How about this for an elegant groundcover — an Ornamental Strawberry with big, reddish-rose blooms from mid-spring all the way until frost! Lipstick is just about the showiest thing to happen to groundcover in years, and few plants are easier to grow!
Hardy from one end of the country to the other, Lipstick reaches just 6 to 8 inches high, but spreads up to 3 feet wide, with quick growth and attractive deep green leaves. (Space plants 12 inches apart for dense coverage.) But the real stars of the show are the flowers — large, showy, and continuing to pop up all summer long and into fall after a heavy spring display! Fade proof and vibrant, these rosy blooms are eye-catching and so lovely, a nice change of pace from the white or pale pink of other berries!
You can eat the early-summer berries, too, but as an Alpine variety, Lipstick is different from our supermarket strawberries — softer texture, smaller size, and juicy-tart. I find them delicious, but if they aren't to your liking, don't worry — the birds will take care of them in no time (and eating mosquitoes and other destructive insects by the thousands while they're at it)!
Best in sun and well-drained soil (sandy, acidic soil is ideal, but any good garden loam will do), this ornamental Strawberry will delight you with its ease of care and tireless bloom power! Find a place of honor for it in your finest container or best garden spot today! Zones 3-8.
