Which ground cover to choose that will leave room for other

[pourquoipas]

I'm living in zone 6 or 7 with a small partial-full shade garden. I'm looking to plant ground cover in a 10' x 4' bare plot. However, I'd also like to plant a couple shrubs, a tree and lily of the valley in the same space. Is it feasible or will the groundcover overspread due to its root system? I'm choosing among the ground covers tolerant of shade--periwinkle and ivy. Please help as I am new to gardening. Thanks!

[Newt]

Hi Pourquoipas,

I like your name.* :)* Planting that much plant material in such a small space isn't going to work.* Ivy, whether English ivy or Boston ivy will be an invasive nightmare over time, climb your tree and lead to problems.* Lily of the valley will eventually spread and can easily escape into other areas.* I recommend that for large areas.* Periwinkle can also be difficult to contain in a small space and is invasive in woodland areas.* The roots of the shrubs will compete with the tree for nutrients and moisture.* Since it's only 4' wide you would need shrubs that don't grow any wider then that and will tolerate dry shade.*

My suggestion would be to plant a small tree like a dogwood or redbud if you have the room for the mature crown.* There is even a small narrow redbud that is nice in a small space - Lavender twist weeping redbud.
http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/10361


Then you could use just one or two groundcovers so it's not too busy.* Consider clump forming groundcovers that won't spread out of control like Heuchera.* There are so many with lovely colored leaves and the flowers often attract hummingbirds.* Try and select ones with pink or red flowers.* You could even plant ones that have some red, burgandy or pink tones in the leaves to go with the redbud.* There's two pages to drool over here.* They aren't evergreen but you might mix them with an evergreen fern like one of the wood ferns.* Some have copper fronds when they first emerge.
http://www.terranovanurseries.com/wh...owpage&pid=346

Another evergreen groundcover with large shiny leaves is Bergenia.* It blooms in spring and comes in shades of pink or red.
http://www.stauder.net/bildearkiv/Bergenia%20'Perfect'%20m.r.jpg
http://hflp.sdstate.edu/ho311/outdoo...s/bergeni1.jpg
http://hflp.sdstate.edu/ho311/outdoo...s/bergeni3.jpg
http://hflp.sdstate.edu/ho311/outdoo...s/Bergenia.jpg

Helleborus is evergreen and is also called Lenten rose because it starts blooming in the snow in late February and blooms through May in my zone 7 garden.* Many of the flowers face down so they don't get toppled from the snow, but some of the newer cultivars will face up.
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...=Search+Images

Newt

[pourquoipas]

Thanks!! That's very helpful. I already have the lily of the valley so I will go ahead with that, but I'm now looking for red bud tree and the dogwood is on its way. Also now looking for Heuchera. Great advice. This is for a semi-urban garden and I'll be asking around about different topics. ;)

[Newt]

I'm so glad you found that helpful.* :)* I meant to give you this site to check references of mail order nurseries.* You can even search by plant material or state.
http://davesgarden.com/gwd/

I don't think planting a dogwood and the redbud in that same bed would be a good idea.* Maybe you plan on putting one somewhere else.

Newt