Bugle ‘Chocolate’ (Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate’) - Deep Bronze-Purple Groundcover - Damp Shade & Pond Edges (Peat-Free, Pesticide-Free)

A lush, deep bronze-purple bugle with glossy leaves that knit into a low, weed-smothering carpet. In spring to early summer, ‘Chocolate’ sends up short spikes of rich blue flowers that brighten shady spots and offer early nectar to bees and hoverflies. As a cultivar of our native Ajuga reptans, it’s happiest in moist, humus-rich soils and excels at the pond collar / woodland edge (it’s not an aquatic). Spreads steadily by short runners but stays neat, perfect between stones, around basket rims on dry land, and under shrubs. Expect foliage 8-12 cm tall and 15-20 cm in flower; colour is strongest with consistent moisture and light shade.

Where it thrives

• Light: Partial shade to shade (tolerates morning sun if soil stays moist)

• Moisture/Zone: Pond collar / damp border / woodland edge; moist, humus-rich soil; do not submerge

• Setting: Front-of-rim edger, path-side patches, underplanting for ferns/hostas/sedges

Planting & care

• Plant into peat-free compost/soil improved with leaf-mould; mulch annually to lock in moisture

• Water to establish; keep evenly moist in dry spells for best leaf colour

• Shear after flowering to refresh the carpet and encourage new bronze growth

• Lift/divide every 2-3 years (spring/autumn) to thicken patches or contain spread; pull unwanted runners

Safety (important & honest):
Ornamental use only - do not ingest. Generally low-risk, but wash hands after gardening. Keep plant material and soil out of natural watercourses.

Truth-first wildlife note:
Open blue blooms provide good early forage for small pollinators; foliage gives low cover at the warm rim for amphibians and invertebrates. Pair with Myosotis, Water Mint and Purple Loosestrife to extend nectar through summer.

Joel says…
“Think rich, chocolate carpet with blue candles in spring. Keep it moist and lightly shaded, clip after bloom, and let it stitch the shady rim without fuss.”