Helianthemum - Blooms This is a good ground cover that blooms in summer It is easy to grow on rocky slopes and creates a border of color. If you are lucky it will bloom twice, once in early summer and then again in late summer.

Oriental Poppy – Beautiful orange flowers that bloom in spring and grow to 24”. These beautiful perennials like a sunny spot with well drained soil.

Torch lily - This interesting perennial blooms in summer and produces spikes of orange cone shaped flowers that can grow to 6 feet. It likes to be planted in a sunny location and is great for zones 5 – 10. This plant attracts hummingbirds! Trumpet Creeper – I had one of these beautiful vines growing wild up my chimney. It blooms in mid to late summer and has trumpet shaped flowers that hang from it’s lush vines. It will cling to anything and can grow up to 30 feet. It can also grow as a shrub when it has nothing to cling to. It grows quickly and also attracts hummingbirds.

* Mowing plant will eventually kill it but be sure to use a mower with a collection bag and don't touch remains when emptying it. This method will take several years to completely eradicate plant from your yard.

* Don't use a weed-eater as that will only spread broken pieces of plant everywhere. Dried poison ivy is just as poisonous as fresh. It is said that even 100 year old leaves can still cause a reaction.

* Suffocation with black plastic has been known to work. This too takes time.

* An organic method consists of spraying plant with salt water. A ratio of one cup salt to a gallon of water with a few drops of liquid soap added to help mixture adhere to plant.

* Broadleaf herbicides work but will kill any neighboring plants. Usually poison ivy is intertwined among plants that you want to keep, including trees. Using selective herbicides like Roundup can be applied to plant stems as they are cut off to prevent resprouting.

No matter what control method you use, be careful to avoid exposing your skin to plant. Wear gloves, long pants, socks and shoes, and a long-sleeved shirt.

For more information about ridding your yard and garden of this pesky plant:

http://www.apluswriting.net/garden/poisonivy.htm