Creeping bugle

Family Lamiaceae. Perennial plant. Forms a groundcover 15-20 cm high. It has strong creeping stems and glossy dark green ovate leaves, toothed along the margin.

Inflorescence—a spike of dark blue, pink, or white flowers, which alternate with leaf-like bracts. Blooms from late May to early June for about 20 days. At this time the flower stalks rise 10–15 cm above the carpet. Does not self-seed. Hardy.

Variegated forms and cultivars of the creeping bugle, up to 12 cm high, are most common in ornamental gardening.

'Вариегата Рубра' ('Variegata Rubra'). The best-known and undemanding variety in our country, with dark red-brown leaves. It retains all the properties and characteristics of the original species.

'Вариегата' ('Variegata'). The least interesting form. Grayish-silver-green leaves have an unevenly colored white or cream margin. A very fussy plant, it spreads more slowly than other cultivars. It performs best in small rock gardens and containers. In bright sun the pronounced tricolour pattern disappears and the sharpness of the white and green border on the leaves is lost.

'Атропурпуреа' ('Atropurpurea'). A variety with dark reddish-brown leaves of a lilac tint. A cultivar characteristic is the absence of creeping shoots. Always remains compact while spreading very rapidly. Propagated by division of the clump. Very light-loving. Like all red-leaved ajugas, it is especially effective next to variegated and white-edged grasses (phalaris, miscanthus, ryegrass).