Ground covers, or plants which spread out to cover the ground, are often used for erosion control on a slope or as a easy-to-maintain substitute for turf grass. Many provide the additional advantages of crowding out weeds and preserving soil moisture and nutrients. Vines and evergreen plants are common choices, but you don’t need to give beauty for functionality. Rather, choose a spreading perennial flower, which returns year after year if cared for correctly, and carpets your own landscape with blooms.
Know your climate. Discover your U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones. These zones are defined from the typical high and low temperatures of a certain climate. Once you realize your zones, you may pick perennial ground blooms that thrive in these zones. Utilize an internet interactive map, ask a specialist at a local nursery, or appear in a gardening magazine to find your zones.
Have a walk around the block. Take a look at the nearby lawns. Should you find a spreading perennial that is particularly attractive, consider asking your neighbor what the plant is also where she got it. If a plant is thriving on your neighbor’s yard, odds are it will thrive equally well in your yard. If you’re very lucky, your neighbor might even supply you with a cutting from her plant.
Study your landscape. Determine where you want to place the ground cover, and watch it to find out just how much sun that area gets each day. Examine the soil in that region too. Soil-testing kits are available at any garden center or nursery. Once you realize the pH level of the dirt and the quantity of light the area gets each day, you will be more ready to pick plants that can thrive in that location.
Tour a local botanical garden. Have a pen and paper, and jot down the names of spreading perennial blooms that interest you. Request a specialist at the garden to get hints.
Go to a nursery or a garden facility. If you want to speak to a specialist, consider calling ahead to see if someone will be free to consult you. Come armed with the information you have gathered on your own land, landscape and potential plant selections. Then, ask the expert what she recommends as a good choice for your yard.