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iPlantsman

Thought for today - Blog Post 24/05/2020

Small-leaved ground-hugging plants are the focus of my plant interests at the moment it would seem.

Fuchsia procumbens (Creeping Fuchsia) LN

I have been enjoying three plants above all others over the last few days. It might be that I am looking inwards having been locked up (down) for some time now, it might just be that I have the time to appreciate their diminutive nature. Whatever the reason, there is a clear pattern of characteristic in my interest.


Ficus pumila and cultivars, Fuchsia procumbens (today’s #oneadayplant on Insta) and Thymus pseudolanuginosus are all rocking my world. All hug the ground. All have leaves maxing out at or smaller than my thumbnail - much smaller in the case of the Thyme. All could be argued to be fairly boring (perhaps excluding the flower on the Fuchsia (pictured above)). Regardless, I love them all.


I have always loved Fuchsia procumbens and grown a couple of forms over the years. I think I will endeavour to get these again.

Thymus pseudolanuginosus is commonly called Wooly Thyme, which is easier to say and spell. The furry foliage, tight, ground hugging nature and tiny pink flowers are lovely. I haven’t yet, but plan to make a lawn over time out of it. The wonderful Jekka McVicar has done this at Chelsea previously using a number of Thymes. Something I really like.

Over the last year or so, I have been collecting Ficus pumila and its cultivars. ‘Quercifolia’ (pictured below) is my favourite with its gorgeous tiny oak leaves.


Ficus pumila ‘Quercifolia’ (Oak-leaved Creeping Fig) LN

As a natural collector, once something interests me, I pursue it with a passion to collect them all. Ficus pumila have become my main houseplant interest and I’m considering applying for a Plant Heritage National Collection at some buy point.







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2 Comments


iPlantsman
May 24, 2020

Thank you Carolyn. Very nice of you to say. I’m glad you have enjoyed. I agree entirely about the value of groundcover to reduce weed populations and I’m glad to be able to offer some alternatives to the well-known. I am also a huge fan of Saxifraga urbium. I’m not as keen on the variegated form, but the green is a joy. Geranium are hard to beat too. Have a lovely rest of your weekend.

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Carolyn Livesey
May 24, 2020

I don’t know where we would be without ground cover plants! Constantly weeding at a guess. I don’t have anything unusual but value two little geraniums, one pale pink, one dark pink. I’ve no idea of names as they were both donations from friends’ gardens. Also a favourite from my childhood, London Pride or Saxifraga Urbium (that’s one of the few Latin names I remember) I was delighted to discover recently that another name is St Patrick’s Cabbage! It was in this garden when I moved here 4 years ago. The previous owners were lovers of gravel as a ground cover and I have had to work hard to rectify that. You’re constantly providing new ideas Lewis. One of the…

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