With common names such as bugleweed and carpetweed, this is a plant you may have second thoughts about. Do you want to plant bugleweed/carpetweed in your garden?
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Many people do because it excels as a groundcover – one that is easily capable of smothering weeds in a garden bed. This hardy perennial plant produces flowers during spring and into early summer – there are a few different varieties available with different coloured leaves and flowers. A few of the most popular varieties are:
- Ajuga reptans ‘burgundy lace’ – burgundy, cream and pink variegated leaves with pale blue flowers. Grows in sunny and shady spots.
- Ajuga ‘burgundy glow” – burgundy coloured foliage and flowers of deep blue/purple. This variety looks good in rockeries and in borders.
- Ajuga reptans ‘black mary’ – has large coppery/purple leaves and dark purple flowers.
- Ajuga reptans ‘alba’ – glossy green leaves and masses of squat white flowers during the spring.
Ajuga is a natural spreader, it sends out stolons that wander through the garden producing rosettes that become new plants in their own right. One plant will quickly become a community of plants which can then be separated or left to fill a gap in the garden.
As long as the ajuga is in a suitable location it doesn’t require much maintenance, it’s almost a set-and-forget type of plant. It likes a well-drained soil and a moist soil but will handle drought reasonably well. One thing this plant dislikes is being too wet. This plant will grow with shade and with some sun - just not in full sun. Ajuga doesn’t appreciate the stinking hot summer weather we get here on the Border. Make sure the plant receives ample water during hot weather and fertilise during the spring. Deadheading of spent flowers is all you need to do to keep this plant looking good.
Propagation is by division and this can be done at any time. The patch of bugleweed will actually be made up of many smaller plants that break apart easily when dug.
Bugleweed is a cheerful, low-growing, low-maintenance plant that brightens the garden beautifully and encourages bees to the garden.
DIARY
The Albury Horticulture Society is running a bus trip to Tumbarumba open gardens on Saturday, October 28, cost is $70. This includes bus travel and garden entry. There are still some seats available. Contact Gwen on 0402 046 417.
Don’t forget to visit the horticulture pavilion at the Albury Show on November 3 and 4. Wodonga TAFE students will be exhibiting in various categories.
