Try it With a Groundcover

A groundcover can be any plant – shrub, perennial, woody, herbaceous, evergreen, deciduous, grassy, flowering – that usually doesn’t get too much taller than four-ish feet and is presented en masse. By far, the most highly used (or should I say overused) groundcover is turf grass. Hopefully this article will open up alternatives that can work in your garden to minimize the use of turf grass by either removing it all together or at least reducing its footprint.
Groundcovers offer great alternative when grass or other plants seem to be having a problem for one reason or another. They can add texture and color, stabilize soils, prevent erosion, curtail weeds, and add height and transitions to a garden. It will add something to an otherwise mat of green turf. You can have different leaf textures – forget about flowers, think of all the different shapes of leaves that are out there and the different shades of green they come in! And the variegated varieties!
There’s one groundcover I planted in a display area at the garden center to soften hardscaping and brighten the area. This plant went bonkers with very little input. Creeping mazus (Mazus reptans) can cover an area quickly with its only two- to six-inch height of narrow leaves and little blue blooms that cover the entire spread late spring into summer. It can handle foot traffic, tolerates sun to partial shade and once established, is unshakeable – a top choice for a lawn alternative. Another tough groundcover that is also evergreen is Maiden Pink Flashing Light (Dianthus deltoides ‘Flashing Light’) – an interesting little guy with an abundance of ruby red flowers in late spring. It prefers well-drained soils in full sun. It reaches a height of about six to eight inches and a width of about two feet wide. For shady, dry areas ridden by deer or rabbits, try an assortment of hellebores that bloom in late winter/early spring. It is an easy plant even for the beginning gardener; they are long lived and require minimal maintenance once they are established.
Don’t forget about shrubs – there are camellias that only reach three feet high with a spread double that. Fall or early spring blooms on large, deep green, waxy leaves. A hedge of weeping boxwood will soften the edges of a patio or add interest to a slope.
There is no line to stay in when it comes to gardening or designing. Don’t know if what you’re doing is going to look good or work? Try it anyway. Every gardener starts knowing nothing. I killed and continue to kill many plants, but luckily I work with a landscape company and garden center that sells beautiful, quality and unique plants that are right at my fingertips, and yours, too! Get started early this spring and visit us while we are preparing for the season!
Written by Lauren Popper, horticulturist at Cape Shore Gardens and graduate of Temple University’s School of Environmental Design.