Questions tagged [ground-cover]

Plants intended to cover an area of ground.

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What is a good ground cover for street frontage instead of lawn?

Where I live (Adelaide plains, South Australia) it's very hot and dry in summertime and so I think a lawn is a waste of water if you don't get to enjoy it, such as where the yard is exposed to the ...
Lisa's user avatar
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18 votes
6 answers
2k views

Fast-propagating, inexpensive ground cover / border

I'm looking for a ground cover / border for my flower beds that's: Fast-propagating Will tolerate zone 6 (although zone 5 might be more appropriate given the way the past few winters have been). ...
FMM's user avatar
  • 391
17 votes
3 answers
19k views

Do I need to lay landscape fabric under ground-cover plants to prevent weeds growing?

I have a large hillside area in Pennsylvania, where usually weeds are out of control. For the next year, I am thinking about using some kind of ground-cover plants such as English Ivy to cover the ...
Richard Sayakanit's user avatar
16 votes
1 answer
671 views

What is this potential lawn replacement plant?

I found this plant invading an unirrigated school yard lawn in Everett, Washington (USDA zone 8a): This plant is very effectively competing with the grass and might make a good lawn replacement. The ...
Eric Nitardy's user avatar
  • 3,660
12 votes
3 answers
1k views

Are there any drought tolerant plants that will force out weeds in pavement and sidewalk cracks?

In front of my house there is a sidewalk and about 2-3 feet of pavement behind a fence which I'm assuming was formerly dirt that was paved over. I've done my best to work with what I've got and make ...
Sarah's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
311 views

What are these fragile green plants with small yellow blooms in Santa Fe?

We are having cold Winter temperatures below 10 °F at night and I find a thick patch of these fragile green plants, some with small yellow blooms, all in a part of the yard that we do not water. ...
Mike's user avatar
  • 151
11 votes
2 answers
3k views

Keeping creeping thyme, or other ground cover, weed free (aka thyme vs. clover)

I have a path with flagstone, with the gap between the stones being around an inch or so. I've had creeping thyme growing between the stones, but it's been a huge battle keeping other plants, ...
rsgoheen's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
526 views

What's a nitrogen-fixing ground-cover that grows on very little rainfall?

Here in the desert southwest (Northern New Mexico, zone 7B, heavy clay soil, 7 inches of annual rainfall), clover doesn't seem to grow well due to lack of enough moisture. What's an alternative that ...
iLikeDirt's user avatar
  • 1,565
10 votes
2 answers
441 views

I do not want to mow the lawn, how can I have a lawn without having to mow?

I have a lawn, but I limit my mowing. Plants do not grow well in the sandy soil. Weeds grow extremely well. The climate is moist, humid spring, summer and fall. Winter is snow and ice. There is lots ...
Laura Betts's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
5k views

Ground cover for large sloped area

I have a fairly large area, ~1000 square feet, that I would like to plant with ground cover that looks good, is low to the ground, and is zero maintenance. The area gets full sun the first half of the ...
Homer's user avatar
  • 221
9 votes
3 answers
2k views

Lawn options for wooded lot?

I'm looking for options to cover some ground around a cabin we will be building soon. It will be a heavily wooded lot. Don't want to deal with mowing it every week either. I'll have a path that goes ...
NKY Homesteading's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is it OK to plant Daffodils on a forest floor?

I'd like to plant Daffodil bulbs in a forested area visible from a kitchen window. The area in question belongs to the homeowner, has no understory (deer browse) or early season ground cover, and is ...
That Idiot's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
2k views

What ground cover would be best for my old stone driveway?

I have a steep driveway that isn't very practical for parking in, but looks pretty nice. It is "paved" with bricks and large marble slabs, with dirt in between the stones. Although this looks pretty ...
Daniel Ahrnsbrak's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
6k views

What is this pungent plant with spikes of purple flowers?

This plant is flowering in our garden. The leaves are gray/green. It has small spikes of purple flowers all over, which are a few inches tall. It has a peculiarly rich smell which I rather love, but ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
577 views

Is there an edible plant that is hardy and can be mowed?

Is there a plant that fits these characteristics? Is edible Is hardy (grows with little maintenance) Can be mowed to 6 inches (like grass) . Makes an attractive ground cover. The reason I ask is ...
John R's user avatar
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8 votes
5 answers
749 views

What is this tiny blue/purple flower with thin, vinelike stems, in Charles City, Virginia?

Update 6/4/ 2017: I am so happy that the ID "Eryngium prostratum – Creeping Eryngo" was found by Lorel C., and am awarding her the bounty. I also wish that that people could please vote for Christy B....
Diane's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
7k views

Effectiveness of Using Wood Chips (a la "Back to Eden") as a garden mulch/covering?

