Am I going to rue the day that I planted vinca minor?

[WellTidy]

I’ve bought some vinca minor, with the thought to plant it in the section of a bed that runs the length of my garden, but only underneath my camellia, bay and spotted laurel. Nothing grows there as there is very little light, and DS’ football generally ends up there when he misses his shots at goal.

It is definitely vinca minor that I’ve bought, not major. But is it going to spread and become out of control please? I have enough invasive plants that it would be madness to purposely add one if that is what it is.

Invasive plants have a tendancy to go mental in my garden and snuff out everything that isn't enough of a thug to hold its own. I notice vinca when we moved in and 18 years later there is still the same amount in the same places without me ever having to take it in hand. So I assume a) it's minor b) it survives rather than thrives in my soil.

i inherited vinca minor in my garden and i moved a big clump to under the trees where i didn’t mind if it romped away.

haven’t seen a sign of it since 🤭

I’ve some under a privet and in a shady bed, it hasn’t spread much.

This is all good to know - I’m putting it in. It’s so pretty at the moment, lots of flowers.

Sorry OP but yes, you are. I purchased three small plants - no more than four inches across - on the advice of a professional gardener seven years ago. It is now EVERYWHERE - in the beds, in the lawn, in the pots. It’s even made it round to the front of the house (no mean feat as we live in a terrace). I spend more time pulling it out than weeding. The flowers are pretty but I rarely see them as I yank out any stems as soon as I so much as see a tendril. And yet it keeps coming back…

I think the soil type is a factor here. IME vinca will spread more in sandy soils and less in clay? But that's just my sense of it.

Hmmmm. Getting itchy feet now! I don’t think our soil type is either clay or sandy, just quite normal!

My soil is clay so that holds true for me.

I was going to plant this too. There is some growing all over a bank near me and it looks pretty.

I planted it in London (clay) and it died ☹️there is a lot of dry shade in my garden

I planted some. Never saw it again

Don’t do it!!!! My overgrown HEAVY CLAY garden was entirely filled with vinca when we moved in. I’ve dug it up a million times, used many litres of roundup (I’m ashamed to say) had the whole thing rotivated and replanted and it is still coming up in the beds. Not sure which is more annoying, the vinca or the bindweed! I mean, probably the bindweed, but even so!

if it wasn’t identifying I’d post a picture of the vinca jungle garden when we moved in…

There is a massive carpet of it in a woodland nearby so I would say yes! Lots of shade and chalk soil.

Don’t do it. My MIL gave some to me “as it will spread and cover that little bit nicely” Nope-it’s choking the life out of everything! Spend hours pulling the damn stuff up

Here is our vinca jungle, in the frost. It had grown over all the bigger shrubs…

I decided it was too overgrown to be identifiable!

Are all of you saying ‘hell, no’ saying that because you’ve experience of vinca major, which is supposed to be hugely invasive, or vinca minor? I have to say, I am leaning towards thinking I should t take the risk. I’m finally on top of the ground elder, the bindweed has been hugely reduced and I really don’t need another too invasive plant to take their place.

I put some in a gloomy dark corner of the garden, under a Camellia. It does a good job of covering a scrappy bit of ground without running riot.

WellTidy I'd love your tips on getting rid of the ground elder though. I've been pulling it out for years and it keeps coming back.

@TheDogsMother I just kept pulling it. Sometimes daily (seriously). It took about five years. My beds were full of it due to neglect, and I once thought I was on top of it about three years in, and then it started coming in from next door’s garden. So I’m still pulling it and I think I might have finally got rid of it.

I’ve also been pulling it out and weakened the amount. I then planted cranesbill geraniums where it is growing. The geraniums seem to win the fight for ground space. The elder is still there and occasionally springs up but there’s far less.

Thanks @WellTidy @Beebumble2 for the tips. I will continue my one woman campaign against the ground elder

Yep, clay here and have had a nondescript tuft of it for years now.

Vinca minor has been in every garden I've ever had and never been a problem. Except maybe the 'not growing fast enough' kind of problem.

I love our vinca and it’s never been a problem!