How to pair ground ivy?

As groundcover at the base of trees

At the foot of trees in light woodland, our ground ivy will feel right at home. To add a true touch of light, opt for its variegated variety Glechoma hederacea ‘Variegata’, with its green foliage marbled with cream-white.

Our groundcover will pair well with creeping bugle, which will take over the flowering in late spring and summer. To add another complementary touch of brightness, try the varieties with light foliage such as ‘Gold Chang’ or ‘Golden Glow’. If, on the contrary, you wish to play with contrasts, adopt ‘Black Scallop’ with its bronze-chocolate leaves or ‘Atropurpurea’ with its dark purple leaves.

The essentials heucheras will bring colour while small ferns will add texture (Adiantum, Asplenium, Polystichum, …). Also consider ornamental ivy Hedera helix ‘Kolibri’, a dwarf version with variegated foliage.

Add the elegant flowering of Roof Iris or Japanese Iris, which prefer cool to moist soils. Complete with bluebells, wood anemones, astrantias with colourful bracts, a dwarf goat’s beard with its small white panicles, and even why not some lily of the valley.

Low grasses will finally bring structure and lightness to complete this scene. Opt for the colourful ribbons of Hakonechloa or the popular carex. Ophiopogons, small perennials that could easily be mistaken for grasses, will also work very well.

Glechoma hederacea ‘Variegata’, Ajuga reptans ‘Gold Chang’, Hedera helix ‘Kolibri’ and Scilla nutans

In aromatic and medicinal square

Ground ivy is an edible plant, both aromatic and valued for its medicinal properties that are attributed to it. It will naturally find its place in an aromatic bed or a small medicinal garden.

Pair it with plants from the same family (the Lamiaceae), appreciated both in cooking and for their associated natural properties.

The mints will, of course, make perfect companions, robust and capable, like ground ivy, of spreading quickly. The summer flowering will take over. The aromatic foliage with its fresh scent will blend beautifully with the fragrances naturally released by our ivy.

Equally exuberant, the lemon balm will find its place in their company. The white, pink, or mauve flowers will perfectly complement those of the mint in summer. For a change, opt for a bright Melissa officinalis ‘Aurea’ with variegated green and gold foliage, or the variety ‘Altssima’ with its surprising orange flavour.

Renowned mainly for the euphoric effect it has on cats, catnip is also one of those aromatic plants used for their natural properties. The flowering, usually in blue-violet spikes, resembles lavender and will harmonise beautifully with its companions. Choose varieties that tolerate partial shade and cool soils, such as Nepeta subsessilis or govaniana, with its stunning pale yellow flowers.

Also add comfreys, dead nettles, and betony, like Stachys monieri ‘Rosea’ with its crinkled foliage that will add texture.

All these melliferous flowers will undoubtedly attract pollinating insects, providing you with a true aerial ballet for several weeks and promoting the pollination of surrounding plants.

Glechoma hederacea, mint, Melissa officinalis ‘Aurea’, Symphytum azureum, and Lamiastrum

In flowering pots

Ground ivy is well-suited for container or hanging cultivation, cascading down with its leaves. In a balcony box, window sill, or terrace, pair it with the must-have hardy geraniums for pots in shades of pink, blue, or mauve (‘Lea’, ‘Dreamland’, ‘Lilac Ice’, …). Add a large periwinkle and a groundcover ivy (the bright Hedera helix ‘Little Diamond’ or ‘Jake’). This will create a lush display of foliage overflowing from their container.

For a pot that is a bit less wild and more polished in appearance, consider summer bulbs. Opt for small amaryllis like ‘Sweet Sixteen’ or ‘Alasca’. Add begonias, gloxinias, and dwarf lilies, such as ‘Garden Party’ or ‘Orange Pixie’. For a colourful tropical touch, also consider achimenes or alstroemerias.

Glechoma hederacea, Hardy geranium ‘Dreamland’, Vinca major and Hedera helix ‘Little Diamond’

For a more rustic look, try a mix of perennials and annuals with a campanula (‘Royal Wave’, ‘Joan Elliott’), some bidens (‘Lemon Moon’, ‘Yellow Charm’) and petunias (‘BeautiCal Pearl White’). The decorative clover-like foliage of Oxalis triangularis and its light flowering will also work very well. Also consider the long flowering period of nemesias or fuchsias, which are easy to grow in pots.

With bulbous plants in the spring border

Ground ivy will pair effortlessly with small spring bulbs, enjoying fresh soils just like it does. They will charmingly define a low border, heralding the return of fine weather.

In spring, muscari, hyacinths and crocus in blue-purple tones will be ideal.

in yellow or white hues will add either a warm complementary touch or a light and refined one. Choose small varieties, such as ‘Rip Van Winkle’ with its fluffy double flowers, or Narcissus bulbocodium ‘Cantabricus’ with its stunning crinoline white flower.

Add some squills, like bifolia with its lovely blue stars, some Chionodoxa, and a few botanical tulips, such as the delicate Tulipa humilis ‘Albocaerula Oculata’.

with a long flowering period starting in winter will bring colour and a honey scent. Complete with wood anemones or a wild anemone, which will bloom in late spring.

Finally, add some alliums, which will provide a bit of height and a beautiful graphic touch with their lovely spherical flowers.

Glechoma hederacea, Narcissus ‘Rip Van Winkle’, Chionodoxa and Ipheion uniflorum

In a cool border

Ground ivy can also easily integrate into the foreground of a semi-shaded border. Next to it, plant a pachysandra, which will form a beautiful glossy carpet all year round, as well as a variegated or plain asarum.

For their original flowering, consider the delicate elfin plants, whose white, mauve, or yellow hues will blend effortlessly with our Glechoma. Some monardas with fluffy blooms will add colour and fragrance. Some veronicas or mountain cornflowers will also make good companions.

For foliage, add a Hakonechloa and a Heuchera, such as ‘Green Spice’, as well as a sweet woodruff for its beautiful evergreen leaves.

In the background, grow a Solomon’s seal for its arched silhouette, a sunny ligularia and a white astilbe (‘Professor van der Wielen’). In the background, a beautiful Hydrangea aspera with mauve flowers (‘Villosa’, ‘Goldrush’, ‘Sargentiana’) will add volume while maintaining harmony.

Glechoma hederacea, Monardes, Pachysandra terminalis and Hydrangea aspera