browsing: groundcover

These low-growing plants will spread and require minimal maintenance. Living mulch also provides “soft landings” for insects that overwinter and lay eggs in tree canopies, an essential part of the native food web.

Shrubs, grasses and clumping perennials can also be used as a ground cover when planted in mass. For example, daylilies can be used to cover large expanses or slopes. Some shrubs like Japanese garden juniper or variegated glossy abelia can serve this function, as well as ornamental grasses or self-seeding annuals.

To create the ultimate soft landing for wildlife use native plants and consider combinations of plants rather than a monoculture.

To figure the number of plants needed for your project, multiply the square footage of the bed by the spacing multiplier. Choose spacing based on how fast you want to cover the area and/or the mature width of the plant selected.