Ground Covers: Thinking Outside the Box

Mini Blue Lavender

The roles groundcovers play in a well-designed landscape are numerous and essential. Like mulch, they help supress weeds, maintain moisture, cool soil, prevent soil compaction in planting beds, and replace turf where grass does not readily grow. They also help prevent erosion and fill in under trees, guarding the tree's roots and trunk from mower damage. Aesthetically, groundcovers act like a canvas within a bed, providing texture and color against which to contrast and highlight other plants. The environment also benefits from their use. Compared to groundcovers, trees and shrubs, home lawns require two to four times more water, more fossil fuel for maintenance and demand a greater amount of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

 

One of the drawbacks many landscapers see in using ground covers is the seemingly limited selection available. However, as Barbara W. Ellis illustrates in her invaluable book Covering Ground: Unexpected Ideas for Landscaping with Colorful, Low-Maintenance Ground Covers, groundcovers need not be limited to such standbys as pachysandra, vinca, and ajuga. Depending upon the exposure, soil, and other site conditions, dozens of choices of groundcover exist that can provide unexpected colors and textures.

 

Since an important quality for groundcovers is low-maintenance, matching the right plant for a particular site is essential.  For areas where the soil is too acidic to grow lawn, consider Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis). In a shady bed, waves of gold 'Aureola' or 'All Gold' Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra) will lighten up an otherwise dark area. Flowering groundcovers can add seasonal dynamism to a landscape. Imagine a blue-gray carpet of 'Mini-Blue' Lavender (seen above) or 'Tiny-Rubies' Dianthus coming alive with spikes of purple or bursts of pink. Even vines, like Climbing Hydrangea, can be used as a groundcover beneath a tree and then it will grow up the trunk. The choices available are countless. If you need help trying to find something different for a particular site, ask one of our salespersons for some ideas. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions:

 

Active Spreaders

·         Plumbago (Cerastostigma plumaginoides)

·         Hosta 'Francee', 'Golden Tiara', and 'Blue Cadet'

·         Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon)

·         Hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia punctiloba)

·         Grow-low Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica 'Grow-low')

Dry Sun

·         Stonecrop (Sedum 'Angelina' and many others)

·         Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue')

·         Wormwood (Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound')

·         Ice Plant (Delasperma)

Dry Shade

·         Barrenwort (Epimedium)

·         Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)              ·         Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

·         Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)

Moist Sun and Shade 

·         Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

·         Sweet flag (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon', 'Variegatus')

·         Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa)

For Under Trees

·         Bigroot Geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety') 

·         Chattahootchee Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

·         Lily Turf (Liriope)

Deer-Resistant

·         Lavender (Lavandula 'Mini Blue')

·         Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina)

·         Catmint (Nepeta mussinii 'Blue Wonder')

So, that's the start of a list that goes on for miles. Look at all the possibilities the next time you're here, and consider picking up a copy of Covering Ground!                                             -Thanks John!

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Spotlight on Specimens

Dwarf Korean Lilac Standards

Syringa meyeri 'Palibin' standards

Many landscapes, and not only formal ones, call for an elevated point of interest, whether hovering above a circle of Boxwood in an herb garden, along a patio or walkway or in a perennial border. And, if they have interesting foliage, bark and flowers that only makes them more appealing. There are many interesting standards, or tree-form plants to choose from and we have a great selection like these Dwarf Korean Lilac. Small leaves and fragrant light purple flower clusters mid-spring make up these rather compact, dense heads. The best time to prune these are right after flowering. 

Here is a list of some other shrubs that are also available as standards:

• Diablo Ninebark (Physocarpus 'Diablo')
• Dwarf Globe Spruce (Picea pungens 'Globosa', 'Montgomery')
• Dwarf Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
• Little Gem Norway Spruce (Picea abies 'Little Gem')
• Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)
• Sharp's Pygmy Japanese Maple (Acer palm. 'Sharp's Pygmy')
• Tanyosho Pine (Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera')
• Variegated Willow (Salix integra 'Hakura Nishiki'
• Wisteria (Wisteria)

Mark's Turf Tips

There's still time for grub control!

The window is closing rapidly for applications of Merit, but there is still some time to apply it to control grubs this fall. Merit can be applied into August and if you water it in properly by August 15 you will still get 96% control according to Bayer, the manufacturer of Merit. So don't miss this important application for your lawns and avoid the severe damage to turf that grubs can cause.

Perennial HOT Picks!

Looking great and in good supply

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) Great native perennial in bloom now - nice clusters of orange flowers.

Aster divaricatus (White Wood Aster) Another native that is soon to be loaded with small star-like white flowers. Typically found along the roadside or woodline.

Weekly Special

Lowbush & Highbush Blueberry

Buy 6 or more and get 10% off

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Herbert'

Our own homegrown blueberries are a great buy on a normal day, but this week catch them on special and really save! The lowbush (Vaccinium angustifolium) are very useful as a groundcover and could easily be an addition to John's article up top for full sun. They are also useful in the front of the border and along walkways. Mine gave me a nice little harvest this year, and last fall the foliage was striking, especially next to some Lamb's Ear. A slow grower, plant them with room as they will spread out. Full sun is best, but they'll be ok in some shade, too. A nice, affordable addition to any landscape. Two other pluses: try native and deer resistant!

The Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) will grow 6-8' and give you some larger yummy berries if you're growing them for consumption. Try buying several different varieties which helps in berry production. Each plant is labeled with a variety name. If you don't care about baking a pie for the fair, use Highbush Blueberries for the native shrub border. They are sweet in flower, albeit small, birds love them and everyone will notice its scarlet fall foliage. As these age over the years (again, not a fast grower) they are sought after for their interesting gnarly character. 

Offer valid Saturday, 8/3 to Friday 8/9

NOW!

Looking great and in flower now...  

Flava (yellow) and Madame Galen (red) Trumpet Vine. Pictured in the left hand column is a another beauty called 'Balboa Sunset'

So much in bloom...too little space - Stop by soon!