ground cover around bulbs

eefeedee · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 13 Jul 2015 Posts: 3

HI all
New to forum so apols if I post in wrong place!
I have a border across the front of my house in which I've planted a lot of bulbs - basically it goes daffodils, then tulips, then alliums & irises, then crocosmia.
since i need low enough maintenance (full time working mummy) I spread bark chip over the lot to keep the weeds to a min, etc.
However this looks pretty bad when all the foliage dies at the end of each flower and it can look very bare in the flowering gaps / winter.

So recently had a thought that maybe a ground covering evergreen plant would work, letting the bulbs push through?
Has anyone tried this? and does it work?
need something evergreen, which will spread well but not choke the bulbs...
Would Campanula work?

thanks in advance for any help! Smile

Sive · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 6:33 pm Post subject:

Vinca might work well.

Good guy · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 10:42 pm Post subject:

You could consider primroses, cowslips, ajuga, geranium Roxanne, Pulmonarias, London Pride etc. Basically any groundcover plant the leaves of which don't grow too high and which will suit you soil and location. Try mixing different species to see what does best for you.

eefeedee · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 13 Jul 2015 Posts: 3

Brilliant thanks a mil @goodguy & @Sive!

I will google them all and see which would be the best.
I'm kinda sorted with the soil in fairness as I built the borders as raised beds so I can top up the soil and mulch as I go.

(presume a new layer of soil and mulch would just feed the ground rather than stifle the bulbs?)

kindredspirit · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 4:37 pm Post subject:

Pratia Pedunculata is a very low growing evergreen groundcover with blue or white flowers in the summer.

Dunno whether it would choke bulbs, though. I'm going to put it in my crocus section.

Good guy · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:08 pm Post subject:

Eefeedee, be careful not to bury your bulbs too deeply. Mostly, they like to be planted at twice their own depth.

eefeedee · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 13 Jul 2015 Posts: 3

Good guy yep I was thinking that afters. They are doing well spreading at the mo, so I don't want to kill all those bulbs! What about heathers? Year round colour?

Good guy · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:47 pm Post subject:

Heathers can be lovely if you keep them pruned so they don't become straggly. But I don't see them as ground cover for bulbs such as you are growing.
Pulmonarias with white flowers would provide a neutral background to suit nearly any colour of bulb and holds its leaves for a long time.