrral]

I consider bare soil to be an open wound and ground covers are a bandage.

[@janethothersall8345]

Really enjoyed this dear Alexandra ..and delighted to see your channel growing, I’ve been with you since the very beginning …you deserve the success you put so much effort , thought and content in to your videos…happy bank holiday gardening 🧑‍🌾 xx

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much! And happy bank holiday gardening to you, too.

[@LouciferFlump]

She is hands-down *the* best gardening channel I’ve ever found on YT! 🦋🌻🪷🌲🌺🌸🌳🌷🪵🌼🐝🌹

[@ThreeRunHomer]

Exceptional garden

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It is!

[@marilynsmith8054]

Self seeders are a boon. May and June my favourite months. We have had so much rain it makes everything grow like mad. Had a beautiful rosemary Miss Jessop but unfortunately so much cold and wet it died of root rot even though I gave it plenty of drainage.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That's a shame, although it's been wonderful to see how much some plants have liked it.

[@DownButNotOutYet]

Good morning Alexandra, so nice to listen to your garden talks as always. Thank you for sharing your visit with Tim, my what a wonderful woodland garden they created. So love the tiny blue flowers that are so pleasing to the eye. They have a vast selection of plants and all live most happily together. Britain might not have the greatest weather but the plants seem to enjoy the climatic conditions very much. What a contrast, the English roses and then the freezing cold conditions in the Free State, South Africa. Yet I was told the gardeners there enjoy the most wonderful blooming roses you can fin in the country!! Nature sure is always full of surprises, alas, do not try to outsmart her, she can get most furious at times. It was lovely to see you again and looking very good. Do take care, kind regards, Elize 💖

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much and kind regards to you, too.

[@jeanniemeagher1774]

LOVE this discussion! Thank you Alexandra!:)

[@pansepot1490]

Great advice as usual. I already have quite a few of the plants in the video since I have been following the same philosophy of letting the plants that thrive in shade condition spread and self seed and just manage/contain them.

[@llmifg]

Some very motivating information and ideas, thank you. Many of these plants are too invasive to grow here in Oregon, but this has given me motivation to try more geraniums, and invest $$ in a few more Trillium. I can also grow foxglove if I have even a tiny amount of sun. A lovely garden, Compton Ash, and seems like a nice guy! Thank you for sharing it with us.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I agree, it's made me think more about geraniums.

[@lindamurns1245]

One of my most favorites! This is my garden!!!! Im getting older so mother can have her way 😊. She knows best anyway. The garden is beautiful! Thanks again for a wonderful video !

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@gardentours]

Beautiful tapestry of colour and texture 👍 I spotted some plants that appeared in my garden as well and they are welcome.

[@edcarson3113]

Tim and Gillian, well done, superb 🫡

[@dev5963]

Huge fan. Your delivery is just like a friend chatting. What you share is achievable for most of us at home without gardeners or helpers.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@jennied1583]

Exactly.

[@LouciferFlump]

What a fantastic video! I actively *want* some “invasive” little “thugs” to colonise some really awkward embankment areas I have under massive mature trees. So many ideas here and plants I’ve not heard of before. Top notch interview! ❤👌🏻

[@pansepot1490]

Look in your area what grows well under trees in gardens and in the wild. I “borrowed” some plants from a neglected garden in the neighborhood. They formed a lovely carpet under an old pine tree and I never saw anyone watering or weeding. Now they have spread and are doing equally well in my garden with almonds zero maintenance. 😊

[@LouciferFlump]

@@pansepot1490 Are you in the US? I think here in the UK I’d be arrested for doing that. 😜Over here, you get arrested for the most innocuous things🥴

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@enigel1969]

What a beautiful garden! Also, the gardener speaks beautifully about his work. And the little dog is a wonderful bonus to your video.♥️

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, I thought Bobby was adorable too and Tim is so knowledgeable.

[@ChristopherDraws]

This video has made me realise that ground cover plants are probably my favourite "category" - I've always loved woodland gardens, and (other than the trees, of course) a huge reason why is the ground cover. I got a tricolor Ajuga reptans as part of a very sad looking, end of season and heavily discounted planted up hanging basket last autumn (which I split apart, as I really wanted the planter) - the Ajuga is now in flower and spreading around one of my containers and I couldn't be happier! All the best to you for the bank holiday weekend.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you. I hadn't really thought about ajuga before this, but it is a lovely plant.

[@emit8242]

Thank you Alexandra for such a lovely Video💐. Respect for what you do🙏🏼

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much!

