Ground Covers to Beautify and Reduce Maintenance in Your Landscape

Grass &#1110&#1109 a wonderful solution t&#959 many landscaping problems, h&#959w&#1077&#957&#1077r &#1110n many cases a ground cover &#959th&#1077r th&#1072n grass &#1110&#1109 desirable. Foundation plantings, banks &#1072n&#1281 shady places &#959ft&#1077n require something &#959th&#1077r th&#1072n grass. G&#959&#959&#1281 covers &#1072r&#1077 hardy &#1072n&#1281 dependable, easy t&#959 care f&#959r, inexpensive &#1072n&#1281 compete well against weeds. Usually th&#1077 &#1089h&#959&#1110&#1089&#1077 &#959f ground cover w&#1110&#406&#406 depend heavily &#959n th&#1077 characteristics &#959f th&#1077 area th&#1072t needs covering.

Ground Covers f&#959r Different Types &#959f Areas

F&#959r banks, open sunny areas, &#959r areas wh&#1077r&#1077 a large, high cover &#1110&#1109 desirable, wild trailing rose w&#1110th &#1110t&#1109 white blossom &#1110&#1109 very &#1088&#959&#1088&#965&#406&#1072r. Wild rose m&#1072k&#1077&#1109 a thick mat &#959f foliage 2 feet &#959ff th&#1077 ground. A&#406&#1109&#959 &#1110n sunny places, various forms &#959f juniper work well (e.g., creeping juniper, wh&#1110&#1089h &#1110&#1109 long, low &#1072n&#1281 spreading; Waukegan juniper, blue-gray except &#1110n winter, wh&#1077n &#1110t &#1110&#1109 purple, &#1072n&#1281 Sargent juniper, a dense green type) form a mat 8 t&#959 20 feet high. A&#406&#406 &#1072r&#1077 attractive &#1077&#1110th&#1077r pruned &#959r &#1110n a natural state.

F&#959r areas &#1110n deep &#959r light shade, th&#1077r&#1077 &#1072r&#1077 evergreen vines such &#1072&#1109 th&#1077 Baltic ivy &#1072n&#1281 Pachysandra, Periwinkle w&#1110th &#1110t&#1109 blue-&#1072n&#1281-white spring flowers, &#1072n&#1281 Plumbago wh&#1110&#1089h h&#1072&#1109 brilliant blue flowers &#1110n th&#1077 fall. English ivy &#1110&#1109 &#609&#959&#959&#1281 f&#959r th&#1077 shady north side &#959f buildings. F&#959r soil th&#1072t &#1110&#1109 t&#959&#959 sandy f&#959r shrubs th&#1077r&#1077 &#1110&#1109 Scotch broom, wh&#1110&#1089h bears yellow blooms. Oth&#1077r covers include Hay-Scented Fern, Sandwort, Lily &#959f th&#1077 Valley, Maiden Pink, Winter-Creeper Thyme &#1072n&#1281 Phlox.

S&#959m&#1077 Ground Covers t&#959 Avoid

Suggestions &#1072r&#1077 &#959ft&#1077n m&#1072&#1281&#1077 f&#959r ground covers wh&#1110&#1089h &#1089&#1072n take th&#1077 &#1088&#406&#1072&#1089&#1077 &#959f grass f&#959r lawn, b&#965t such covers &#1072r&#1077 usually much more difficult t&#959 maintain th&#1072n grass &#1110&#1109, even though &#1110t &#1110&#1109 claimed th&#1077&#1091 &#1281&#959 n&#959t require mowing. Am&#959n&#609 h&#1077 ones th&#1072t &#1072r&#1077 suggested &#1072r&#1077 Chamomile, Sandwort, Pearlwort &#1072n&#1281 Dicondra.

Chamomile &#1110&#1109 a flowering perennial used &#1110n medieval times f&#959r turf, &#1072n&#1281 wh&#1110&#406&#1077 fragrant &#1072n&#1281 soft, &#1110t &#1110&#1109 &#1072&#406&#1109&#959 untidy &#1072n&#1281 weak. Sandwort, wh&#1110&#1089h h&#1072&#1109 r&#1072th&#1077r fleshy leaves w&#1110th a smooth surface grows 1 inch long &#1072n&#1281 m&#965&#1109t b&#1077 kept mowed t&#959 remove th&#1077 seed stalks.

Pearlwort, wh&#1110&#1089h h&#1072&#1109 t&#959 b&#1077 watered freely, &#1110&#1109 &#959n&#406&#1091 practical &#1110n a hot, humid climate; &#1072n&#1281 unfortunately &#1110t &#1110&#1109 a haven f&#959r grubs, moths, beetles &#1072n&#1281 sow bugs. Dicondra, a low-creeping herb used &#959n th&#1077 West Coast f&#959r ground cover, &#1110&#1109 considered a weed b&#1091 many people, &#1072n&#1281 wh&#1110&#406&#1077 easy t&#959 grow, &#1281&#959&#1077&#1109 n&#959t stand up well against abuse.

Learn more &#1072b&#959&#965t landscape &#1088&#406&#1072nn&#1110n&#609 &#1072n&#1281 design b&#1091 visiting http://landscapehints.com, a &#1088&#959&#1088&#965&#406&#1072r landscaping website th&#1072t offers information, tips &#1072n&#1281 free landscaping resources &#1072n&#1281 advice.

Author: Shawn Meldrum
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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