Good ground cover?

From www.gardenorganic.org.uk
Name: Red dead-nettle
( badman’s posies, day nettle, deaf nettle, dog nettle, red archangel )

Latin name: Lamium purpureum L.

Occurrence: A native winter to summer annual weed common on cultivated land and waste places throughout the UK. It occurs on all soils but prefers loose, nutrient-rich, loamy or sandy soils. In an early survey of Bedfordshire and Herefordshire it was characteristic of light sandy soils.

Red dead-nettle is common in cereals where it has benefited from the control of more competitive weeds. It is a weed of gardens as well as arable land.

Red dead-nettle can carry cucumber mosaic virus both in the growing plant and in its seeds. It is also a host of the potato leaf-roll virus.

So I wouldn't if I were you - I'm always trying to get rid of it. If you want ground cover what about Lamium Maculatum - there are some lovely cultivars and they all have better manners.

Wow, that's what I call a comprehensive reply. Thank you so much Wagger.

Not the best ground cover as Wagger says. I could send you a shed load of Violets, which flowers from Jan. to April.

I'm a lot lazier than that, Bernard - cut and paste is a great tool.

There are other Lamiums that would give good ground cover in woodland. try Galeobdolon and Lamium maculatum .

Be careful with L. galeobdolon - it can be a thug! A pretty one, but still a thug.

Thanks to all for your help. Doctorbob, was that a serious offer?

Anywhere near Kettering in Northamptonshire? You can come and dig up violets any day you like (not all of them because I actually like them).