A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Full Sun Ground Covers in Cincinnati, Ohio area, zone 5

I am interested in putting in a hill of goundcover that is colorful in the summer and hardy. It would be great if it could be planted in the fall, but I can wait. Any suggestions? zone 5a.
Thank you.

I grow low growing sedums in areas that I want to fill in in the summer.
I like sedum dragonsblood, as it has bright pink flowers mid-summer - it's in full bloom now.

How large is this hill? Do you have any pictures of it that you could post?

Welcome to the forums by the way!

The first that came to mind was the creeping sedum. May I also suggest japanese spurge, ivy, vinca vine, virginia creeper, wild strawberries, creeping cinqifoil, catmint, lamb's ears, trumpet vine etc. I realize that many of the plants I listed are invasive, but if it is an isolated hill that you just want covered in green, then the invasiveness will help get it covered faster. I'm in zone 5a and I find that even the more invasive plants like virginia creeper and trumpet vine are much tamer here than they would be in the south or warming climates. Our winters usually knock everything to the ground. If you keep the vines trimmed, they will not get out of hand. Also remember that you can use vines and let them sprawl (and with vigorous annual vines like morning glory) let them reseed. The morning glories will give you beautiful rustic flowers. Another rather invasive plant that you can try is the Chameleon plant with its multi coloured foliage.

MoneywortLysimachia nummularia is the answer. A pure stand of it doesn't need mowing.

I have it alongside my driveway. Click photo to enlarge:




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