Yellow alyssum is a cheerful perennial that blooms in late spring. David Beaulieu
Your first thought when you hear “alyssum” may be of a white annual used as a bedding plant, sweet alyssum. The “sweet” in that plant’s name is there for a reason: it is sweet-scented.
But I’m referring to a perennial with yellow blossoms when I speak of an alyssum with bad-smelling flowers. Learn more about its use in landscaping as a ground cover by clicking its picture.
3.? Candytuft
Candytuft is a white-flowering ground cover. David Beaulieu
Candytuft blooms at about the same time (mid-spring to late-spring in USDA zone 5) as yellow alyssum and its use in landscaping is also as a ground cover. With a name that has “candy” in it, you might assume that its blossoms have a sweet scent, but you would be wrong! I’m not saying they stink to high heaven, just that sticking your nose into them to take a sniff will likely end up a mildly unpleasant experience for you.
But scent aside, this is another spring-blooming plant that I would not be without. Up close, I enjoy gazing into the arrangement of its petals’ blossoms; from a distance, a massed planting of it will gain the attention of even the most unobservant.
I am a keen gardener and so created Garden Pics and Tips for people who love gardens and enjoy great pictures of plants and gardens. Also covered are practical tips on all aspects of gardening.
