[antipode12]

Anyone know what these are?

I thought they were variegated ivies, but after looking online, I have doubts.

I'm trying to plant some ground cover on the shady side of my house.

[tickle]

They are a sort of ivy, but I use Plumbego or Perriwinkle for ground cover in shady areas. Perriwinkle likes the shade, has a shiny dark green leaf and produces a really lovely blue flower all summer long and well into the fall. They also like a little sprinkle of water now and then to help produce those lovely blue flowers. I almost wish I could send you some because they are so easy to transplant to sunny areas too. All it takes is pulling up a bunch and sticking them in the ground.

Pachysandra is a another good ground cover, similar to what you are showing, but doesn't produce a flower.

[antipode12]

You've got me interested. (I may add periwinkle to my list... I was only thinking about the ivies because I've a ton of it growing in the front yard already -- free!)

I was poking around online:
Some Google pics of "vinca" (periwinkle) show a plant similar to my 2nd pic.

Some Google pics show my 1st pic look like "snow-on-the-mountain."

Any of these sound right?

[tickle]

Snow on the mountain is white flower with a light green leaf and grows in clumps and the white flower dies off (in my climate which is southeast ontario around end of June). Vinca is another name for perriwinkle; or I should say vinca minor is perri and vinca major is another plant entirely but still ground cover.

No neither sound right. Visit our garden store and ask for Perriwinkle.

[antipode12]

Hey tickle. Thanks for the clarification. I took both pieces of advice and headed to the superstores -- they had Vinca, but that's all that identified it. Some said "part shade" and some said "full sun" and some said "annual" and some said "perennial." Nobody knew anything at the store.

So, if I want Vinca minor (I looked it up -- it looks like it will do nicely) how do I recognize it? Any specific features? Colors?

[antipode12]

Wait -- does my 2nd pic match these?

Vinca major 'Variegata'

[tickle]

This is exactly like periwinkle only variagated and looks like your second picture. They are perennial and are rapid spreaders but not invasive. You don't want an ivy such as german ivy, which is used for ground cover in England, it is invasive and pops up everywhere after its third year of growing. I have it on my house, but its everywhere now.

[antipode12]

Thanks Tickle.

For the record, I went with Pachysandra. Although the Vinca vine would work in the shade (and was free), we like the structured look of the Pachysandra more. And it should do fine in the shade.

[tickle]

Pachysandra was a good choice. I think it has more character and attractiveness as to colour. But, you will find that you can't just dig some up and relocate it. But you may not be like me and move stuff around in the garden. Eventually I find I don't have to buy much and just split plants up when they become too mature to one area, as in the Hosta varieties.

[OWhatAThrill]

THe bottom two pictures look exactly like what I have which is Vinca. Never heard it called perriwinkle but it does product purple flowers.

I've found it's not as fast at invading as ivy is, but it does grow out. Those little limbs grow up, then flop over sometimes 10 inches away. It has grown into my yard in one corner but I just mow it down.

[tickle]

My horticulturist friend encourages Vinca (Periwinkle) in certain parts of her garden and mows over it in the spring to make it grow thicker.

[OWhatAThrill]

I remember being so mad one year when my city came along and rescraped a ditch of mine. They were getting ready to leave when I pulled up. I said "next time you want to dig up $100 worth of Vinca, please give me a day or so notice."

[tickle]

I have actually never paid for any vinca in my garden. It grows wild here in the woods and all my friends have some, so we supplement each other with perennials all the time.

[plantnut3380]

I believe your first photo is Aegopodium, common names Bishop's weed or Gout weed. I have some in one flowerbed which is typically ignored most of the time and it just keeps coming up every year. Personally, Pachysandra hasn't done well at my home (Missouri) and I planted it in 1994.

[spleenless9]

The second picture is Vinca major, it is used a lot in mixed potted plants here in New England. What we call perriwinkle is Vinca minor, also called myrtle, which is a bit hardier than Vinca major, and makes an excellent ground cover. Both will gro in full sun or a lot of shade. I know this is an old thread, but it is getting to that time of year again. I hope this helps.