"Spillover plants"

I love plants that tumble over walls and steps to soften hard surfaces.
Sunday, 06 November 2022     

Erigeron karvinskianus softens a brick wall

When we created our front garden, 29 years ago, I had definite ideas of wanting a firm structure of brick terraces and paths, softened by plants tumbling over the hard edges wherever possible. This was what I had seen - and loved - in many English gardens during our trip there a few years previously. Whilst my gardening style has now moved on from trying to recreate an 'English' look and I now grow mainly semitropical plants, I never lost my penchant for cascading plants and have never wanted a totally streamlined garden where plants were entirely subjugated to the hard landscaping. Over the years, I have used many plants for this purpose. The seaside daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus) has always been in my garden, though I never remember planting it. Perhaps it came with compost from my old garden (I dug up most of the compost heap and brought it with me) and no sooner had our terrace gardens, paths and steps been built than the seaside daisy began to appear in cracks and crevices, providing just the hazy effect I wanted to mute the brashness of the new bricks.

To spill over the edges of my new sundrenched walls, I planted Verbena hybrids, providing long-lasting colour through summer and autumn. They are tough, drought-resistant plants and fit into a cottage garden scheme just as well as with a more tropical look. I replace them every few years with some young, rooted pieces. Other good trailing plants for sunny places include catmint (Nepeta cultivars) with soft clouds of dainty lilac blooms; pretty Convolvulus sabatius with its pale or bright blue rounded flowers on long trailing stems during the warm months; a robust form of Dianthus (name unknown) with hot-pink flowers year-round.

For very dry spots, some of the low-growing perennial daisies with long stems will flow over walls: Arctotis has many colourful cultivars and revels in hot, sunny spots, as does the ice plant (Lampranthus spectabilis), which has shiny, multi-petalled blooms in a range of neon or pastel hues. Ivy geraniums are also wonderful hardy plants that will create a floral waterfall over walls - they will also climb on fences, so are very adaptable! Their glossy foliage looks good all the time. I also use silvery Helichrysum petiolare to cascade over retaining walls in sun or shade, It quickly forms an impressive mass.

In shady parts of the garden, the walls and paths were planted with a number of groundcover plants to drape over edges to give the desired effect: rhizomatous Begonia; the creeping Campanula poscharskyana with its long strands of stems carrying blue or white bells in late spring; and prostrate forms of Plectranthus such as Plectranthus 'Nico', silvery 'Nicoletta', Plectranthus ornatus and white-variegated Plectrantus forsteri 'Marginata'. Most have attractive evergreen foliage so are decorative even when not in bloom.

All of my spillover plants are equally as useful for groundcovers under other plants or along the edges of paths and garden beds at ground level to soften hard lines (note that husbands don't generally like this effect and may whippersnipper the sprawling stems off) and most are also eminently suited for hanging baskets. To stop these plants from becoming straggly, I cut most of them back at least once a year. The more tidy, compact sorts only need to have their flowering stems removed after blooming.

Blog first posted 13 November 2011; updated 6 November 2022.


 Reader Comments

1/8  Anne - 2518 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 14 November 2011

thanks for yet another lovely journey in your garden. loved the comment re husbands and whippersnippers! I had an aunt who was dangerous with secateurs much to the chagrin of her gardening sister! A

Thanks, Anne. Your aunt sounds an interesting character! Deirdre


2/8  Rae - 2119 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 14 November 2011

Those lampranthus were spectacular. We did a lot of landscaping last Dec. 11 months later sandstone walls are covered by this lovely cascading plant similar to a native violet but smaller leaves and flowers single colour (mauve). I didn"t plant it but am thrilled by the softening effect created.

Thanks, Rae. It can be intriguing when plants just turn up like that. Deirdre


3/8  Margaret - 4350 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 14 November 2011

I used the convoluvus over a low wall in our previous garden on the edge of Twmba with poor soil. It was very well behaved. In our new/old garden 5k from the old one with rich red volcanic soil, it"s run riot over plants as well as completely covering the stone wall. will replace it with yr ideas.

Thanks, Margaret. I can imagine that the convolvulus might get a bit rampant in good soil. It would probably need regular cutting back to keep it under control. Deirdre


4/8  Beverley - 2113 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 14 November 2011

I too love spillover plants especially the dainty ASARINA that comes in purple, pink and white. at the moment I only have it growing up the fence and it trails over the other side, as the best spot above a high stone wall has been taken by my husbands row of vegies. from Beverley.

Thanks, Beverley. I have this one growing over a wall, though it is rambling through other plants as well! Deirdre


5/8  Helena - 4515 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Wednesday, 16 November 2011

Hehe! I love the comment about husbands not liking plants "softing hard lines". I"m constantly being told that "paths are for walking on" so not much use of spillovers in my garden nor leanovers or hangovers (unless the latter is me after a big night and then I"m not much use at all... :(

Thanks, Helen. I think the most disliked ones are those that spill over onto the lawn and kill it in patches! I get into trouble over those ones. Deirdre


6/8  Margaret - 2122 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 07 November 2022

I don't have any walls for a spill over effect, but do have lots of erigeron (also not planted by me), ivy geraniums, scandent begonias, verbena, all of which find their way to tumble over the garden edges, and in pots, presenting a most agreeable picture. Thanks, Margaret. Yes, these plants are wonderful to spill out of pots. Deirdre


7/8  Margaret - 2067 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 07 November 2022

I love spillovers as well. I have a deep pink flowering thyme tumbling over the wall of the herb garden. Erigeron and helichrysum limelight are looking good as well. A tiny white euphorbia (double form) tumbles beautifully as well. The thyme sounds wonderful and that limelight Helichrysum is so pretty. The Euphorbia is such a useful plant too. Deirdre


8/8  Valerie - 2121 (Zone:10 - Warm Temperate) Monday, 07 November 2022

Thanks Deirdre for this timely information. I am thinking about what to plant in a sunny garden bed that needs that tumbling plant effect over the edges. The Convolvulus and/or Ivy Geranium would look good. I was going to put in a ground cover Rosemary as well. You have all given me some interesting choices, thanks. Thanks, Valerie. That prostrate rosemary would be great going over a sunny wall. Deirdre


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