Winter ground cover for perennial bed

david_geepMWQvbHb

Hi there. This year I’ve planted out a herbaceous bed. In the spring it’s full of daffodils and tulips. In the summer it is full of Gaura and Verbena and alliums. 

I just wondered what people would recommend for ground cover or winter interest which would allow the aforementioned to still grow through, as during winter it is currently a bed of mud! Ideally we are looking for light colours.

madpenguin

Sedum confusum would be my 'go to' plant.
Stays green and lush all winter and has flowers in spring,early summer.
Can spread but is easy to dig up so not a problem.
If it gets leggy shear it all over and it will fairly quickly regenerate.
It does best in sun but can take some shade.Very drought,pest and disease resistant
bulbs and other plants can grow through or yo can clear a patch away to accomodate other plants.
My favourite plant in my garden.
This is mine today.Just one of many patches round the garden.

rachelQrtJHBjb

Geranium tuberosum may be option as it is dormant in summer. Leaves appear early spring, followed by flowers. It will be up and doing its thing before the gaura, verbena and others get going. It would compliment the alliums.

Borderline

Since you have plants that do need a nice foil around the base, I find Parahebe Catarractae a nice ground covering background plant, and very often if you are not in a very cold part of the UK, they stay evergreen. They are sub-shrubs but respond very well to hard pruning back several times in the year, and with that, they are able to flower for almost 9 months of the year.

If you have colder winters, Lily-turf, Liriope Muscari might be another option. They have mauve and white flowers in autumn that might look nice and extend interest.

Busy-Lizzie

I plant snowdrops around my hostas. I love them, fills one with hope for the spring when they appear.

Angelicant

Heuchera or Ajuga reptans are both good for winter ground cover

KeenOnGreen

Arabis fernandii coburgi variegata.  Takes a while to cover a large area though.  The delicate white flowers are always the first thing to flower in our garden, in Dec/Jan.

fosborne12

I have planted a number of heuchera last autumn.  They do a great job of filling in space in winter.  They are now growing quite rapidly - do I need to cut back the growth to allow the new leaves to come through - like epimedium?