MMH  >  Outdoors  >  Yard

what groundcover is lilac purple,perinneal,in sun,spreads?blooms for a few weeks starting in march.

i see it in people yards,along driveways,rock gardens,in rows.nobody can tell me the name,just that they have had it for a long time.i think it may be vinca minor,but im not sure they are not blue,but very lilac.they are not any type of phlox.it grows very low to some ive seen about 12 inches tall in mounds. any suggestions as to what this may be appreciated. all you can see is purple from the roadway.it completely covers the plants

It's hard to know without a picture or knowing where you're located. You say it is not a phlox, so that rules out creeping phlox (Phlox subulata), which has a shock of color when in bloom and has needle-like leaves. Vinca minor is not usually THAT floriferous and often is grown in shade.

I assume it is not a weed such as creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea) or crown vetch, given that people are cultivating it.

Might it be ajuga?

Under the circumstances, I suggest you take a sample to your local garden center or Cooperative Extension Service office, preferably while the plant is in bloom.