Ajuga Chocolate Chip Groundcover - Front Porch Bed - July 2025

Starting in the Fall of 2022, I have added one type of groundcover every year - Ajuga 'chocolate chip'.  I think it was Plantsman Roy Diblik who first turned me on to the plant (in one of his videos) and I stuck a few plugs into the island bed in between our front stoop and the driveway.  A year later, I was calling these a success as they had grown and filled out some of the space.  

By last July, the groundcover was peeking out over the driveway and filling in space all around the Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grasses in the bed.  

But, over this past Winter, we had a setback.  There was some serious die-back on the entire bed.  Everything shrunk down and some of the plants didn't seem to come back.  I also lost ALL six of the Island Bed plugs that I planted last year, too. 

This wasn't my first Winter of decline for some of the Ajuga.  I've posted this 'Ajuga Hits and Misses' post in Spring of 2024 that talked/showed some of the places where it was working and where it was struggling.  

Recently, I've been hauling out the hose in front to water the dahlias that are scattered around and as I wind it back up near the house, I've been trying to give the remaining Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' a little shot of water.  And, it seems to be working.  

In our zone (6a/5b), our Ajuga bloom in late Spring with blue/purple upright blooms.   That's already gone by, but I'm seeing a second bloom right now - in late July.  

And, we're seeing some growth and seemingly happy plants.  Here, below is a round-up of the various colonies of Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' in our front yard.  

First, the island bed in between our stoop and driveway.  The oldest/largest drift is down near the point.  I've always thought this would fill in the point of the bed, but so far...it hasn't reached out there.  Yet. 

A bit further back towards the house are some intermediate-sized clumps.  These have all shrunk/suffered some decline from last year, but are back to growing.

And, finally in this island bed is this tiny little plant.  Smaller than a store-bought plug.  But, surviving and (hopefully) growing.  

On the other side of our front walk is the large/main "Front Porch Bed" - that has some mature Hydrangeas, Green Velvet Boxwoods, the row of Seslaria Autumnalis and where I plant out a belt of colorful annuals.   Tucked in against the front walk is a small colony of Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip'.  Like the one on the other side of the walk, this one suffered some Winter dieback/decline.   In this post from early this Spring, you can see the large MAT of groundcover that was in place last year and how it was looking a little bit troubled.  

Two years ago, it was looking really good, too.  Here's a post from Fall of 2023 that shows three large, distinct plants that are spreading out.  The trajectory for these was great.  Then, something happened this Winter.  Which...wasn't a particularly COLD winter.

When the weather warmed up and the plant shed the dead parts, what remained were a series of smaller plug-like plants.  They've put on a little bit of growth and are rebounding.  See them below.  Of note....I think this is the best shot of these groundcover plants in our garden.  I like how they're creating that 'living mulch' layer next to the Autumn Moor Grass and filling in the space between the grass (and Boxwood that is peeking out at the top of the photo) and the brick walk.   A really good use case:

And the last spot in our front yard that is home to this bi-color groundcover is on the far edge of the Front Porch bed - sort-of "around the corner".  In October 2023, I put in three plugs and today...we have the same three plants.  By last July (a year ago), they were the size of a volleyball.  Then...just like with the rest of these plants...they suffered a setback.  

Today, they're (seemingly) back on to growth.  Below is a look at the three Ajuga groundcover plants.  They were *touching* last year, but are not quite there this year.  Also, of note...the pair of annual Vinca (Madagascar Vinca) behind them have put on some size and are in bloom.