Choosing the right plant - advice please.

[Hedge Witch]

I am looking for ideas for a wild plant for a particular situation in my garden. It's to go round my pond and partially cover the edging, a ground-cover type plant is what I'm thinking at the momet. The primary aim is to help my froglets when they emerge.

For various reasons, I am looking for:
1. Small leaves and low growing
2. Survives in shallow clay like soil (I'm willing to change soil type, pH and depth if necessary)
3. Easily propagated or cheap (I'm on a budget and I need around 20 small plants)
4. The plant must love full sun and the soil is extremely dry. I know it's near a pond, but the pond is in full sun and under tall evergreens which soak up the moisture until it's bone-dry. (Refilling the pond is a weekly chore, but it makes the best use of the space I have)
5. Native if possible

Any suggestions gratefully received. The only plant I could think of was some kind of thyme.

[Jez]

How about Self heal Hedgewitch!?! It's low growing, clump forming, tolerates dry soil. Likes a full sun position and plugs are cheap to buy!

[Hedge Witch]

Yes, a good suggestion. It does grow round and about, so would suit the site.

[Susie]

Self heal is a good choice. Alternatively bugle, which is very similar, or how about a saxifrage?

[Hedge Witch]

I found Self-heal at the ponds edge on one side - I simply have to encourage this (selective weeding and replanting should do it). I must admit, I never thought of this before

The other side is very dry, I think it's even less shaded and has more tree roots. The self-heal would struggle here. I like the idea of Saxifrage - thanks for that suggestion, Susie, I'll look into that some more.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

I am looking for ideas for a wild plant for a particular situation in my garden. It's to go round my pond and partially cover the edging, a ground-cover type plant is what I'm thinking at the momet. The primary aim is to help my froglets when they emerge.

For various reasons, I am looking for:
1. Small leaves and low growing
2. Survives in shallow clay like soil (I'm willing to change soil type, pH and depth if necessary)
3. Easily propagated or cheap (I'm on a budget and I need around 20 small plants)
4. The plant must love full sun and the soil is extremely dry. I know it's near a pond, but the pond is in full sun and under tall evergreens which soak up the moisture until it's bone-dry. (Refilling the pond is a weekly chore, but it makes the best use of the space I have)
5. Native if possible

Any suggestions gratefully received. The only plant I could think of was some kind of thyme.

Sweet Woodruff - Galium odoratum (might frazle in the sun but worth a try)

Bloody Cranesbill - Geranium sanguineum

both spread quickly and can be propogated easily - by root cuttings for the galium and by seed for the Geranium. For the first planting start the plants off with a couple of handfulls of compost in and around the planting hole, they should cope with the clay thereafter.

Thyme, although very happy with the full sun and dry conditions will not like clay and if you do try it, plant into a mixture of compost and grit.

CM

[Hedge Witch]

Cheers, CM, some good advice there. Interesting planting ideas.

[Susie]

Sedum is another good choice.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

Bloody Cranesbill - Geranium sanguineum

Ideal, me thinks!

[dan-fisher]

Abit late on this but when i was (and still am) doing my pond disaster, Hayleigh kindly recommended Variegated Ivy simply for the very purpose you state.

my new small pond project... (Please give feedback)