If you have a shady corner in your garden that needs some life, creeping jenny is a fantastic choice. Finding the right creeping jenny companion plants for shady spots can turn that dim area into a lush, textured retreat.
This vigorous ground cover, with its chartreuse or golden leaves, is a real problem-solver. But it grows fast. Picking the right plants to grow with it is key to a beautiful, balanced garden bed, not a messy takeover.
Let’s look at how to build a stunning shade garden with creeping jenny as your star player.
Creeping Jenny Companion Plants For Shady Spots
This list focuses on plants that will thrive in similar conditions and can hold their own visually and physically with creeping jenny. We’ll consider foliage contrast, flowering times, and growth habits.
Top Shade-Loving Perennial Partners
These are the backbone plants. They come back year after year, providing reliable structure.
- Hostas: The classic shade plant. The broad, often variegated leaves of hostas create a perfect foil for the tiny, round leaves of creeping jenny. Choose blue-hostas for a cool contrast or gold-variegated ones to echo creeping jenny’s color.
- Ferns: Their delicate, feathery fronds offer a wonderful textural contrast. Japanese painted ferns, with their silver and burgundy stems, look especially striking next to the bright green of creeping jenny.
- Astilbe: They add vertical interest with their fluffy plumes of flowers in pink, red, or white. The fern-like foliage is also attractive and complements the ground cover layer.
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra): Their arching stems of heart-shaped flowers in spring are magical. After they go dormant in summer, the creeping jenny can fill in the empty space they leave behind.
- Coral Bells (Heuchera): With foliage in shades from lime green to deep purple, they are a color-lover’s dream. Plant them so the creeping jenny nestles around their base, highlighting their colorful leaves.
Excellent Annuals for Seasonal Color
Add these for a burst of seasonal color that changes every year.
- Impatiens: A foolproof choice for constant color in deep shade. Their mounding habit sits nicely above the carpet of jenny.
- Begonias (Tuberous or Wax): Their glossy leaves and bright flowers work well. The cascading types are beautiful spilling over the edge of a container where creeping jenny is also trailing.
- Coleus: Grown for their incredibly patterned leaves, they make creeping jenny look like a calm, green sea beneath them. They thrive in partial shade.
- Lobelia: The trailing varieties with small blue or white flowers intertwine beautifully with creeping jenny in hanging baskets or window boxes.
Bulbs and Small Shrubs for Structure
These add different layers and extended interest.
- Spring Bulbs: Daffodils, tulips, and crocus. Plant the bulbs in the fall. The creeping jenny will just be waking up as they bloom, and its summer growth will hide the dying bulb foliage later.
- Hydrangeas (especially Oakleaf or Bigleaf): Their large leaves and big flower heads create a beautiful canopy. Creeping jenny makes a lovely, bright living mulch around their base.
- Azaleas and Rhododendrons: These acid-loving shrubs enjoy similar light conditions. The evergreen types provide winter structure while the creeping jenny dies back.
Ground Covers That Can Mingle
Sometimes, you can pair two ground covers for a tapestry effect. Be prepared to manage them.
- Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum): Forms a sweeter, finer-textured carpet with white spring flowers. It’s less aggressive, so plant it in larger drifts to compete.
- Dead Nettle (Lamium): Another fast-grower with silver-marked leaves and pink or white flowers. They can create a beautiful, if busy, patchwork together.
- Ajuga (Bugleweed): Offers darker, sometimes bronze-purple leaves and blue flower spikes. The contrast in leaf color and flower form can be very effective.
Plants to Avoid Pairing
Not every shade plant is a good match. Avoid these combinations.
- Small, Delicate Plants: Things like delicate primroses or slow-growing alpine plants will simply be smothered.
- Plants That Need Dry Soil: Creeping jenny likes consistent moisture. Avoid pairing it with lavender, sedum, or other drought-loving plants that will rot in those conditions.
- Other Very Aggressive Spreaders: Pairing it with something like mint or goutweed is asking for a never-ending turf war in your garden bed.
Designing Your Shade Garden Layout
Think in layers, from the back to the front. Here is a simple plan.
Step 1: Prepare the Area
Clear weeds and amend the soil with compost. Most shade plants, including creeping jenny, appreciate rich, well-draining soil that holds moisture.
Step 2: Place Your Anchor Plants
These are your tallest elements—a hydrangea, a cluster of ferns, or a group of hostas. Place them towards the back or center of the bed, depending on your view.
