Pondless Waterfall, Opinions Please

[msr0459]

I've finally started to lanscape my pondless waterfall. This was built on an extremely steep slope. My long term plan is to have ground cover, vinca minor "Bowles" variety, covering ALL areas, except for the center section, which I'll have ajuga, for a color contrast. I'll have various ornamental plants, flowers and grasses poking up through the ground cover.

I've already spread pine straw everywhere to help with weed control, in preparation for planting everything. Now for the opinions:

I still have some liner edges to deal with, but I really like the "look" of all that pine straw tucking everything in. Especially after all the ornamental plants are in place.

I'm now finding it difficult to imagine a couple of years down the road, and ALL that pine straw, would then be ALL ground cover, a completely different look. I'm thinking it would be more natural looking with ground cover? But I do like the look of the pine straw mulch.

It was a major pain putting out the pine needles, and would have been more of a pain if I'd used mulch, due to the steep incline. I've had this area covered in pine straw "pre" waterfall, and even with the rain, they tend to stay put ok.

So, do you guys think this feature would look better with ALL ground cover and ornamentals, or with pine straw and ornamentals and no ground cover?

Thanks!

 

[Pablo]

That is a lot of pine straw, lol. Surprised it stayed in place, I guess the other concern would be if it is dry and the winds pick up that it blows around the area. The pine will make the soil acid and some plants like that and others do not so be careful what you plant. Vinca is nice for a groundcover but it can spread quite a bit, I have it my woods which is fine, but in gardens it can be hard to control. With an acid soil you could plant some blueberry bushes which is something different but they can give three season interest, they have nice Fall color, even if you do not get berries (the birds will get them) they are nice plants for something different. I like to see variety, that is just me, so even adding some variegated groundcovers or different textures is nice. Epimedium is nice, flowers are not showy but the leaves have a nice shape and it is not overly agressive. Sedum has a lot of varieties but a lot of them do like sun.

 

[RMaynard]

Start planting the ground cover now. As the pine needles break down the ground cover can take over.

 

[msr0459]

Start planting the ground cover now. As the pine needles break down the ground cover can take over.

That was the plan for sure, although I have to order the vinca, from a nursery in Wisconsin, and they won't ship until 1st week of April.

 

[JRS]

from a nursery in Wisconsin

Curious which one?

 

[Pablo]

That was the plan for sure, although I have to order the vinca, from a nursery in Wisconsin, and they won't ship until 1st week of April.

Dont spend a lot on vinca, it is everywhere. A neighbor probably could give you some. I had a neighbor take some from my yard to cover a hill after they put in a pool. It transplants very easily. If you want to get it from a nursery, Bluestone Perrenials has 50% off Fridays for certain plants, they carry the variety you are looking for.

 

[GBBUDD]

YOU COULD NOT PAY ME TO PLANT ANY KIND OF VINE. AS THE SAYING GOES CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR.

 

[GBBUDD]

JUNIPERS pacasandra even phlox wou7ld be way up on the list before any vine

 

[Lisak1]

I love vinca - it's not vine-y at all, at least not in our zone. It stays nice and green most of the year and has pretty little flowers in the spring. It spreads nicely and makes a great edging plant.

Go ahead - fight me @GBBUDD !

I'd plant close to the rocks and let the ground cover do what it will. You'll be forever mulching otherwise.

 

[GBBUDD]

WRISTS are wrapped , gloves are taped . @Lisak1

As far as i know any vine that survives our winter is not a plant that you won't be cursing in a few years. I agree i love the look of say an ivy on a brick building, or a wisteria on a trellis. But wait till you see whats left of the brick after a decade.

Ahhhhhhh i l had to look it up vinca does not survive the winter here. Stuff grows crazy fast but one frost and its a gonner

 

[Lisak1]

Honeslty I've had to replant vinca three times around the one edge of the pond. It's not crazy about getting walked on and it succumbs easily to anything else that wants to take over... like the dang forget-me-nots that rule the backyard!

 

[GBBUDD]

Usually always see it in planters like the big round base and its the center piece

 

[Lisak1]

Are you sure you're thinking of vinca? Vinca would be more spiller than thriller if it were used in a planter. which honestly I've never seen, but I suppose anything is possible.

@msr0459 - why the choice of that particular vinca? And why Wisconsin? I've literally never been to a nursery here that doesn't sell vinca. Is it not hardy in your zone?

 

[Pablo]

Usually always see it in planters like the big round base and its the center piece

I will tag team with @Lisak1 on this one lol. Vinca is definitely not a vine, does not grow up anything, it does spread but it is not crazy like ivy. It does not die off in the winter, I am looking at it right now outside my window as I type this. It does get covered with leaves so you do not see it well. It is a nice deep green and it does great in deep shade which is tough to find a plant to do and it is not fussy about watering. The flowers are nice, not spectacular and do not last long. Another advantage is the deer like it as you can see from the attached picture from my trailcam, all the dark green is vinca. They eat it all the time and I would rather have them eat that than go after my gardens (they still do of course but the vinca takes up most of their time). It is not an exciting plant, but it serves a purpose.

 

[GBBUDD]

The octopus