Fast growing thug plants wanted!

[Selkiesarereal]

I have posted before about my ongoing battle with mares tail and after noticing how my astilbe and crocosima seem to help keep it at bay I am looking for suggestions for other similar plants.

I have heavy clay soil and stay in a rainy part of Scotland so no chance of a hosepipe ban here!

Any help greatly appreciated!

Is the garden shady or in sun? Lily of the valley and Japanese anemone are both known to spread but prefer shade. Aquilegia, foxgloves and oxalis all self seed all over my south facing garden.

Geraniums - have to keep cutting mine back or they would take over everything.

Periwinkle. Spreads like crazy,excellent ground cover

Lysimachia would love your damp soil.

Valerian, Valeriana officinalis (norRed Valerian, Centranthus ruber though that’d probably do well too). Rodgersia

Thanks! It is west facing and I do have a geranium which does well and holds off the mares tail but hasn’t spread to far.

Off to look up the others as I do love a new plant - have high hopes for my new rose shrub as well!

My Lily of the Valley has spread like crazy - it's swamping everything else, and forms dense clumps so no chance of any weeds getting through. Plus the flowers are lovely in the spring.

Comfrey! Also useful for making comfrey tea an excellent fertilizer

Wild geraniums, and Vinca for groundcover

Persicaria Bistorta and Physostegia have done well for me in a clay south facing border that gets waterlogged when it rains. Lysimachia Clethroides also doing well but I had a decent clump to start with when I planted it.

If you do plant comfrey get the one with sterile seeds. It will still grow prolifically from the roots. With seeds it would go from being a thug to taking over your whole garden.....

Thanks! Funnily enough I was watching Beachrove garden this morning and they were talking about Lily of the Valley to go under shades trees and I have some of those as well so a possible double win!

I have marestail growing in amongst my (been there much longer) vinca/Periwinkle. I think the marestail is going to win. Sigh.

I think I may have killed the stuff in the drive (will have to see next hear)... so fingers crossed.

Paying close attention to other suggestions.