ground cover

[julieann]

can anyone advise about good groundcover plants? My front garden is a cottage style garden and ive added to it in the years since I moved her, however I'd like to plant something that will suppress weeds and fill gaps

[Homemade]

Ground cover plants will suppress annual weeds but the ground needs to be clear of perennial weeds like ground elder and bindweed before you plant.

Good cottage garden ground cover - Ladies Mantle =Alchemilla mollis. Elephant ears = Bergenia. Vinca major variegated.

Also plants that spread by underground stems but which can be invasive themselves -
Euphorbia robbiae, Cerastium =Snow in Summer.

[kitla]

I find geraniums spread into a nice ground cover & seem to smother whats under them,
great to fill a gap.

[julieann]

Thanks home made and Kitla.I'll make a note of your suggestions and get some in the spring; I assume thats the best time to get them? I did look for geranium but couldn't find any in the garden center; maybe looking at the wrong time of year.

[kitla]

By the way I meant the bedding types of geranium like these
http://www.bethchattoshop.co.uk/shop/7/338/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
not the pelagonium type that are best in containers.
Ground spreading plants often need thinning out, you may be able to have some bits
off a friend that's doing some tidying!