I am a cheap and lazy gardener. My soilplay pretty much consists of planting, watering, weeding and keeping my fingers crossed. I have ordered plants with varying degrees of success through mail order, so I wanted to document my experiences here.
Tantalized by the lush foliage and lovely blooms touted by these gardening catalogs, I eagerly awaited my first order. Prepare to be disappointed. Many "shrubs" resemble not so much saplings but leafless twigs with roots, aptly named "whips."
Some perennials are merely root balls while others arrive in the tiniest of pots -- maybe slightly bigger than what you'll find populating a flat of annuals.
Still others arrived moldy or DOA. In some cases you'll get more for your money shopping at a local nursery. But many of these perennials grew in nicely over the course of a year (or more).
It's fun to experiment, especially with plants I haven't seen locally.
I ordered exclusively through
DirectGardening.com
because they were the least expensive (click on the banner above to be taken directly to their site).
They also offer the standard one year guarantee. If your plant doesn't survive they will send you a replacement if you request it within one year from date of purchase.
Year planted follows description in parenthesis.
For reference, these groundcovers were planted in zone 6 in mostly sandy soil.
Updated 2/17/2008.
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| Plant |
Experience |
Conclusion |
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Variegated Liriope (Lilyturf)
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Variegated Liriope. I purchased three, all are doing well. I adore lilyturf. You can pretty much put them anywhere for eye-catching interest year round. Cut them back when new growth emerges in spring. (2004). | Highly Recommended |
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Mediterranean Pinks
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Mediterranean Pinks. I purchased six, four have come back. They grew pretty quickly and I think they bloomed the first year. Cute. (2004). | Recommended |
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Creeping Red Sedum
| Creeping Red Sedum. Sedums are a great, fast spreading ground cover. It's not hard to find someone who is willing to share some. I grabbed a lot from a family friend so I don't know which is which, but I haven't seen any come up red, just a washed out pink. (2004). | Recommended |
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Improved Golden Sedum
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Golden Sedum. The golden sedum I purchased is a little different looking than the plants I received from a family friend, both are a great ground cover. (2004). | Recommended |
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Periwinkle — Vinca Minor
| Periwinkle — Vinca Minor. I haven't had to purchase any vinca, but I wanted to make a plug for this nearly perfect groundcover. It grows just about anywhere, it's evergreen and has lavender flowers that bloom freely in the spring. Considered invasive, but easy to pull out. There are other varieties with different color blooms and variegated foliage. | Recommended |
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Creeping Phlox
| Creeping Phlox. Possibly my favorite groundcover. It's semi-evergreen so it doesn't completely die off in the winter. It gets smothered in pretty flowers in the spring. I have one patch that is doing very well. (2004). | Recommended |
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