# what groundcover to plant



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

I have an E facing slope at the ditch along 3/4 of the front of my property by the road that is impossible to mow so I let it go to weeds this yr for the bees since it was mostly asters and goldenrod but it drives my wife nuts we live in the country but have a few nearby houses of old farmers and retired folks that mow every two days wether their yards need it or not and she says it makes us look like lazy bums. I want to plant a low growing growing ground cover that will be pretty for her and choke the weeds but beneficial to bees. Thought about thyme but read that it's fairly tame and other stuff will grow up through it. What would you all recommend for central IL zone 5 ? Preferably a nectar plant as we have several weeds like ragweed and finding pollen isn't an issue for them

Preferably something perennial


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Here is something perennial .... 








Photo Credit

The "perennial" I'm referring to is the _sign_. 

I think that while the _idea _of a ground cover choking out weeds is nice, the "weeds" [bee forage] will eventually also grow anyway.  Put up a nice sign that says "_Native Pollinator Forage Zone_" and let the asters and goldenrod reseed in peace. 

(Yes, I know that honeybees are not native, but native pollinators are also likely to forage in that ditch area.)


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

I actually love that idea maybe the county would stop mowing their side of the ditch lol ....if it was in bloom all season long she might let me get away with taller "weeds" but up untill a month ago I have to admit it looked like crap it's pretty now but that did me no good the rest of this yr lol


----------



## cblakely (Sep 6, 2013)

I have a 1 acre horse pasture that went this summer without a horse. I mowed it a couple of times, but then just let it grow. There were some clovers, thistle and some "daisy" of unknown variety. But it just did have much bee forage. 

I have bought around 20 pounds of "honey bee" mix wild flowers from different vendors. I have targeted some varieties like aster as well. Could only find a little packet of golden rod. The end of October, I have someone scheduled to till it and I plan to plant around thanksgiving. I hope I will have as nice a picture to show as Rader next year.

We have dogs that run in that space as well. They will probably make trails, I may mow the trails and plant clovers as a ground cover. We will see how that goes.

I like the idea of the sign, but it is behind the house and behind privacy fence. So I should not get complaints from the neighbors, but I am also hoping that it maintains blooms all season. We shall see.


----------



## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Would purple tanzy work in your area? I've heard it's a great bee plant, spreads, makes good ground cover. I've not had a chance to try it out myself yet though.


----------



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

If you don't want to mow then put a row of weed guard on top.
As long as there is an open ground the weed and whatever seeds will grow there.
I read that the Sainfoin will grow for up to 5 years. Good bee forage and nice color too.
Your neighbor will 'Wow' at them when blooming. No need to weed at all. I'm trying that on
our dry front lawn the next year.


----------



## jbraun (Nov 13, 2013)

Harley, My wife complained about the tall WEEDS in one area of our yard. When the asters started to bloom a few days ago she now says how pretty they look. I don't know how to get her to stop competing with the neighbors constant mowing either.


----------



## Paulemar (Aug 28, 2013)

How about some White Dutch Clover. I'd round-up the ditch, weed eat everything down low and plant with the clover. It grows
thick, stays short, is attractive and is a source of nectar. You may have to deal with weeds that come up from this years seed crop but the clover can smother a lot of other plants out once established. It will still require some maintenance, but can occasionally be mowed or trimmed with a string trimmer if taller weeds grow through. I did this in a mower accessible area and it worked well. I mowed 2X this year and most weeds are under control, except for a couple clumps of elderberries (came up from roots) which my wife won't let me mow. The deer are doing a number on them though.


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Not sure what tanzy is and its already riddled with white clover as is most of my yard since it used to be goat pasture clover doesn't choke it out


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

What about this? The road should stop it in one direction and I can mow the yard side keeping it from spreading in the yard http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedera_helix


----------



## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

I cut out some blackberries and the hives sit between an old barn and a lawn. I set them back as far as I could to get them in the sun. The owners are not going to want to mow between the 4 hives and the barn so I am thinking of trying the clover. Will it grow in the shade?


----------



## pppswing (Dec 19, 2013)

I have created a non stop-blooming no-mow garden.

You have to mix other plants than aster to make it more insteresting all year round :
phacelia is a poor shower, it looks bad and bloom less than 2 weeks.

You have to mix bushes and some grasses to get structure, with annuals, biennals, perenials and bulbs. 
Evergreen bushes are very good, it give interest all season.


All of these are good for bees :
Aster is a good shower, it bloom for a month in the late and so it looks ok all season.
Oenothera biennis is a great shower however, it looks good in the morning and at night and don't like hot place.
Lunaria annua is a great shower.
Californian poppies.
Box is a great bush
Cotoneaster is great bush
Viburnum and Cornus family have great bushes also
Crocus are great bulbs and give early and very appreciated pollen
Miscanthus, festuca mairei give good structure.

You can select the shrub with different shape and foliage you need :
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/ShrubSelector/

Then extra flowers are the bonus.

Thyme is not a good idea, it will be invaded by grasse very quickly and it offers limited nectar.


----------



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

This is a low growing succulent waxy leaves vine that has red flower the honey bees like. 
They will naturalize over the plot within one season. Honey bees will forage all over them for
the pollen and nectar during the early Fall and summer. 


See the pic:


----------



## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

minz said:


> I cut out some blackberries and the hives sit between an old barn and a lawn. I set them back as far as I could to get them in the sun. The owners are not going to want to mow between the 4 hives and the barn so I am thinking of trying the clover. Will it grow in the shade?


Clover likes the sun. Partial shade in the afternoon heat is ok, but full sun they like.


----------

