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Ground covers are an ideal solution for difficult landscape areas. Sun ground cover can be used around ponds, walkways, and on steep or hilly terrain that would be difficult to mow. Sun-loving ground covers are available in a variety of types, to include flowering, evergreen, and herbaceous species. The right ground cover can be obtained for all your landscaping needs.
Herbaceous ground covers appear in the spring and die back in the fall or winter. They often more closely resemble individual plants, as opposed to ground covers which combine to form a dense mat of greenery. Some herbaceous plants which act as sun ground cover include dianthus, lily of the valley and violets. These plants will provide plenty of color and texture whether naturalized in the lawn, as borders to flower beds, or cascading over a sunny hill. They are hardy, require minimal maintenance, and need moist well-drained soil to thrive. As mentioned, however, they will die back in the fall, leaving bare spots in your landscape. If this doesn’t appeal to you, you would be better served to use an evergreen ground cover.
Evergreen ground covers will sometimes bloom, but their primary use is in providing a rich carpet of greenery year round. There are many evergreen species that are ideal sun ground cover. Creeping Juniper is a popular evergreen ground cover. It is a low shrub that spreads widely and will grow up to 20” high. Creeping Junipers thrive in full sun as a border around walkways or interspersed throughout a rock garden. Another evergreen star of rock gardens is the succulent known as “Hens and Chicks”. Hens and Chicks will form a mat of plants with large circular parent plants (hens) sending out shoots of smaller baby plants (chicks). Hens and chicks thrive in full sun, but can tolerate light shade, especially in the intense southern heat. Evergreen ground covers have little or no flowers. If you want some bloom in your ground cover, look for flowering varieties.
Flowering ground cover is the perfect choice to cover a sunny hillside or tie together the many elements of a large flower bed. There are a number of flowering species of sun ground cover in a wide range of colors and sizes. Lantana is a low growing, spreading shrub that enjoys full sun, low moisture, and poor soil. It flowers from later spring to late fall in a variety of colors to include white, pink, and yellow. Mexican Evening Primrose is another flowering ground cover that enjoys full sun. It produces delicate pink and white blooms through the spring and summer months. It is an aggressive plant and is best suited for areas where it has room to roam. Plant Evening Primrose on sunny slopes or hills and let it run.
Just because your land gets full sun doesn’t men that there is an easy gardening solution. Having a sun ground cover is the best solution for those sunny spots that are difficult to landscape. Whether you are covering a hillside, edging a path, or circling a lawn ornament, ground covers will fill the gaps and provide continuity and harmony to your landscape.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about Landscape Gardening and gardening articles at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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