Description
It is a classic ground cover plant. In Poland it is found on the banks of streams and ponds and in damp woods, and is fairly common. It belongs to the primrose family. Besides its fresh green leaves, it delights with its numerous yellow flowers, whose petals form a cup shape. Creeping Jenny starts flowering at the beginning of June and brightens up the pond with its flowers for a long time, even until September. It grows and flowers well in shade. Planted in the marginal zone, it sends out long shoots that disguise the edge of the pond very well. It is best planted directly in the ground among other plants, filling the gaps without disturbing them. The long shoots put out roots even under water. Creeping Jenny can "escape" from the pond to other parts of the garden and even onto a rock garden near the pond, and it tolerates dry spells well.
Requirements
The plant likes moist, loamy soil that can be moderately fertile, but with a neutral pH. It is frost-hardy, but it is good to cover its shoots for winter, otherwise they will dry up and have to regrow from the roots in spring. It tolerates dry soil well. It grows and flowers best in shade.
Propagation
It is easiest to propagate by separating rooted pieces of shoot from the mother plant.
Care
Within a year its long shoots can root a metre or two from the edge of the pond. As it is difficult to remove from clumps of stonecrop in a rock garden, it is better to remove overly vigorous shoots before they root. It is fully frost-hardy, but it is good to cover its shoots for winter, otherwise they will dry up and have to regrow from the roots in spring. In spring and summer feed the plant with a balanced fertiliser.