Ajuga

Ajuga is a ground cover which puts up blue flower spikes. Ajuga spreads well without being invasive. The landscaper put a little in our street bed, and from there we have divided and transplanted it to where we have dozens and dozens of the plants around our lot in all kinds of soil. Online nurseries charge $10 or more for a single Ajuga plant; in HSV, you can get it at garden club sales for a buck or two.

Care instructions say to dead-head it, but when you have so many dozens, that's a lot of work. It never seems to suffer from not being dead-headed.

We think this is Bronze Beauty Carpet Bugle (Ajuga reptans 'Bronze Beauty').

In Southwest beds:

Close-up:

In Northwest beds:
April 25, 2009:
Click here to see Ajuga without flowers.