No, they're not all rampant! We offer some really good groundcovers for dry shade, many with variegated foliage and pretty flowers from winter throught spring and into summer.
Unfortunately most people's experience of Vinca is limited to the invasive Vinca major so often planted in public open spaces in the middle decades of the 20th Century, and the overspill into private gardens from these plantings. The reality is that most Vincas are much more suitable for gardens and even containers than Vinca major.
We grow several forms of the diminuitive Vinca minor (the botanical Latin names do help!) wich will make carpets of evergreen, often variegated, foliage to 15cm and a profusion of flowers mostly in late winter and spring. Surface rooting it is easy to chop through and fork out any excess. Vinca minor is an excellent groundcover for shady areas, even quite dry.
The other Vincas we grow are formed of the mid-sized Vinca difformis and the closely related species Vinca sardoa, which has been moved in and out of Vinca difformis more than once! These are more clump forming plants, with bigger, winter, flowers that will spread by rooting in from runners. The spreading of these types can be controlled by cutting back all the runners in winter, this prevents any rooting in. Vinca difformis and it's forms are favourites here as they produce a lot of their flower in winter but will be found with some flower nearly all year round.
Very pale blue flowers all winter and well into spring on this Mediterranean species. Excellent groundcover under shrubs or hedges, less spreading than Vinca major. 40cm.
This form of this little known species has white flowers with a rich plum-pink colour to most of the petals. More or less clump forming, evergreen and ideal for dry shade!
The best Vinca for winter flower for us. Controllable groundcover and upright stems to 1m with very large light blue flowers from December to May or even all year! Sun/Shade.
Invasive ground cover with deep green foliage and lots of amazing, propellor like star shaped deep royal blue flowers from winter to summer. 60cm. Most soils and positions!
Very rarely seen slow growing form with completely golden yellow new foliage fading to light green and single rich blue flowers in late winter and spring. 15cm.
A recent introduction with striking yellow variegated foliage and royal blue flowers from January onwards. Low groundcover or good in a container. 20cm.
A recent selection with small leaves and lots of big windmill-like royal blue flowers in spring. Low evergeen groundcover to 15cm. Ordinary soil in sun or shade.
