Ground Cover

If you have a tricky spot in your garden; whether it be too sunny, too wet, too wide or too steep, chances are there is a ground cover to solve the problem. As low-growing plants or creeping vines, ground covers are

• functional
• low maintenance, and
• work to break up monotony in a garden or landscape

Ground covers are any plant species that can grow fast and vigorously enough to cover your chosen area - vines, herbs, perennials and shrubs. With hundreds of species and varieties to choose from, you can select the perfect ground cover for the chosen spot in your garden. You could use a landscape ground cover to guide foot traffic, protect tree roots from lawn mowing, bind an eroded bank or choke out weeds. Landscape ground cover is a good alternative for spaces where grasses are impractical. Because most ground covers grow between six and 12 inches in height, and tend to have a very shallow root system, they won't disturb any already established plants around them.

The Grass is Not Greener
Why Use Landscape Ground Cover?

The main reasons for using ground cover are for its practicality and aesthetic value in a landscape or garden. Rather than a wall to wall grass carpet, you can utilise different varieties of ground cover to break up sections of your garden and vary the height, thickness, texture and colour of your garden. Ground covers will fill in patches of bare dirt between your shubbery, adding interest and uniformity to the garden. They tend to be hardy, enabliing them to grow even in harsh unfavourable conditions, and once established ground covers require very little maintenance.

The versatility and variety of ground covers available make it suitable for any kind of garden. Over a wide area ground covers could be used to fill in spaces without the monotony of stretches of grass, or create flow from one section to the next. In smaller gardens covers can break up sections, separating walkways and other plants, or layering the garden. Generally lower growing ground cover is used for smaller areas while taller covers are more suitable for slopes and wide areas.

Once properly established ground covers are low maintenance and beneficial to your garden. Ground cover will shade soil and keep it moist, and cover narrow and sloping landscape where access is difficult and lawn-mowing impossible!

Learn more about various ground cover plants here...

More information about Ground Cover Plants, with links to popular ground cover varieties

Gardeners, did you know that roses can be used as ground cover too? If you want to learn more about roses and rose gardening, check out the Rose Garden Online website.