Ground cover w/purple flower

I have some sort of ground cover growing in the mulched part of my yard - it is nothing I remember planting there. It has lots of very small, purple colored flowers in it (it isn't myrtle -these are like tiny purple flowers). Does anyone have any clue what this is? I don't know if it is something I should leave in or pull out-it isn't too bad looking so I just left it for now.

It sounds like creeping phlox to me... Here is a link with several images of phlox and there is one way down on the page about creeping phlox that may help you to identify the intruder ;>

Allegra zone 6-7 in Portland Oregon
http://images.google.com/images?q=creeping+phlox&hl=en&btnG=Google+Se...

Violets? I used to have a beautiful lawn loaded with them. I wish I could have one like that now....

Does it have small serated-like heart shape leaves that have a smell to them. Does it grow vertical with purple flowers up and down its side. If answer is positive, then it sounds like creeping charlie and you want to get rid of it. Mary Beth McCormack

could it be ajuga? more bluish than purple flowers - sometimes the leaves are purplish though.

How about Slender Speedwell - a cousin of the violet that is considered a weed/pest in lawns and is spread by mowing. Much smaller flowers than Vinca (periwinkle). Very common in the mid-Atlantic region where I grew up. For info, just put the name into a search engine and you'll come up with several sites with pictures and advice.

I think it is creeping charlie too. I've got it all over this year. It is pretty but it is frighteningly prolific. Do it in!

I will bet it is the dreaded ground ivy - a weed that just loves mulched areas.

By the by, I love vinca (large blue flower as opposed to tiny purple ones) - ground ivy is not only invasive in a way vinca would never dream of it is ugly and smells bad when you try to pull it up. I pull it up by hand and don't like using chemicals but they are effective
http://www.scotts.com/lawncare/GroundIvy.cfm http://www.scotts.com/lawncare/BroadleafWeeds.cfm

i bet it is VERBENA its a flowering ground cover that looks kind of like a weed and does have the small purple flowers that you mentioned. It's great for filling in around plants and growing along the ground not getting very tall. Verbena is a perennial and loves sun to part shade. Probably why you dont remember planting it is because it may have allready been there.

I also have a ground cover that is like portulaca (moss roses)but it has teeny little purple flowers on it. it is sturdier that moss roses. I want to propagate it in my front yard since nothing else seems to grow there anyway. any ideas?

It is possible that it is a spring weed called 'Henbit'. It is relatively easy to pull and can be killed with most weed killers.