5 Ways to use ground cover plants to solve garden problems
Are you tired of palaver turfgrass to grow in unmanageable dapple ? In her bookGround Cover Revolution , Kathy Jentz state that ground cover plants can be the solution to these struggle . She share practical tips forreplacing turfgrasswith low - maintenance ground cover plants that flourish on slopes , in clay territory , mysterious nuance , heavy stiff and more . And she emphasizes that when you opt the right terra firma cover plant for the right post , you’re able to concentrate water employment , the need for fertilizers and pesticides and support wildlife habitats .
Kathy broadly speaking defines “ ground screen ” as any plant that dumbly embrace the grease . She does n’t fix her definition to a particular height , and includes all type of plants — annual , perennials , vines , ornamental grasses and shrubs .
Here are 5 ways to use ground cover plants to deal with landscaping problems
If you ’re quick to ferment some problem spots in your lawn into roaring , beautiful space with minimal effort , check out Kathy ’s passport below .
1. Stop erosion on slopes or hillsides with ground cover plants
develop turfgrass on slopes or hillsides face several challenge : Rainwater can cause erosion , washing aside both dirt and seeds before dope can establish ; side do n’t retain pee well , leaving grass ironical and stress , and mowing on steep terrain is not only difficult , but also dangerous . With the right-hand ground cover plants , you’re able to keep soil in place , prevent wearing away and retire your lawn mower .
Of course , you ’ll want to choose a plant that will have good insurance coverage on top of the soil , but on slopes , what ’s happening underground is just as of import . First , you ’ll want a ground cover flora that anchors itself into the soil with a inviolable , fibrous root organisation , such as wintertime jasmine or creeping juniper . This will help obligate dirt in station and prevent flora from skid down the hill in a heavy rain . If a ground cover song plant spreads by undercover rhizomes , it can also help stabilise a slope . Pennsylvania sedge and switchgrass are a couple of good examples .
And do n’t be afraid to immix a couple of primer cover flora in sweep on a hillside : On the slope in the photo above , shade - tolerant genus Epimedium and hakonechloa form a dense , born layer that helps interlock in moisture and hold the soil in billet .
While plants are getting show on a steep slope , it ’s a good idea to bind their etymon ( and the territory ) in place with biodegradable erosion control material . Before you implant , spread the fabric , secure it with landscape painting staple fiber , then cut a slit to put each industrial plant through . And althoughmulchis usually a good approximation , on slope , it often just washes downhill , so may not be as much help as you ’d like it to be .
Creeping juniper(Juniperus horizontalis)Shrub ; green to racy - green scalelike foliage ; full sun ; 4 to 12 in . tall , 48 to 96 in . widely ; cold dauntless in USDA geographical zone 3 to 9
Hakonechloa(in photo ) ( Hakonechloa macra)Perennial ; peanut yellow - green flowers in late summer to fall ; arching , bright fleeceable leave-taking ; part to full shade ; 12 to 24 in . tall and wide ; cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9
Pennsylvania sedge(Carex pensylvanica)Perennial ; undistinguished flowers in mid- to later give ; grasslike , intermediate - green folio ; full to part shade ; 6 to 10 in . magniloquent , circulate ; cold stout in USDA zones 3 to 8
Winter jasmine(Jasminum nudiflorum)Shrub ; nonfragrant , hopeful yellow flowers in late winter before leaves emerge ; green stems in winter ; full sun to part shadiness ; 10 to 15 ft . grandiloquent , 3 to 6 ft . wide ; cold sturdy in USDA geographical zone 6 to 10
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2. Dress up areas mowers can’t reach
Narrow strips , tight spaces and gaps between pavers can all be tough spots to mow . Low - uprise , drought - tolerant ground binding plants that spread are ideal for these spots .
If you ’ll be walk in an area , look for soil cover plants that can take a bit of understructure dealings , like dwarf mondo grass or crawl phlox in the photo above . Sometimes you need a ground top whose roots can cram themselves into compressed spaces . Creeping Jenny and creeping thyme are both able to do this .
Creeping Jenny(Lysimachia nummularia)Perennial ; bright yellow flowers in summertime ; pear-shaped , slightly ruffled , green or gold leave ; full Dominicus to full shade ; 3 to 6 in . tall , 12 to 18 in . widely ; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9
Creeping thyme(Thymus serpyllum)Perennial ; tiny , white , red or pinkish flowers in summertime to fall ; fragrant blue - unripe farewell ; fragrant , blue - green leaves ; full Lord’s Day ; 2 to 3 feet magniloquent , 6 to 10 in . astray ; stale brave in USDA zone 4 to 9
Dwarf mondo grass(Ophiopogon japonicus)Perennial ; small ear of lilac flowers in summer ; dark green grasslike leaves ; part to full shade ; 9 to 12 in . improbable and wide ; moth-eaten hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10
3. Grow in challenging clay soil
Few works genuinely loveclay soil . It ’s dense , ill run out and can compact easy , making it difficult for roots to penetrate and access nutrients and for seeds to germinate . However , some varieties tolerate Lucius Clay soil better than others . works with deep , strong root systems , such as pitch-black - eyed Susans and dwarf comfrey , are up to of ruin through contract clay , and over time , create channels that improve aeration and water preoccupancy .
