Encyclopedia: Ground covers

Bell-shaped, nodding, rose-pink flowers with pale yellow anthers. A beautiful herbaceous clematis with raised, non-clinging stems (as in climbing rose). When no support is provided, it scrambles over the ground. Looks lovely when intermingled with another plants. A hardy cultivar particularly useful as ground cover, perfect for growing on terraces.

From June to October mid-blue flowers with conspicuous cream anthers are abundantly scattered over the whole plant. Very free flowering over a long period. A charming climber with raised, non-clinging stems (as in climbing rose). When no support is provided, it scrambles over the ground. Looks lovely when intermingled with another plants, ideal for growing through small...

A perennial cultivar of violet-blue flowers opening from June to October. Recommended for  perennial borders or for planting among lower shrubs. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: Flowers small, 6-8 cm across, violet-blue, consisting of 4 (sometimes 6) oblong sepals with yellow anthers on violet-blue filaments and a bunch of light yellow pistils. Blooms profusely from June ti...

A perennial cultivar with stiff, erected stems that don’t twine round the support but can lean against it. Bright blue, hyacinth shaped, fragrant flowers, consisting of 4 rolled back tepals with nicely crimped margins, are borne in clusters in leaf axils from July to September. Particularly useful for perennial borders or among shrubs.

An attractive, low growing perennial cultivar of wiry shoots. Long-blooming from August till October. Particularly suitable for growing in small gardens, along paths. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: Flowers small, 1-2 cm across, light-yellow, of hyacinth shape set in leaf axils, consisting of 4 curling outwards, light-pink sepals brightened in the middle by yellow stamens. Blooms from August till October. Shoots erect, wiry. HOW IT GROWS: A perennial, primitive climber,...

A slender-stemmed, scrambling herbaceous perennial. Stems don’t twine round supports, but they can lean against them. Bell-shaped, nodding, pure white flowers, borne from June to September, followed by silky seed heads. Best planted on perennial borders or among shrubs. Particularly useful as a ground cover.

A slender-stemmed, scrambling herbaceous perennial. Stems don’t twine round supports, but they can lean against them. Bell-shaped, violet-blue nodding flowers, borne from June to September, followed by silky seed heads. Best planted on perennial borders or among shrubs. Particularly useful as a ground cover.

A slender-stemmed, scrambling perennial originating from Japan. Stems don’t twine round supports, but they can lean against them. Bell-shaped, white, lightly scented flowers, tinted with mauve at the center, borne from June to September, followed, in July-October, by silky seed heads. Best planted on perennial borders or among shrubs. Particularly useful as a ground co...

A slender-stemmed, scrambling perennial originating from Japan. Stems don’t twine round supports, but they can lean against them. Bell-shaped, purple-pink nodding flowers with recurving tepals, borne from June to September, followed by silky seed heads. Best planted on perennial borders or among shrubs. Particularly useful as a ground cover.

An Estonian hybrid of Clematis integrifolia to which it owns its non-twining stems. Flowers, purple blue at first, in full blossom become blue with a lilac blue central bar and golden anthers on white filaments. Free flowering from July to September. Hard pruning required. Thrives in all aspects. Excellent for growing between deciduous and coniferous shrubs or for spre...

A charming, dwarf variety with bell-shaped, purple flowers consisting of 4 elongated, slightly twisted sepals. A perennial with supple, scrambling stems. Flowers are borne most intensely in June and July, but it continues blooming - although less generously – until September. From July till October the plant is also adorned with silky seed heads. Simple leaves are lanceolate, with entire edges, slightly twisting. Stems don’t twine round supports but can lean against t...

A slender-stemmed, scrambling herbaceous perennial. Stems don't twine around the supports, but they can lean against them. Bell-shaped, mid-violet-blue light scented flowers with twisted tepals, borne from June to September, followed by silky seed heads. Best planted on perennial borders or among shrubs. Makes good ground cover.

A charming climber with bell-shaped, nodding, violet-lilac flowers from June to September. A beautiful perennial clematis with raised, non-clinging stems (as in climbing rose). When no support is provided, it scrambles over the ground. Looks lovely when intermingled with another plants. A hardy cultivar, particularly useful as ground cover, perfect for growing on terra...