Alternatives To The Boring Ground Cover
 (Read 500+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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Most people when thinking of ground covers probably picture a low-growing mass of green, boring and uninspired. Of course those people take a very narrow view of the lowly ground cover. Any plant can be a ground cover, even the Kentucky Blue or the lawn. Plants, therefore, placed in such a way as to disallow weed seeds from invading, inhibit the rapid evaporation of moisture in the soil and provide ample protection from soil erosion can be considered a ground cover regardless of how tall they grow. With this in mind let us look into fantastic alternative ground cover ideas.
Daylily (Hemerocallis).
With the fleshy and ever-expanding root system of the Daylily these plants need only be planted one foot apart to provide enough coverage to make it the perfect ground cover. Not only is it virtually maintenance free (they self mulch, are almost disease and insect proof, take full sun to part shade, are extremely hardy and drought tolerant) but the wonderful flowers are anything but boring, come in every color imaginable and there are only about ten thousand cultivars from which to choose. Planted on a sloping bank the soil will be protected from sliding away with the next rain storm. An amazing yet different ground cover.
Hosta.
We all know the Hosta is a lovely plant for the shady woodland garden but have you ever considered placing them closer together to form a solid mass? That would make them an excellent ground cover for semi and full shade areas in the landscape. These also self mulch when the weather cools and the foliage dies down making the area practically weed proof. Again there are so many you’ll have a hard time choosing which NOT to get. When purchased en mass, they are pretty darn cheap, too.
Carpet Roses.
This Rose is nothing like those ultra needy Hybrid teas and Grandifloras. This shrub Rose requires sun, good, rich, well drained soil and not much else. Disease and insect resistant and hardy to zones 5-10, this Rose cascading over a rock wall is a spectacular sight when thousands of blossoms shower the bush. Their 3-4 foot spread makes them ideal for an extraordinary ground cover.
Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum).
What is prettier than a bouquet of daisies for mom? How about an entire sweeping area devoted to this perennial favorite. Their startlingly white petals and yellow pin-cushion center waving in the summer breeze is breathtaking and virtually carefree. If given good rich soil and loads of sun the Daisy is self sowing, self mulching, disease free, sustains no damage from insects and drought tolerant. What more could you ask for in a ground cover?
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Goldstrum).
Butterflies, Hummingbirds and bees love this cheery, sunshine-bright yellow flower with the protruding dark center. Deer, however don’t. Drought, cold weather and insects don’t bother it a bit. Even takes poor soil. Planted en mass they are a sight to behold and the perfect ground cover for dry, sloping areas or sunny borders.
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea) .
For the gardener who loves butterflies a large patch of Purple Coneflower will certainly do the trick for attracting them along with bees and Gold Finches who adore the seeds of this super hardy, drought tolerant, deer resistant, self sowing, carefree perennial. Placed either by themselves or mixed with Daisies and Susans they will have your neighbors gasping at the beauty of it all.
Lupine.
Tall, multicolored flower spikes attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees like mad but deer not so much. These super hardy perennials look great when planted in large quantities and make an effective ground cover with their bright green, umbrella-like foliage which in itself is worth planting. Self sows readily, too.
Japanese Iris.
Not to be confused with the fussy Bearded Iris who often gets its rhizomes attacked by boring insects, the Japanese Iris looks somewhat like the Daylily in form. Its long, sword like leaves disallow any weeds to invade and the tall, oddly shaped flowers in shades of blue, white and purple look lovely when planted as a ground cover. Loves regular, well drained soil but can take wet heavy clay like nothing else. Likes full sun to part shade and is exceptionally hardy.
These might not appear to be any sort of ground cover that you are used to but since when do you have to conform to “normal” anything especially in the garden? Go ahead and try out these alternatives to the average, boring ground cover. Your neighbors will only gape at the beauty and wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 For amusing short stories visit http://www.helium.com/users/32782. For an intriguing novelette-in-progress visit: http://www.myspace.com/glorygarden.
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