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Any species of plants used to cover bare earth in place of grass is a ground cover. Aside from being easy to maintain, ground covers offer a lot of benefits. They stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. They act as living mulch that inhibit the growth of weeds and retain soil moisture. They even provide nutrients to the soil through their decaying stems and leaves. Both functional and aesthetically pleasing, the demand for ground covers has greatly increased through the years, encouraging the development of new varieties and the improvement of qualities such as habit of growth, size and color of leaves, and flower color. The most common ground cover types are the following plants: vines, shrubs, and herbaceous plants.
Vines are woody or herbaceous plants that grow and develop by climbing or creeping along a surface. They can be annuals or perennials, evergreen or deciduous, and are one of the most requested ground covers due to their maintenance requirements. These ground cover types can be substituted for turf grass in order to reduce maintenance. The most common species of vines that make excellent ground covers are the Algerian Ivy and the English Ivy. For areas that require more heat tolerant ground cover types, the Algerian Ivy is recommended. The English Ivy is more suited for small spaces that have partial or full shade. Of the four ground cover types, vines are in the front row in terms of visual quality. However, aside from relieving an area of monotony, growing them on steep banks can also help reduce erosion.
Shrubs are the most utilized ground cover types. Low growing shrubs that do not grow taller than three feet are the most common. These woody plants not only give better support to the soil with their established root systems, they can also be used to direct traffic. However, in selecting such ground cover types, fast-growing evergreens that are easier to establish and are more disease resistant should be chosen. The different varieties of juniper are the most common low growing shrubs that are used as ground cover.
Because of their inability to last all year round, herbaceous plants are the disregarded ground cover types. Their root systems may not be as established but they still aid in preventing erosion especially during winter. They even produce more blooms with a variety of color and provide more character to an otherwise green and monotonous lawn or garden. Herbaceous plants are the most effective ground cover types during the winter months and for areas that are hot, dry, exposed to the sun or those with partial shade.
Ground covers provide instant character to any landscape. Because of the over 250 species that can be chosen from the four ground cover types, varying texture, height, and color in a landscape is possible. However, the selection of a proper ground cover is essential if optimum results are targeted. A lot of considerations including temperature, hardiness zone number, exposure to sun, soil type, and certain horticultural requirements should be checked before choosing one of the ground cover types that will define your lawn or garden.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
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