Gardening Sweet Spots
By Donna Hessel
Have you got a problem area where grass won’t grow on your lawn? Consider your problems solved with ground covers on troublesome patches including:
- Slopes or hillsides
- Shady areas
- Under trees or shrubs
- Areas with poor soil
- Erosion-prone areas
- Rock gardens
In addition to solving a landscaping issue, ground covers offer a number of benefits. They require less maintenance than grass lawns, including less watering, fertilizing and mowing. Ground covers provide a natural weed barrier, reducing the need for chemical weed killers. They can help prevent soil erosion and improve soil health on sloping ground and add texture and color to an area. They also provide a natural habitat for wildlife and pollinators.
Choosing the Best Ground Cover to Solve the Problem
Slopes
Low-growing sedums are a good ground cover for sunny slopes.
Choosing the right plants will prevent erosion and will eliminate mowing. The amount of sun the slope gets will play a part in the choice of plants. Good soil coverage is important, but on a slope it’s what is happening underground that is just as important. Plants that anchor themselves into the soil with strong, fibrous root systems are a good choice. Creeping juniper could work as a major plant focus. Plants that spread by underground rhizomes will help to stabilize soil. Sedges and sedums would be good fill-in plants, as well as any ground cover that forms a dense, natural layer, such as pachysandra.
Placing biodegradable erosion control fabric on the slope soil before planting will lock in moisture, hold the soil in place and help plants get established. Secure the fabric with landscape staples, then cut slits in it for the plants. Beware of mulch as, depending on the angle of the slope, it may just slide down after a strong rain.
Tough-to-Mow Areas
Low-growing, drought-tolerant plants are ideal, including bougainville, creeping phlox and succulents.
Narrow spaces, gaps between pavers and tight spaces will all benefit from a ground cover that doesn’t need to be mowed. Creeping Jenny, creeping thyme and creeping phlox will snug themselves into tight spaces and can take some foot traffic between pavers. Succulents create an interesting border.
Heavy Clay Soil
Ferns are beautiful and hardy ground covers.
When partial shade, moisture-retention and clay soil are issues, ferns are a good solution. Japanese painted ferns are perennials with maroon stems and markings. In sunny soil, try ostrich ferns. While black-eyed Susan is not usually classified as a ground cover, its clump-forming growth and persistent reseeding make it a perfect cover for large sunny or partially shaded areas.
Heavy Shade and Under Trees
Solomon’s seal will form a large colony.
It’s a constant battle to get grass to grow in heavy shade and under trees. It’s much wiser to choose a shade-loving ground cover to provide low-maintenance beauty. All Solomon’s seal varieties spread by rhizomes and form colonies over time. If the area stays moist, consider moss to provide a lush, green carpet. Ferns and hostas will also thrive in shady areas. Sweet woodruff with small, fragrant, white flowers in spring and interesting dark green leaves in whorls also works in full to partial shade.
Close-growing, Creeping Ground Covers Minimize Weeding
Bugleweed and lamium form dense mats.
Gardens become more beautiful and easier to manage with the right ground cover. The best plant options have the word “creeping” in the common name. Bugleweed’s (Ajuga) glossy green leaves and purple flowers are a welcome sight in spring. Lamium (Dead Nettle) gets pink, purple or white flowers and grows well in partial shade. Epimediums also create dense areas in shady spots under trees or shrubs. Mulching between plants until they are established will minimize the weeding that may be necessary until the plants spread. (More details on the above suggestions are available in a book by Kathy Jentz, Ground Cover Revolution.)
Ground Covers in Grassy Areas?
Clover and spring bulbs can be mowed.
Why not break up large lawn areas with an interesting texture or colorful spring flowers that bloom early? Clover is a nitrogen-fixing plant that requires less water and fertilizer than grass. It also attracts pollinators and provides an interesting texture year round. Crocus and snow drops or other low-growing spring bulbs will be gone before the grass needs to be mowed the first time. Wild purple violets are beautiful in the spring and clumps prevent the growth of weeds.
This article will provide additional suggestions and photos of ground covers that can be considered for various problem areas: gardendesign.com/plants/ground-cover.html. Some ground covers are considered “invasive” in various regions of the U.S. but not in others, Invasive species for our region are not offered in plant nurseries. If labeled as “fast growing,” consider it more aggressive and a faster spreader.
Look around your yard now when everything is at peak growth. See any bare spots that need to be filled? Ground covers to the rescue!
Article Resources:
gardengatemagazine.com/articles/garden-design/design-tips-inspiration/solve-garden-problems-with-ground-cover-plants-kathy-jentz/
sustainable-alternative.com/sustainable-alternatives-to-grass-lawns/
Photos:
ivy-vine-the-leaves-plants-159033
sedum-pexels-photo-17405222
angelina sedum-human potential labs photo
bougainvillea-on-a-cobblestone-path-pexels 31188788; creeping phlox;
succulents-pexels-photo-13935760
ferns-pexels-photo-9899885;
ostrich ferns-pexels-photo-2609108
GG181_Solomons-seal-Kathy-Jentz
bugleweed; lamium-pexels-photo-10060885
clovers-pexels-18060948; pexels-photo-355251
