Not every Minnesota winter allows us to appreciate our evergreen and semi-evergreen perennial groundcovers like this one.  Many winters, they spend our dormant months fully blanketed by snow – out of sight and out of mind until the spring thaw.  In spring, they must compete for our attention with the vigorous and vibrant new growth of our herbaceous perennials, which are showing off their emerging pips as though revealing a big surprise.  This year, we have an extended opportunity to really notice our evergreen and semi-evergreen perennials for their winter interest! There are so many of them: Ajuga, Bergenia, Dianthus, Euonymus, Gaultheria, Helleborus, Heuchera, Heucherella, Tiarella, Pachysandra, Sedum, Sempervivum, Vinca, and Waldsteinia, to name a few.

I have been noticing them often in recent days here and there around town. They provide some noticeable texture and color to our brown and white winter beds. In the spring they will once again be overshadowed by the vivacious new growth of our herbaceous perennials.  But until then, or until the next measurable snowfall, take a moment to appreciate them. They are working for us, even in winter, when we don’t always have the opportunity to take notice.

Follow this link to visit our Perennial Groundcover Chart for more information about perennial groundcovers.