Island Bed Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' Growth - Late July 2024

The groundcover that I've fallen for in the past few seasons has been Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip'.  I've planted it in a few spots in the front and back.  But, the first planting was in Fall 2022 when I put a couple of plugs from the big box Fall closeout sale in the island bed between our front stairs and driveway.   

This post from August of 2023 shows both the as-planted size and what they looked like nine months later - in August of 2023.  I had three plants then.  Last Fall, I added a few more - the ones along the driveway seem to have made it, but the two tucked in behind the Karl Foerster grasses died back this Spring.  

To date, I haven't divided these, but rather have just let them spread out and naturalize the area.  

Here, below is what it looks like today - with the carpet bugleweed growing out into a dense weed-suppressing mat.  I've started to call this "living mulch".

Here are a few close-up photos below showing the groundcover and the growth it has put on - in just under a year - since last early August.  The 'peak' still isn't covered, but a few of these plants are now creeping *around* the Karl Foerster grass clumps. 

This Fall, I'll be on the lookout for even more of this groundcover.  Suppresses weeds and lowers my mulch bill.