This year I revamped about half of my garden space using the biodynamic method found in John Jeavon's material. I now have the other half and after seeing the Back to Eden film I am really intrigued ...
Randy's user avatar
  • 1,523
8 votes
3 answers
5k views

Can I save the berries from a Big Blue Liriope (Liriope muscari) and plant them next spring?

I have a big blue liriope (Liriope muscari) in my yard, and the flowers have changed to berries. I imagine the normal propagation method is to split the adult plant after it grows large enough, but if ...
The Flash's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
445 views

Identification of ground cover in small decideous forest (zone 5B)

This morning I was walking in Saint-Bruno national park in Quebec, Canada and I happened upon this large patch of ground cover. It was particularly striking as it seemed to be an evergreen herbaceous ...
Gilles's user avatar
  • 1,324
8 votes
1 answer
883 views

What is this low growing square-stemmed plant in my lawn?

I have a small, dense, spreading herbaceous perennial plant in my lawn. I don't have anything against it, but I would like to know what it is. It has slightly square stems and rounded leaves. It has ...
J. Musser's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
236 views

What is this incredibly efficient ground cover?

I moved some soil from one part of my garden to another recently. This seems to have caused fairly aggresive appearing of this ground cover (weed?): (leaves are smallish, 1cm long) In next two ...
VividD's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
1k views

What landscaping and erosion control ideas can I use on a hillside with sandy soil?

I am having problems with erosion and can not keep anything on it. I am looking for any ideas to help control this problem. I had a Landscaper come out to look at it and it will cost me up to $50,000 ...
user3507's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
9k views

How to grow Trailing Rosemary as a ground cover in very heavy clay?

I want to cover a large area that is on a steep slope with ground cover. There is absolutely no soil at all, it's all pure clay: hard rock when dry and soft when wet. I was thinking of putting a ...
Pat's user avatar
  • 203
7 votes
1 answer
429 views

How should I propagate Ajuga

A few years back I removed a shady patch of lawn and planted it to ground cover plants. One half was planted to Lamium, the other half to Ajuga Reptans. In the years since the Ajuga has taken off and ...
GardenerJ's user avatar
  • 5,879
7 votes
1 answer
8k views

What is this white-flowered ground cover plant?

I'd like to know what this white-flowered, winter-hardy ground cover plant with lacerate(?) leaves? Up to 15cm high. It has flowers: The diameter of the flowers is about 2 cm. (click for a larger ...
Patrick B.'s user avatar
  • 4,436
7 votes
3 answers
1k views

Can someone help identify these two groundcover plants?

I am trying to identify the purple flowers (and the groundcover plant that they grow from.) The light green leaves on the left of the photo are NOT the same plant. Those leaves are the same as the ...
Ephemeral's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
552 views

How can I kill English ivy?

I'll be moving to the Seattle area in a few weeks and am starting my garden planning. The house we're buying has a small, shaded front yard with a large tree in it surrounded by about a ground cover ...
chapka's user avatar
  • 171
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is this creeper with serrated leaves and small white flowers growing in Mumbai, India?

What is this creeper? Location: Mumbai, India (Tropics) Conditions: Growing in the Monsoons from June-July onwards in heavy rains and waterlogged soil, overcast / full shade to full sun. Other ...
spinge's user avatar
  • 363
6 votes
2 answers
446 views

What is a shade tolerant, low ground-cover that can tolerate foot traffic for between bluestone pavers?

We have an irregular bluestone walkway leading to our back door. Spacing between the stones varies from 1.25cm to 3.75cm. Though on the south side of the house, heavy deciduous tree cover shades the ...
That Idiot's user avatar
  • 7,029
6 votes
1 answer
567 views

What is this native North American ground cover?

Oops, planted it and lost the tag. It's growing quite happily in zone 5A (USDA zone 4) in light shade and clay soil.
kevinskio's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
221 views

Ground cover for 2000 sq.ft (half full sun / half partial shade) with 60º slope

I am at Southern California. I need ground cover for 2000 sq.ft. with 60º slope and help for choosing the right flowering low ground cover. There are 30 rose plants at present, so prefer ground cover ...
sue ham's user avatar
  • 61
6 votes
3 answers
6k views

What is the best way to remove grass from my ground cover Sedum?

I have a bed of Improved Golden Sedum that is healthy in every way, but wants to go back to lawn. This is difficult to weed, because the grass has a very dense shallow root system, while the Sedum has ...
J. Musser's user avatar
  • 51.7k
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

Does Kinnikinnick require soil amendment for planting

I intend to plant some ground cover on a small steep bank. The bank faces east and receives some shade from nearby trees and also some full sun. The total area is 180 sqft. There are 3 shrubs and a ...
laertiades's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
261 views

What is this plant? Is it ground cover?

