It took over ten years, but Ive finally banished the last patch of pachysandra from my garden. It lingered on in front of the house, which is dominated by tree roots and deep shade. I knew it would present a terrifying replanting ordealand it didand I was a bit concerned about digging up all my species tulips, erythronium, and other small bulbs. But Ive chipped away at it, having already removed large beds of it throughout the property. Now its completely gone, replaced by shade perennials (still in pots, above).
I dont know why the previous owner liked pachysandra so much. Buffalos superb contemporary art museum has this lining their inner courtyard, with no other plants in use. It makes sense to have a quiet green backdrop in a modernist sculpture-filled space. As an urban planting on a street of Victorian beauties, pachysandra is just boring. Its only justification is, I suppose, the lack of maintenance. Even that I have issues with; a bed of healthy perennials like those Ive put in its placehosta, polygonatum, ghost fern, brunneracan be ignored just as easily.
Its more than just the illusion of low maintenance. The impulse to cover the ground with some innocuous green thing suggeststo me, anywaythat a garden is something to be ignored whenever possible, almost an embarrassment or annoyance. I do get turfgrass when its done without too much water or chemicals, especially for kids. But minimal and modernist just doesnt work with the ornate architectural embellishments youre likely to see on our street.
Right after removalunder that innocent-looking soil is an insidious and nearly-impervious web of roots.
All that being said, trying to get anything into this space was pure hell. The guys who pulled out the pachysandra (they were there already doing some hardscaping) said it came out much more easily than they thought it wouldeven it was being rejected. Im building the layers up with organic matter as best I can.