[Lawn Lad]

Here is a picture of a small hillside that we planted a number of years ago. The major plant is a serviceberry on the large bed side with a couple of barberry and perennials. The other side of the walk has a Annabelle hydrangea. We install some geraniums each year as well.

The house is on the south side of the front yard - so the southern part of this bed (back side from the street) gets plenty of sun. The hill gets less sun, but still gets enough.

We've put in several different types of juniper ground covers. They're not surviving I believe in most part because when the city plow trucks come along the salty slush is landing on the bed and killing the plants. We've probably pulled four or five in the last two years.

What other ground cover suggestions would work well in this application other than ivy or vinca?

[pineapple]

AFter working in Chicago with the median and salt trucks, I think non-evergreen groundcovers would work well there.

The evergreen get damaged and can't recover quick enough.

You could try one of the many creeping sedums.

Lysimachia nummularia, creeping moneywort is pretty indestructible and come in green or gold leaved varieties.

Also gypsum applied to the soil can bind up the salt residue, which might help.

[GLAN]

Ajuga..........I love Ajuga......

[agla]

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a good plant for this. It grows naturally by the sea here on Cape Cod where it gets plenty of salt spray.

[jwholden]

Is that a busy road, I wouldn't think the salt spray would be that bad six feet from the road.

You could try Vinca minor, semi-evergreen groundcover with nice flowers on it.

When I looked at that picture I immediately thought of Siberian Carpet, an evergreen shrub that looks like a juniper. It has better shade tolerance and a softer texture. I don't think it is very salt tolerant.

Glan,

I love ajuga as well, but around here (close to Bridgeport) Ajuga often dies in the winter. Especially 'Burgundy Glow'. How does Ajuga handle the weather on the island.

[TrickyDick]

Bearberry would work though I've found it doesn't like mulch or "good" soil much. Juniperus conferta is a nice plant that handles salt. Plumbago (Ceratistigma) is a great spreading perennial with fall flowers and color. Ajuga. Thyme though I don't know about the salt.

[HardDaysKnight]

I would stay away from the typical ground covers for a curb-
side bed. You can lessen the degree of angle especially
in the bed by the driveway. I agree with pineapples suggestion
of using the Sedum family. I think, imo, the 'vera jameson'
is so versatile.We use it as a ground cover, or to compliment
smaller boulders or to drape over walls.

Move some of the stones to the curb and plant the sedums
around and between. Good Luck, Johnny

[Lawn Lad]

Thanks all for the replies. I think we're leaning towards some of the perennial ground covers (e.g. sedum, phlox). As for the salt -it's not the salt spray but the slush that gets thrown. The city trucks might be moving at 30 mph when going down this side street on a night time plow and throw the snow/slush 15' plus. The treelawn is about 7' to 8' wide and the sidewalk is 5' wide. This past winter was very light so not so many problems, but the three previous were all within the top five of our snowiest winters on record.

I'm certainly open to any other suggestions, this is helpful, thanks.

[4seasons]

I second plumbago--- how about st. johns wort (calycinum) I think. or maybe Baths pink dianthus, candytuft looks nice also, but I dont know its reaction to salt. hope this helps.

Bruce

[GLAN]

Ajuga fairs well here...

Some die back of the foliage coming out of winter, nothing to worry about, just unsightly till it gets growing out again.


Vinca minor is great to......those little powder blue flowers are awesome.....but trying to clean it out is a bear......often times we hedge clip them down, blow it out and then wait for the frantic call.............You Killed My Garden!!.......LOL. Long before Memorial Day it's grown back......

I also notice the when cutting them down......we have more flower

[Mark Oomkes]

Vinca won't handle the salt, either.

Same problem with bearberry here as well. I've seen it growing gangbusters in the sand in the middle of a drought on Mackinac Island, though.

I can't vouch for this specific variety, but what about Euonymous fortunei 'Kewensis. It's a small leaved variety of purple leaf wintercreeper. Evergreen and I know 'Coloratus' is extremely salt tolerant. Might not be available by you Doug, not sure.

For more info: www.premiumplants.net

[pineapple]

Ajuga dies out a lot here in zone 5, don't know what it would do in your zone 4.

J. conferta is not hardy either, altho it is beautiful.

Euonymus get scale so easily here if it is at all stressed, so I have quit using it.

[Neal]

My understanding is that many junipers are very salt tolerant. AS their native habitat is sea cliffs. Check Dirr on that. Could be more a drainage issue. Also rugosa roses are very salt tolerant.

[Mark Oomkes]

Neal, I think it is certain varieties are more salt tolerant than others. I have seen some severely damaged by salt spray or salt.

If I thought that salt would be a problem when planting, I would choose something else. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have guessed that salt would be an issue where Doug has these planted.

[sdinenno]

Here's a page that lists groundcovers by zone (with pictures). Just click on your zone and then click on "Salt Tolerant" in the menu on the right side of the page and see if any of the plants listed for your zone are also listed on the Salt Tolerant page.


http://classygroundcovers.com/cat--G...-by-Zone--ALLZ