Flowering perennial ground cover

[Big Lou]

Zone 8A, Desoto, Texas, Dallas County, North Texas.

Would someone be so kind as to suggest perninal spreading flowering grown cover to put in the front most portion of flower beds. I realize that not all plants will work in both shade and sun. We have some beds that get all day sun, morning sun only and afternoon sun only. Evergreen flowering ground cover would be the bomb!

Please note that even with shade it gets very very hot here in the true summer. We have a thorough sprinkler system tha covers 100% of our property. Without such here everything dies! Hose watering is like spitting in the wind. LOL

 

[LIcenter]

"Vinca Minor" Tolerates full sun, and pretty good shade. It's not a water hog, and will infact do very well in drought conditions. it's a biennial, but mine does flower every year. It can be invasive in certain parts of the country, so you might want to check if you can plant it in your area. I keep the bed side (back) in check simply by whacking it back with my string trimmer. (love this plant) I believe some people call it a "lesser Periwinkle"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinca_minor

Vinca minor is a trailing, vinysubshrub, spreading along the ground and rooting along the stems to form large clonal colonies and occasionally scrambling up to 40 centimetres (16 in) high but never twining or climbing. The leaves areevergreen, opposite, 2–4.5 centimetres (0.79–1.77 in) long and 1–2.5 centimetres (0.39–0.98 in) broad, glossy dark green with a leathery texture and an entire margin.

The flowers are solitary in the leaf axils and are produced mainly from early spring to mid summer but with a few flowers still produced into the autumn; they are violet-purple (pale purple or white in some cultivated selections), 2–3 centimetres (0.79–1.18 in) diameter, with a five-lobed corolla. The fruit is a pair of follicles 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) long, containing numerous seeds.

The closely related species Vinca major is similar, but larger in all parts, and also has relatively broader leaves with a hairy margin.

 

[PeaceLillyy]

I agree with LLcenter. Periwinkle is awesome! I planted some in my yard and I love it. It will get out of hand, though. But I have some areas that have been an erosion issue and over the years the periwinkle and monkey grass are helping a lot.

 

[Big Lou]

The natural bed border gets edged regularly so over spreading will not be a problem. So happy for the suggestion for y'all.

 

[PeaceLillyy]

Awesome!

Homestead Verbena is another low growing creeper that you might like. It blooms pretty much throughout the summer. This is my first try at it, but I have been very impressed. The attached photo is not a pic of my garden, but last year I bought a 4" pot of verbena and it spread at least the amount of the picture. I can't wait to see what it does this year!

Keep in mind you have to buy Homestead Verbena (perennial) and not verbena.