What Is The Name Of This Ground Cover?

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I was back in Boston visiting my son and his family.  In their front yard I saw this and thought it was so pretty.  My daughter-in-law is not a gardener and hasn't a clue as to what anything is in the yard.  The plants were all there when they moved in three years ago.  It must be a plant that you find in the east...any ideas?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Looks like Creeping Jenny, otherwise known as Moneywort. (And for F, the proper name is Lysimachia.)
But if it is, it's hardy to zone 8, so it should grow in your area.
http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/lysimachia-nummularia-aurea...

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Thanks Karen. I will have to research it!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

You got it, oh Gardening Guru!! I have it next to the 'pond' (pondless waterfall - no fish) but I was going to have to research for the name - it is a perennial, almost dog running through it proof. Seems all Doodles that come to play here just love running through the bed next to the 'pond' and sometimes they break off a piece but if replanted it takes. It is invasive so don't plant next to an area you dont want it to grow.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Believe it or not, this is a ground cover I don't know.

[Melissa & Porter]

Interesting--off the top of my head, I'd have thought it was in the mint family.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Yep, Creeping Jenny. Also, is the variegated mixed in the top picture variegate Vinca?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think so.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Looks like it to me. I have some I brought back from California years ago. I love it.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Thanks for all the good info! So if it is a perennial does that mean it is not blooming year round? It only looks this lush and pretty during the spring and summer? I like that it is Doodle resistant. I would love to replace a few of my ornamental ground covers that get pretty ratty looking with Doddle activity. But, I want something that is year round. It is possible to have plants year round in our climate! Under my giant California Live Oak tree I have periwinkle (I think form of Vinca) growing but it would be nice to put the Creeping Jenny in. Doesn't get a lot of sun though.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Perennial means that it comes back year after year or in your climate just goes on. Mos perennials bloom for a limited period unlike annuals, which keep blooming but die at the end of the season. Some do have a fairly long blooming period though. Here is what the Dave's Garden folks had to say about Creeping Jenny
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/677/
I probably have overlooked it because I skip all "needs to be kept moist" plants. Too much work. We're dry right now and I hate lugging hoses around but I have never wanted to get into automated sprinklers, yet.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Wow, thanks for the great web site! We do have automated sprinklers and underground drip systems too. I keep all the dirt areas covered with redwood chips but would much rather have this ground cover. But, I really want it to be year round. The redwood chips really keep the muddy Doodle feet to a minimum on rainy days...which are few and far between!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Dave's Garden is a very good resource for all kinds of garden things. Good for reviews of on line nurseries, sources, reviews of plants, etc. Why don't you try a patch first and see how it goes. I love pachysandra for many reasons but the doodles have worn bare paths through it in the areas they run through regularly. Then again I don't know if anything would stand up on their most used routes.