Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Weed blocking superheroes
Although I find weeding occasionally cathartic… I would prefer not to HAVE to do it!
I just mentioned some great groundcovers that help to deter weeds. Today I’m adding to the list with several taller plants and one short one!
The samurai of weed blockers do so by shading weed seeds and not allowing them to germinate. Note: all of these plants are fast spreaders aka invasive to some folks!
‘Emerald Blue’ moss phlox has pretty little lavender flowers through April and May and is zone 3 hardy.
This plant is a short groundcover in full sun.
Lady’s Mantle is zone 4 plant with great chartreuse scalloped leaves and little yellow flowers from late spring to early fall, this one reaches a height of 18 inches and does well in part shade.
There’s a newer variety called ‘Thriller’ that is even more prolific.
The catmint variety known as ‘Walker’s Low’ was voted the 2007 perennial of the year and is another superhero weed blocker.
It’s hardy to zone 3, loves full zone and in mid-season after the first flush of flowers have faded, trim the plant by a third and in a couple of weeks, you’ll have more flowers. Catmint is also deer and rabbit resistant. Ooo, bonus!
Another zone 3 hardy plant, ‘Hermann’s Pride’ false lamium aka archangel, quickly forms a dense canopy. It has mottled yellow-green foliage with pale yellow flowers that delight in shade.
If you really want something invasive in part shade, go for ‘Snow on the Mountain’.
