Need Advice for Removing & Replacing Monkey Grass

[mercy1grace2@gmail.com]

Hi! I'm in Zone 7 and have a really old, small area of monkey grass around my mailbox, boxed in by cross ties, I believe. I tried to trim escapees last year and it about killed me.

I would love to replace the M G with something "prettier", maybe something fragrant, and evergreen, but nothing that would cause problems for my mail lady (attract bees, etc.).

This is a full sun area. Can anyone suggest a good plant/plants. I'm a beginner but love getting my hands dirty and willing to experiment.

Thanks!
Jena

[bullthistle]

First you will have a chore cleaning out a liriope bed because their runners go in all different directions. Anything that flowers profusely generally will draw insects.

[hendi_alex]

Liriope, monkey grass, can be a beast to eliminate. The slightest fragment of a root will shoot up again and again. I think that the green kinds are most difficult, and the variegated somewhat less persistant. At least for a first season, perhaps dig up the monkey grass as thoroughly as possible, put down some kind of barrier like plastic or landscaping fabric, mulch and place a few decorative pot around the mail box post. Or perhaps try one good sized planter with a nice flowering vine like mandevilla vine, red honeysuckle, confederate jasmine, or even a clematis. All would be very managable when grown in a two to four gallon planter. After a season, you could probably pull the landscape fabric and plant directly in the ground, but be sure and stay on guard for any stray liriope to emerge.

[MagnoliaMan]

I certainly must agree that liriope is persistant. It has been my experience that Liriope spicata (aptly named creeping liriope) is super-aggressive. I got so desparate that I tried double strength Roundup and the darned stuff just smiled back at me. However, Liriope muscari (Majestic variety) has been very slow to spread and quite controllable. Once you get yours under control you might try some dwarf daylilies or maybe plumbago ("leadwort"). Good luck!

[hendi_alex]

Plumbago is a nice, fast growing annual here in zone 8. This year I'm overwintering it in my greenhouse, and actually harvested a few blooms for the wife this past week. What a pleasant, relaxing shade of blue. One of our favorites.