Garden Photo of the Day

READER PHOTO! Another great native groundcover

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Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Veronica Guyre

Today’s photo, wrapping up this week’s groundcover theme, is from Veronica Guyre in Lyme, New Hamphire. She says, “This stand of bunchberry (Cornus canadensis, USDA Hardiness Zones 2-7) is in an area on my property that is an acidic, wet seep where mostly hemlocks are growing. Over the years, I have root-divided it, but it has been mostly spread by nature. There are also a few corn lilies (Clintonia borealis, Zones 2-7) and what I believe are some lady ferns (Athyrium filix-femina, Zones 4-9) that showed up on their own a few years ago.” Thanks, Veronica, for sharing this gorgeous photo! Bunchberry, also known as creeping dogwood, is a North American native that grows up to six inches tall and spreads indefinitely. Its white flowers/bracts appear in late spring or early summer and are followed by attractive red berries.

Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a stunning plant combination, or any number of other subjects. Think of it as your morning jolt of green.

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Comments

  1. wwross 11/12/2010

    Wow! Where do I find Cornus canadensis?

  2. CollinsLG 11/12/2010

    Another wonderful groundcover. Disappointing that an entire week didn't show a single groundcover that we need in Zones 8 - 11. Do any exist??? that are as beautiful and different as the ones you've shown all week ? We are hot, humid and freeze and totally tired of Asian Jasmine.

  3. MichelleGervais 11/12/2010

    CollinsLG - I tweeted your question and asked the twittercerse of gardeners for some suggestions for Zones 8-11. I'll keep you posted!

    wwross - try the following mail-order sources for C. canadensis!
    https://plantinfo.umn.edu/sources/sourceresult.asp?plantid=&fgsid=8706&genusid=1491&searchType=sourceresult.asp&plantName=cornus%20canadensis

  4. arboretum 11/12/2010

    what a beautiful beautiful shot. over the years we've tried transplanting this twice (from maine to here in Z.5 Boston area) but it never took. We must not have put it in the right conditions.

    The photo NEEDS to be on a calendar.
    best,
    mindy
    http://www.cottonarboretum.com/
    a teaching website

  5. GenevieveS 11/12/2010

    I'm in zone 9 and I love:
    Heterocentron elegans/ Spanish Shawl
    Ceanothus 'Diamond Heights'
    Grevillea lanigera 'Coastal Gem'
    Correa 'Wyn's Wonder'
    Also love doing large drifts of Daboecia (Irish Heath) and many Callunas (Scotch Heather). They mass well.

  6. GenevieveS 11/12/2010

    OOOH! And Impatiens omeiana - Hardy Impatiens! I LOVE that one for shade. There are also spreading varieties of Leucothoe and Sarcococca that could be nice choices.

  7. MichelleGervais 11/12/2010

    Thanks, Genevieve!!

  8. sheilaschultz 11/12/2010

    A beautiful photo to round out the week of groundcovers. Thanks Michelle.

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