Creeping Charlie, You're Dead to Me!

I say in my best Tony Soprano voice...

I'm waging a war against Creeping Charlie, a formidable landscape enemy.

Creeping Charlie is an invasive ground cover that is part of the ivy family. It crowds out the grass, it's rhizomes make it quick to spread, and it's really tough to completely eliminate. And, if you hear someone say it only likes damp, shady areas, they're liars, because the majority of my yard is in full sun. And, the majority of my yard happens to be Charlie.

I'm taking back what's mine through force (and extreme measures, if necessary). I have my arsenal planned, and while nukes aren't an option (although, I have heard of people using a blow torch), being vigilant tends to be the best strategy. Hit hard, hit often, in the fall and after it flowers in the spring for best control. Yes, control. The success stories of those who have actually eradicated Charlie are few and far between.

A great lawn is the foundation for any great landscape. And, I want to be able to run barefoot through my own backyard. If it takes a persistent herbicidal cocktail, so be it.

If you think I'm exaggerating, check out this string of Charlie woes, treatments and results.

Don't Ditch the Ditch Lily

As you can imagine, I love nothing more than easy going, low maintenance flowers in my garden. Which is why it pains me when other fellow gardeners mock the ditch lily, or rather the tiger lily or orange day lily.

Every gardener has that space--a place where the soil is not quite right or difficult, weeds are prevalent and hard to control, or it's either too shady and/or too sunny. Or, all of the above. My soil happens to be a lovely mixture of clay, so sometimes it's about as easy as digging into concrete. It's these type of spaces where ditch lilies are perfect.

The tiger lily actually comes in two forms--Asian and wildflower. I'm referring to the wildflower variety that propagates through tuberous roots, requiring little to no attention at all. They prefer wet soil and don't mind overcrowding. I've also seem them work great on slopes and hillsides, and of course on roadsides and in ditches. Because they are so prolific, they can really work almost like a ground cover. Some call ditch lilies aggressive, but I wouldn't call them invasive.

It's a tough plant and tolerates just about any type of abuse. And, although its name would suggest otherwise, I think their long stems give them a rather elegant appearance, much taller than other day lily varieties.

Need some, want some? Rather than buying from a greenhouse or retailer, just ask around. You probably already have a group of friends who would love to dig up some and share. You'll be amazed how one small plant or two will fill quickly fill in a space the following year.

My collection of ditch lilies will be my end of summer/fall project, where I'll be moving them from the space they have outgrown in the front yard to a large, hard-to-grow area along the back yard fence (see pics).