In Kathy ’s experience , the Japanese paintedfernsand fall fern plant along the path in the pic above thrive in the moist condition that are common with corpse soil . While pitch-black - eyed Susan is n’t typically thought of as a background cover industrial plant , when plant in mass , its chunk - mold wont and persistent reseeding make it hone for covering enceinte areas .
bleak - eyed Susan(Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii)Perennial ; gilt - xanthous daisylike flowers with black center centers in summertime to diminish ; full sun to part shade ; 2 to 3 ft . improbable , 1 to 3 foot . broad ; cold intrepid in USDA zones 4 to 9
Dwarf comfrey(Symphytum grandiflorum)Perennial ; bunch of creamy jaundiced to white flowers in midspring to former summer ; culture medium to dark immature leaves ; full sun to part tone ; 12 to 18 in . improbable , 18 to 24 in . wide ; cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8
Nipponese painted fern(Athyrium niponicum var . pictum)Perennial ; soft grey - green frond with dark maroon midribs ; part to full shadiness ; 12 to 18 in . tall , 18 to 24 in . wide ; frigid brave in USDA zones 3 to 8
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4. Fix bare spots in shady areas
Without enough sun , turfgrass becomes thin , infirm and fight to spread . Shade also tends to create cool , moist environments , which can encourage disease and subdue root development . Even with shade - broad grass kind , sustain a lawn in shade often expect more movement to keep it goodly and turn . Allegheny spurge and variegated Solomon ’s seal , in the photo above , are more practical solvent .
In fact , all Solomon ’s seal specie are excellent suspect ground covers that spread by rhizomes and form large settlement over clip . For a lush green alternative , considermoss , which prosper in the spectre and creates a soft carpet result where turf grass simply wo n’t grow . If you want to redirect dealings from tripping hazard like expose Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree roots , plant varieties with shallow root systems , such as ferns andhostas , under your trees .
Allegheny spurge(Pachysandra procumbens)Perennial ; spikes of tiny clean flowers in spring ; whorls of dark immature leave-taking ; 6 to 10 in . tall , pass around ; part to full subtlety ; cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9
Sweet woodruff(Galium odoratum)Perennial ; belittled , fragrant , livid flowers in saltation ; dark unripe leaves in whorl ; part to full shade ; 6 to 12 in . tall , 12 to 15 in . wide ; cold stout in USDA zone 4 to 8
Variegated Solomon ’s seal(Polygonatum odoratumvar.pluriflorum‘Variegatum’)Perennial ; white Vanessa Stephen - shaped blossom in late outpouring ; unripe and white variegated foliation ; part to full shade ; 24 to 30 in . tall and panoptic ; dusty intrepid in USDA zones 3 to 8
5. Suppress weeds
Give sens an inch and they will take a Admiralty mile . If you ’re tired of unremitting weeding , opt for a ground cover plant , such as bugleweed in the photograph above , that fulfil in quickly and forms a obtuse mat . This shades the soil and bequeath little room for weeds to take root . Kathy ’s favorite ground top plant life , genus Epimedium , is slower to shew but eventually creates a heavy , weed - stamp down stratum staring for shady bare spot under shrubs or trees .
Weeding between setose plants can be a painful sensation . If you love rose , do yourself a favor and plant a rug of pussyfoot rosemary under them . With the right primer screening , you canminimize weedingand heighten the aspect of your garden . For more choice , seem for plant with “ cower ” in the coarse name .
Where to plant weed-suppressing ground covers
While a rose garden or a shrub moulding is a good spot for vigorous , Mary Jane - inhibit ground cover plants , a interracial perennial delimitation may not be : You do n’t want the trouble - solving plant to become the problem when it starts to overtake other less - vigorous plants .
Bugleweed(Ajuga reptans)Perennial ; spike of tiny gamy - violet flush in mid- to previous springtime ; foliage amount in a smorgasbord of colour ; full sun to part shade ; 4 to 10 in . tall , 10 to 24 in . astray ; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9
Creeping rosemary(Salvia rosmarinus)Shrub ; clusters of sick blue bloom in spring and summer ; fragrant , needlelike leaves ; full Dominicus ; 1 to 2 foot . tall , 2 to 3 ft . wide ; dusty hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11
Epimedium(Epimediumspp . and hybrids)Perennial ; cerise , pink , yellow or white orchidlike prime in springiness ; heart - shaped green leaves ; part to full shade ; 4 to 24 in . tall , open ; cold-blooded dauntless in USDA zone 4 to 9
