Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea', a winner of the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit, is a marvelous ground cover, which forms a tough, leafy mat 2in tall and thrives in damp soils that often kill other ground covers. Slightly ruffled yellow leaves compliment profuse, cup-shaped 3/4in diameter yellow blooms that appear in early summer. Perfect on banks, in woodland gardens, and along paths.

Lysimachia is a widely dispersed genus that includes some North American natives and a few fine garden plants including the old favorite, L. clethroides (Gooseneck Loosestrife). Most prefer average to moist, well-drained soil.