[@simwest5813]

Excellent video. So many "weeds" I used to go after, now I let go. They come early spring and are gone in a few weeks and provide great ground cover. The idea of a tapestry is perfect for so many areas of the garden. Thanks for posting.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@ehmslm]

Oh My Word! Getting my credit card and going shopping. Zone 5b New Hampshire USA. So glad I found this channel.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@mardicampbell185]

Wonderful program today!! Thank you!!🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@verawallace9055]

After trying to grow Brunnera in my shade garden (the soil is horrible) finally got a breakthrough this year its beautiful ❤

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

glad to hear it, I'm going to try it too.

[@LoriSavingWild]

you are dressed as beautifully and colorfully as the garden. Cheers

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@erikalfan1027]

Thank you friends for sharing this video of green flowers which is very beautiful and very interesting for all of us

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you too

[@thecrazygardenernz3271]

Thank you for sharing, Hidcote is an inspirational garden.

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

Now i need a woodland!

[@TehFeelz243]

Your videos are wonderful to watch, and your garden is truly beautiful. Thank you from Poland.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you very much!

[@Carmen-sg1hr]

I like how each plant was showed longer than usual compared to your other videos while being described. Is very engaging.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@lindacrouchman8623]

One of the best and most inspirational videos I have seen, I ordered some euphorbia dulcis after watching this, hope to achieve somthing similar here in middle GA

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

This was wonderful. Thank you!

[@Nienpet]

I have just spent the whole day weeding around the fruit trees and all the while I was thinking that there has to be a better way. And here it is! Ground covers! Marvellous. On my next set of off days I’m off to the nursery with a list. We moved into our new house in mid winter and now that it’s spring (just outside Melbourne, Aus) the work load has shot right up. Time to change how things get done around here 😄

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Agreed!

[@cherylmacedo5521]

So enjoyed this video 🤍🤍🤍

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@1Kent]

I wish I could have arum italicum! It's too wet here, my state won't allow it. I suppose it would take off like crazy. Excellent video, thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! It is rather the problem with these easy-grow plants, in the wrong place, they can overwhelm.

[@RandeeHalladay]

Very nice video, excellent information and really good video of the many different plants, thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you

[@anne-mariettappous9759]

Your garden is beautiful!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@sunitashastry5270]

Enjoyed this garden. I have started doing this somewhat but it is hard to control some plants.You have to know start you are doing! It is true that you have to allow the self seeders to go where they want to .

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

So true!

[@MyFocusVaries]

Wow! What an amazing garden they've created. Such a wonderful combination of plants. I love brunnera. Here 8n Vancouver BC Canada zone 7b, i see flowers before the foliage is even noticable, in February, and it's in bloom right until June.

[@Godisincontrol325]

😃🎉 Excellent I subscribed to your channel 🙏

[@YoushaAhmad]

Great video, thanks. I am impressed with the impressive display Tim and Gillian have created. Ground cover plants often seem to be an after though to fill in some space or only for Autumn/ Winter interest. I have been planning on researching ground cover plants as a feature for my front garden makeover so this is timely. Also, thanks for mentioning about invasive species.

[@nikkihorn3852]

This was so helpful, thank you so much for the video🌼

[@moritz7317]

Very inspiring video. Thank you

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lesjack137]

Interesting conversation. Dicentra formosa, rather than spectabilis.

[@tessmonro7102]

Can I add pulmonaria to your list. This grows very happily in my dry shade area and flowers it heart out. easy care and very pretty little pink & mauve blooms. And ligularia.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Absolutely. I meant to ask Tim about pulmonaria as I did spot some, but there was so much to look at.

[@YogiCecily]

Ajuga reptans is one of my favorites. I’m east of San Francisco and this years heat killed almost everything, but I do have a tree that provided shade all summer. I’ll do ajuga and ferns there next year. Nice video - THX!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you and I agree about ajuga.

[@Ocean-blue]

Love your channel! I am an enthusiastic but inexperienced gardener and your information is helping me no end! I have just purchased a small property in the middle of an acre of flat field. There are no gardens at all so I am starting from the beginning. I will be planting a small number of trees and would love to under plant them. Should I plant the ground cover when I plant the trees or wait for the trees to establish themselves first ? Thanks

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! I'd suggest you plant both at the same time, but don't plant the ground cover too close to the trees. While they are getting established, it's generally considered a good idea not to take planting right up to the trunk because it will compete with the tree for nutrients.

