10 popular ground covers part 2

Ground covers make your garden into a whole, and keep the weeds at bay too. They creep in between the eye-catchers in your garden but can also attract attention themselves with their colourful blooms. They often also attract extra bees and butterflies for good pollination of your (vegetable) garden. We introduce you to 10 popular ground covers: from evergreen varieties to specimens with a very striking bloom.

6. Lonicera nitida 'Maigrün' or Chinese honeysuckle

Height: 0.8 to 1.5m
Position: Full sun, semi shade or shade
Number per m²: 7 to 9

This groundcover plant bears shiny green leaves which are accompanied by small white flowers in the flowering period. These provide more bees and butterflies in your garden. The birds will also love your garden once the striking violet-coloured berries on the Chinese honeysuckle appear. This ground cover may look beautiful but its biggest asset is its hardiness. Is this plant growing too wild? Then you can prune it in early spring or late summer.

7. Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald & Gold' or Cardinal's hat

Height: 50cm to 1m
Position: Sun, half shade or shadow
Number per m²: 4 to 5

The green leaves of the Cardinal's hat have a golden edge. In the sun the leaves will have even more colour markings. In July and August white inconspicuous flowers appear. In autumn it will bear clusters of white fruit pods. In the spring, remove the excess branches. Is this ground cover growing too bushy? Then you can also prune it.

8. Pachysandra terminalis or shadowwort

Height: 0.1 to 0.3m
Position: Semi-shade or shade
Number per m²: 9 to 11

Shadewort carries larger and toothed leaves which shine beautifully. Their colour depends on the location. Are they in the shade? Then they are dark green. Do they regularly get some sunrays on their leaves? Then they become lighter and greenish-yellow. This ground cover blooms earlier than the previous species. The small white flowers appear in March and disappear again in May. You only have to remove the dry flowers after flowering. One negative point: shade-lovers can sometimes be affected by fungal diseases. So be alert for this!

9. Anemone Honorine Jobert or Japanese anemone/herbic anemone

Height: 0.5 to 1.2m
Position: Sun or semi shade
Number per m²: 7 to 10

A magnificent ground cover which adorns many Flemish gardens. The autumn anemone bears serrated leaves of a dark green colour. Flowering takes place later in the year, from August to October. Large, white flowers with striking yellow stamens then appear. This groundcover plant looks great in a somewhat 'wilder' garden. It is also very easy to maintain. You only have to cut off the dead flowers.

10. Cotoneaster dammeri or dwarf medlar

Height: 0.2 to 0.4m
Position: Semi-shade or shade
Number per m²: 8

Dwarf Medlar bears shiny and leathery green leaves which turn a bronze colour in the autumn. In May and June the many white flowers appear. In autumn it also provides some colour with its red berries. Prune this groundcover plant every year, and preferably twice a year: after flowering and in late autumn.

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