Step 3: Add Mid-Level Interest
Place your coral bells, astilbes, or taller annuals like coleus in front of or between your anchor plants. This creates a middle layer.
Step 4: Plant the Creeping Jenny
Plant it around the base of your other plants, but give it a clear boundary like a path or edging to contain it. Space plants about 12-18 inches apart; they will fill in quickly.
Step 5: Finishing Touches
Add spring bulbs scattered throughout in the fall. For instant seasonal color, tuck in annuals like impatiens in any remaining gaps.
Care Tips for Your Companion Plantings
A healthy garden is easier to maintain. Follow these tips.
- Watering: Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish roots. Once established, the planting will be more drought-tolerant, but consistent moisture is still best for lush growth.
- Mulching: Apply a 2-inch layer of shredded bark or leaf mold around plants. This helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and feed the soil as it breaks down. Keep mulch slightly away from plant stems.
- Feeding: In early spring, apply a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer to the whole bed. This gives all your plants a gentle, season-long boost.
- Controlling Creeping Jenny: This is the main task. In spring and summer, regularly trim back any runners that are heading into other plants or over paths. You can easily pull up sections if it goes too far.
- Dividing: Every 2-3 years in early spring or fall, you may need to lift and divide both the creeping jenny and its perennial companions to keep them vigorous and prevent overcrowding.
Great Ideas for Containers and Hanging Baskets
Creeping jenny is a superstar in containers. It spills beautifully over the edges.
For a shady patio pot, try this “thriller, filler, spiller” formula. Use a tall, upright plant like a fern or a coleus as the “thriller” in the center. Add a few impatiens or begonias as the “filler” around it. Finally, plant several creeping jenny around the edge as the “spiller” to cascade down.
In a hanging basket, combine it with trailing begonias and variegated ivy for a mix of textures and colors that will last all season. Remember, containers dry out faster, so check the soil moisture daily in hot weather.
Solving Common Problems
Even the best plans can hit a snag. Here’s how to fix common issues.
Creeping Jenny Is Taking Over
Don’t panic. Simply lift the encroaching stems, trace them back to the main plant, and cut them. You can also use a sharp spade to slice vertically into the soil around the area you want to contain, severing the runners. It’s an ongoing but simple task.
Plants Look Leggy or Sparse
This usually means not enough light. While these are shade plants, “shade” can range from deep gloom to dappled light. If possible, trim back overhead branches to allow more filtered light. Also, ensure you are not over-fertilizing, which can cause weak, stretched growth.
Leaves Are Yellowing
Yellow leaves can mean a few things. Overwatering is a common cause in shady spots where soil stays wet. Check that the soil drains well. It could also be a nutrient deficiency; a soil test can help you figure that out.
Pests and Diseases
These plantings are usually quite healthy. Slugs and snails might bother hostas or young shoots. Use organic slug bait or traps. Good air circulation, provided by proper spacing, prevents most fungal diseases.
FAQ: Creeping Jenny and Shade Gardens
Can creeping jenny grow in full shade?
Yes, it can survive in full shade, but the foliage color will be more green than chartreuse or gold. For the brightest color, aim for partial shade (some morning sun or dappled light).
Is creeping jenny invasive?
It is a vigorous spreader but not typically classified as an invasive threat in most areas. Its growth is easily controlled by pulling or trimming runners. However, always check with your local extension service, as conditions vary.
What is the best time to plant creeping jenny companions?
The ideal times are early spring or early fall. The cooler temperatures and (usually) more reliable rainfall help new plants establish their root systems without the stress of summer heat.
How often should I water a shady garden with creeping jenny?
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. This might be once or twice a week, depending on your climate and rainfall. Deep, less frequent watering is better than daily light sprinkles.
Will creeping jenny kill other plants?
It won’t chemically harm them, but it can physically smother low-growing or slow-growing plants by covering them and blocking their light. That’s why choosing sturdy, appropriately sized companions and managing its spread is so important.
Can I walk on creeping jenny?
It can tolerate very light, occasional foot traffic, but it’s not as tough as a lawn grass. For a durable shady footpath, consider stepping stones with creeping jenny growing between them—it handles that beautifully.
Creating a garden with creeping jenny and its companions is a rewarding project. It brings life and color to places where other plants struggle. By choosing the right partners and doing a bit of simple maintenance, you can enjoy a low-maintenance, high-impact shady oasis for years to come. The key is to work with its nature, not against it, and let it fill the role it does best: a glowing, flowing carpet that ties your entire shade garden together.