Groundcover suggestions -- the more invasive the better! (flowers, lawn, grow)

[teatime]

Hey, all! I need some suggestions for a highly invasive but attractive groundcover that will overtake weeds. (Heh, I'm probably trading one "weed" for another but that's OK! )

I have two sections of "lawn" bisected by my driveway and really cool neighbors who would be happy for whatever I plant to spill over into their frontage, too. When I moved in, the weeds in this area were attrocious -- big ole ugly, tall, thorny things. I've nuked a lot of them but what's left is short and brittle. Honestly, I don't want to dig up the whole section and put in grass. It would be too much work and take too much care.

Sooooooo, I want something attractive that will spread quickly, overtake the weeds and grow no more than 4 or 5 inches high (or could be weed-whacked without harming the plants if it grows much higher than that). Both areas get direct sun much of the day. The soil here is clay that drains well.

Any suggestions??? I found creeping phlox (blue emerald) that I'm trying out in the smaller section. Is this a good one? Or is there something much better?

[paperhouse]

Periwinkle. I just covered the slope on the side of my front yard with it. It's already starting to reach across to the other plants. A light mulch, and that area is done. I mowed a bunch of it last summer with a lawn mower. It came back this spring looking better than ever. Plus, it has purple flowers in the spring.

[tcs1366]

yanno what i've got that just keeps spreading... DH mows over it, weed whacks near it... and it keeps spreading.

Sedum Acre.

I've even started pulling it out to plant tomatoes ... and the areas have filled in again, 1 yr later.

I do not know if it will block out all weeds though ... but it's a fast grower, and maybe 2" high if that .. yellow flowers in the summer.

I've heard Vinca ... I've got the variegated variety, and it's not spreading much at all.

Another huge invasive is Wintercreeper ... not sure if i'd want to plant it though... but here's a link. It's said to choke out small trees.
winter creeper: Euonymus fortunei (Celastrales: Celastraceae)

[riveree]

How about a wildflower that easily reseeds? Blanketflower comes to mind.

[teatime]

Great suggestions, y'all!!! Keep 'em coming! Local availability is usually a problem so I need to take the names of several kinds with me to the garden center!

Yes, riveree, something that reseeds would be ideal! We do get occasional ice and snow in the winter here but it's reasonably mild most of the time.

[southernnaturelover]

Asian Jasmine is very popular around here. It's a vine, but it pretty much stays on the ground and forms a dense mat.

[jkmewright]

Ajuga and periwinkle. Yup.

[graceC]

I'm trying creeping phlox in my own front yard right now and they're looking good so far. Another that I'm going to try is creeping thyme. It has pink flowers in summer. You might want to consider ivy too for invasive ground cover.

[Janecj]

I never had good luck with creeping phlox.. does ok for awhile then dies out. I tried creeping juniper.. hated it.. pulled it out (leaves always stuck in it). I have periwinkle.. but to me it doesn't get thick enough, I really like pachysandra.. so far ... I also have camelion http://www.michiganbulb.com/images/250/17732.jpg (broken link)flower - very pretty (photo) but is very invasive.. It gets into everything. I wish I would have contained it. You can weed wack this one as it gets a little taller than I would like.. I still prefer pachysandra.

[Ohiogirl81]

Violets are by far the prettiest ground cover around, although the foliage dies off in the fall.

Also, check out the creeping form of pinks or sedum.