Do you have any favorites to replace vinca and pachysandra as a groundcover in a small shade area?

Yes! There are a number of good perennial and semi-evergreen groundcovers that will fit the bill. Epimediums provide wonderful foliage year round and have unique sprays of short starry blossoms.

Early spring flowers range from apricot in E. Cantabrigense 'Orange Queen' to the white of E. Youngianum 'Niveum' to yellows and reds.

Waldensteinia is also a handsome evergreen groundcover with yellow flowers in spring. Galium with its soft foliage and masses of small white flowers in May is a nice contrast to large leaved plants. The Tiarellas are an underused plant that has been greatly improved upon by the hybridizers.

Great maple leaf like foliage with black splotches combines with a very long bloom time of short white or pink bottlebrush blossoms. Or try Pulmonarias for gorgeous spotted or white colored foliage and dainty pink & blue belled flowers. They quickly establish clumps to cover a wide area.

Fragarias, Lamiums, & Phlox stolonifera are other worthwhile choices to liven up a ... more.

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