[@svetlanapil8089]

I'm saving this video. So much good information!

[@maryanna6302]

Right after seeing this video, I took a picture of a leafy ground cover under a neighbor's tree.... Google said unfortunately it is ground elder 😅 the flowering types you show in this video look beautiful, I'll check them out 💚

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Ha, ha yes, ground elder is a pretty persistent ground cover. It does have pretty flowers, but I think it won't go on my list of good ground cover plants.

[@Kyaide]

Absolutely gorgeous, I love this one!! Did I miss it or was the dark leaved plant with the pink/ magenta flowers mentioned? It's right behind you two when you're chatting in the chairs.

[@esullivan765]

I just love watching your videos in the morning with coffee! So informative and relaxing. Do you have any suggestions for how to plant under a mature tree without disturbing the roots or how to dig a hole when the roots are close to the top? Thanks.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I'd suggest planting very small young plants so you don't have to disturb much soil. Also plant towards the outer rim of the tree's canopy so some light can get in. If you introduce some good self-seeders nearby some may also colonise that area, too. It's a tricky spot to plant so you may need some trial and error, and to try with a few different plants before you find ones that take.

[@barbkenas5663]

Great video!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

Geranium macrorizome is my favorite groundcover.

[@susancavanagh1809]

Alexandra thank you once again for an informative post. I was so looking forward to seeing all your replanting and new area's in your garden in person at the end of June. I live in Norfolk so my friends and I where going to stay in faversham to see the gardens. When I went to order the tickets , I found out that it had been cancelled. So disappointed 😞

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, I'm so sorry to confirm that, although it will definitely be on next year. We got snagged by the regulations on insurance - insurance companies are getting less and less inclined to 'cover' individual householders when people walk round their gardens, although it is a very low risk activity. Faversham Open Gardens will therefore be going under the NGS umbrella, but it was too late to be included this year.

[@amanda_b.langen]

What are those bright purple flowers behind you, when you are sitting ?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

They're purple honesty

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

I use hellebores as a ground cover under my cherry tree.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

They're lovely plants.

[@lesliekendall5668]

This month's budget is building a 6' "rustic old wood" picket fence with a painted arbor and old stained glass and lead windowed door for the entry. In a perfect world I would've extended the cottage garden on that side but when I got here 8 years ago (Gma's former home), it was lawn behind the house and weeds up to your eyeballs on the half everyone can see from the street. So the weedy section was the easiest to make into the veg portion of the lot. Which is great for me but not very attractive on the "curb appeal" side of things. Great video as always.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you. And I'm beginning to think that veg can really be rather pretty.

[@lesliekendall5668]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Yes, I know what you mean. I incorporate strawberries, rhubarb, chives, society garlic, etc in the front cottage garden but I don't like seeing the willy-nilly back veg beds from the front.

[@marilyncoburn4936]

Good morning, this is a wonderful idea for us as we are getting older and need less work. We are coming to England next month and would love to see some gardens in the Manchester area. Can you please recommend any? Thanks. Love your content. 🇨🇦

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I would definitely visit RHS Bridgewater, the new RHS garden: www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/bridgewater Great British Gardens is also a good resource for finding gardens to visit: www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/ And for smaller private gardens that don't often open, use the National Garden Scheme 'Find a Garden': findagarden.ngs.org.uk/

[@BenedictusXVIII]

In the shot where Alexandra and Tim are seated in their chairs having a conversation (@ 3:59 for example), there's a purple flower with dark foliage, contrasting wonderfully with the smyrnium perfoliatum. Is anyone able to help me identify that plant? Thanks in advance.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It's a very humble plant, but lovely - Purple honesty or Lunaria annua to give the botanic name.

[@FredHelenPentecost]

Thank you for your interesting and informative videos. This one is of particular interest. Can you please advise what the purple flowering plant is just behind where you are sitting? It has a lovely coloured flower.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It's the purple honesty, I meant to label it but forgot!

[@pinkroses8714]

I do love Forget Me Nots but if you have a dog like mine with long hair (I have Pekingese) then you better not plant them! The seeds have these little prongs and they grab the dogs fur so well and then knot ! So hard to get them out too. It was a big job but we finally got rid of all of them as they sure spread around the garden! lol

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Oh dear! Luckily Ozzie is short-haired.

[@tanarehbein7768]

I'm interested to know how he manages the fall clean up of fruit drop and the dead weedy look of plants going over but with plenty of things still blooming.

