[4seasons]

No care plants, are they out there? I've racked my brain for a solution to this bank.
plants that I came up with are ivy, sweet woodruff, pachysandra.
They said they aren't going to spend alot of time taking care of it because its a rental.
So is there a plant thats invasive, nocare, shade tolerant, and low(couple inches high only)?
I'm zone5.

thanks

[trees]

What about Lamiastrum galeobdolon? That plant is bomb-proof, aggressive and looks pretty good. I've found it to be a winner in dry shade conditions.

Other ideas would be creeping raspberry and possibly monarda (all though that may get a little tall).

[dan deutekom]

You could try Lamium. (Lamiastrum used to be included in this genera) If you use any of the yellow flowered variaties you should have success. It is very invasive and is next to impossible to kill

[jshilan]

Why not put a lightning rod next to it and see if the next bolt will finish the job.

[jwholden]

English Ivy (Hedera helix 'Baltica')if someone can prune it off the trees a couple times a year.

Bishop's Goutweed (Aegopodium podagrarium 'Variegatum') if your state hasn't labeled it as invasive yet. Grows to about a foot tall but it will grow in a spot like that.

[4seasons]

thanks I've used lamium but haven't used lamiastrum before, so I'd like to try it.
As a last resort I'll go with Jody's idea!(maybe first depends on my mood)
These plants may be watered once or twice but after that they're on their own.
what do they look like in the winter? They won't trim ivy off the trees so thats out.

[trees]

Another kind of out of the box idea would be to use an evergreen vine... zone 5 maybe honeysuckle or crossvine(?) or... whatever... you get the idea. Vines can make fine groundcovers in a spot like that.

Lamiastrum holds up pretty well in the winter. It kind of "shrinks", but stays around. Also, you get some interesting pinks around the silver variegated areas in the winter. Like I said before, it's a winner in my book.

[LandArts]

It took us about a decade to get rid of the gout weed the previous owner planted at our place.

[Terre]

Bishops weed will go to seed, and get considerably taller than your height level. And will invade the basement, the neighbors, the neighbors basement... I rarely have to worry as much here with things being invasive because of lack of water, but that stuff doesn't require a lot.

Not as invasive, better behaved, is veronica Georgia blue. Sun or shade, each plant will spread to make a nice 24" roundish area, tiny leaves that form a thick mat, turn burgundy in the fall, and stick around all winter. So, no bare ground under the snow. On my list of all time favorite plants. Sun or shade. Never gets over 3 inches high, no maintenance at all.

[familyguy]

arasum is very shade tolerant and capable of handling dry soil. it has a max height of 4-6" and spreads over time. highly glossy leaves, needs little care.

[familyguy]

it was just brought to my attention that i spelled asarum wrong...

wild ginger. sorry.

[sandim]

Heuchera!!! Many shades and colors. Awesome foliage. Reasonably drought tolerant. Does well in full sun and full shade. Mostly a foliage plant, flowers are relatively insignificant. Pretty much no care!

[Terre]

Much as I dearly love Heuchera, (and they are part of the reason for my "tag" line since I only own 43 different varieties of them) they aren't a ground cover plant. They are everything Sandi says, but the original poster asked for low growing. Most heuchera get 12" - 18" tall.

[sandim]

True. They do get a bit taller than a ground cover. On days when I'm spiteful I'd use pachysandra. I hate it but it's low, aggressive to beat the band and it's only a few inches tall.

Heuchera are awesome though aren't they? So amazingly versatile.

Ahhhh. If only clients could be like heuchera.....

[4seasons]

well we will see what they say. I doubt i get the job anyway, because they think the city should care for the devilstrip and not them.
plus I priced a couple walls above the sidewalk and i feel that really put it out of their range.
Who knows I've been surprised before.
Went with lamiastrum just so you know.