Green fast growing both short and tall growth. Did not have it previous years but taking over an area that had ground cover. Is this a fast growing weed or a ground cover or some sort of climbing ivy?...
nancy jarecki's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
156 views

Identification and advice required for pretty but aggressive ground cover

We have a plant spreading across a gravel covered bed. It is my intention to plant ground cover here and wonder if I can keep this plant. My neighbour says it is very aggressive and will grow into ...
Amateur gardener's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
162 views

What is killing my moss?

We have great moss growing between and on the bricks on a patio on the north side of our house. It always seems to do well. This fall I slipped on what I thought was mud, but actually appears to be ...
That Idiot's user avatar
  • 7,029
6 votes
1 answer
47 views

What grows beneath Lapageria?

Lapageria, a forest native of southern Chile, prefers acidic, organic, damp, shaded, cool, well-drained soil. I wonder if there's a suitable native groundcover to match. What smaller plants grow ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
889 views

How to start over-pachysandra decimated

I had a beautiful, thick, well established patch of pachysandra in my yard that is now decimated. To put it mildly, I don't have a green thumb and since I have a full time job and three young kids I ...
Jax's user avatar
  • 283
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is this weed with tiny yellow flowers found in eastern Australia?

It grows very fast in summer. Hundreds of little round seeds seem to grow on stems where the leaves join to the main stem. Wind or manual removal causes them to fall off everywhere. Older stems seem ...
Evan's user avatar
  • 61
5 votes
4 answers
1k views

What's a good ground cover to cover a rock wall in heavy shade in Massachusetts?

At the back of our property we have a 2 foot rock wall, made primary of just big rocks and boulders. Its really cool, however behind it is a thick forest and so due to the trees in our yard as well ...
treeNinja's user avatar
  • 657
5 votes
2 answers
7k views

What is this invasive vine/creeper with round, variegated leaves?

From what I can tell it's a pretty invasive plant. It's been growing in my New York backyard for decades. It has not come to my attention until recently, now that I have picked up gardening. It has ...
Lone Wolf's user avatar
  • 351
5 votes
2 answers
111 views

Mixed ground covers - best care

I e got mixed ground covers planted around stepping stones. The area is not walked on that much. The ground covers seem to die every so often. I’m interested in care for these as I feel sometimes ...
Simon E's user avatar
  • 733
5 votes
2 answers
101 views

What is this strongly scenting ground covering weed?

Here is a weed I gathered the seeds from last year. It had bloomed on a Mediterranean island, Corsica, up in the mountains (around 2000 meters above see level, I believe snow covered 2-3 months pour ...
J. Chomel's user avatar
  • 3,720
5 votes
1 answer
177 views

Can you please identify this alpine, evergreen plant?

Can anyone identify this plant? I've found it multiple times in Idaho's mountains and have been unable to identify it. It's about 8 inches high, Grows in small, sprawling clumps, maybe 1 foot ...
243DRob's user avatar
  • 153
5 votes
1 answer
369 views

What is this groundcover?

My neighbor's landscaper planted this groundcover (in southern California) which she told me was a thyme. It spreads like wildfire and has a tiny white flower with a raised purple center, but it ...
ronke's user avatar
  • 53
5 votes
1 answer
149 views

What are some tight growing ground cover plants as Lawn substitute suitable for SF Bay Area?

I am looking for tight growing (less than 2 inch tall) ground cover plants as Lawn substitute. I live in SF Bay Area (USDA zone: 10, Sunset zone: 17). Full sun (after noon sun, 8 hours). I am ...
Rejeev Divakaran's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is there anything I can do to promote spreading in my Lily of the Valley?

I have some old Lily of the Valley plants around the northeast corner of my house, and they grow nice and thick around the foundation, but failed to spread into the four-five foot wide strip along the ...
J. Musser's user avatar
  • 51.7k
5 votes
2 answers
8k views

What is the difference between landscape fabric and ground cover?

I am looking to do some landscaping around our house, and plan to put down a 2-4 inch layer of rock around the foundation of the house, between 2 and 6 feet out, depending on the area. I've dug out ...
user2259438's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
292 views

Suggestions for a ground cover or plant for direct and reflected sunlight

Are there any plants or ground covers that are known to withstand both direct and reflected light? I live in Central US, Iowa. Every year I replant a 3 foot wide strip of grass along the south ...
Jeremy Novak's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

Good groundcover for bonsai

What type of plants are good ground cover for bonsai? When I first started growing bonsai, I only used a fine gravel for ground cover, but this looked very boring and artificial. Then I tried moss, ...
Cerin's user avatar
  • 221