[@janetweinberg]

I didn't see them identify the plant with heart shaped leaves with a tall spike of purple flowers. It's behind them while they're sitting in the chairs at 03:51. Does anyone know what plant that is?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It's purple honesty- I meant to label it

[@christianrieben3142]

What is the plant at 4:56 with variegated leaves and purple flowers?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Purple honesty.

[@christianrieben3142]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden thank you

[@wildweeds]

So far I'm having some luck with skullcap, johnny jump ups, basket of gold alyssum, and dianthus, but my garden is still in the early stages.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

wonderful names

[@achnix3167]

Do you habve any experience with cutting back or pinching lunaria chedglow for a more branched out plant and more blooms?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I don't have any experience of that, but maybe just try it and see what happens?

[@christineschueneman4147]

Can someone tell me what the US equivalent for garden zone of this site?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

We don't really have zones here, because we roughly equate to a 9 in winter and around a 6 or 7 in summer. But I've put the hardiness of the plants on screen so you can see which ones would grow in your zone, and most of them are good across a wide range of zones.

[@nicolasbertin8552]

Seems like this is the wrong title for this video ? In any case, these groundcovers all looks great for wooded areas yeah. Sad he didn't mention sedges though (carex). But for a sunny dry spot, none of these are really good. For that, I use origanum Thumbles Variety, a gorgeous golden oregano, then Saponaria Ocymoides, easy to seed and amazing pink flowers, or a taller groundcover wtih artemisia ludoviciana, that takes a little bit more work coz you have to cut the flowers in June so it spreads more. .

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You're right, a glitch, thank you for pointing it out. Must try to find out what happened.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Sorted the title now, thanks again for pointing it out.

[@HannaARTzink]

Beautiful woodland garden, lush, really magical.

[@barjrfarmandranch6002]

It’s so beautiful. Do you have snakes in your gardens?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

No, the UK has relatively few snakes, and not usually near towns.

[@barjrfarmandranch6002]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden we live in North Texas and snakes are always on my mind. I’m planting more dense than usual so I’m mindful of what I reach into. lol. I couldn’t love your garden more! Beautiful.

[@wendychandler8304]

Self seeding is only one problem - nettles spread from yje root. I have tried to eradicate invasive stinging nettles to no avail: some roots I dug out, with difficulty, were over 2 ft. long. This 'new wave' of planting invasive weeds will wreck any garden.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

This video refers to Lamium - known as 'dead-nettle' not the true nettle, Urtica, which is the stinging nettle you're referring to. Traditionally, Lamium is considered a garden plant, whereas Urtica is considered a 'weed'.

[@nicktrull1466]

*Tellima grandiflora

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, you're right - Tim got back to me about that, but it was too late to correct on screen. But I've changed it in the description below.

[@evamohlin1693]

I actually like your videos more than Gadeners World. You are more down to earth, and I can get quite tired of GW's "let's visit another castel" type of things. Or those who are obsessed with just one type of plant.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@sofielys5452]

❤

[@arcobalenonellorto8994]

I need ground covers that stay low so that I can walk barefoot

[@joydeeproy1580]

how to stop ground covers from stealing nutrients from other plants.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It shouldn't be a problem if you choose plants you like. If you don't want ground covers, then you could use a bark mulch or gravel mulch instead, but if you'd rather cover the soil with planting, then all the plants have an equal right to nutrients. If you generally choose plants which grow well where you live and add about 2-3" of garden compost or well rotted manure every year, then there'll be enough nutrients for all the plants. A few plants are very 'hungry' - such as roses, so you can add fertiliser just around their roots.

[@mickidonahue4038]

Do be aware of forget me not seeds. I pick them out of my dogs coat by the hundreds it seems.

[@miketackabery7521]

That was NOT Dicentra spectabilis! It was either d. eximia or d. formosa. Your audience would be none too happy to find they'd gotten something shrub-like instead of ground cover!

[@sterlgirlceline]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌿🌳💚

[@ev1677]

Weedkiller, no thanks.

[@Flower_hoarder]

🪴NEVER DISAPPOINTS 🪴

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@topaz3468]

I enjoyed this video, but the captions that give the name of the plants are very difficult to see with such a small font. 🪴🌺

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I'm sorry to hear you're having difficulty - are you viewing it on a mobile phone? If you can view it on a pc or tablet, they'll be bigger - and if I were to make them bigger, they would be too big for the pcs and tablets. But I will keep an eye on the size and see what I can do.