Landscape Ground Covers
In this article, we will be looking at landscape ground covers. What is landscape ground covers and how can we benefit from them?
Ground cover explained
landscape ground covers are plants that are used to
- Fill in empty spaces and create a beautiful design under tall trees, palms, and other features such as garden lights and so on.
2. Ground covers are also used to block out weeds, hence the name ground cover.
3. Is used sometimes instead of mulch.
4. Can be used to make words as a garden showpiece, for example creating the word welcome.
5. Can be used instead of grass.
6. Help to prevent water loss.
7. Help to prevent soil erosion.
So we can see that there are many benefits to making these plants a part of your landscape and garden design.
Here are five ground covers that can give your garden design that WOW.
Vines and ground covers can also add that touch of flavor to your landscape. Here are a few which will work wonders.
1. Lantanas makes a great ground cover, I have worked with lantanas and found them to do very well. These plants come in an array of colors and attract butterflies, they are low maintenance and can grow really well in little water. Pest problems include mealybugs, lace bugs, mites, aphids, whiteflies, and lantana leaf blotch miners.
Control pest by using insecticidal soap sprays. Diseases of lantanas include botrytis blight and powdery mildew that is caused by a fungus. Powdery mildew appears as a white substance on the leaves of lantanas. The plant also loses leaves, leaves are deformed.
Prune infected parts and apply a fungicide. Lantanas are drought tolerant and over watering may cause root rot, allow the soil to dry out, and apply a fungicide drench will cause your plant to bounce back. Fertilize lantanas with bloom booster or triple 10. read and follow the labels when applying chemicals and fertilizers because the label is the law.
2. Portulacas are great and can survive the salt sprays. This ground cover grows very dense and shoots small beautiful flowers. This is a low maintenance plant that can survive on small amounts of water. Portulacas are attacked by a fungus that causes the plant to become diseased with root rot, white rust.
use of a fungicide will bring this problem under control. Aphids are a known pest and applying insecticidal sprays will bring this garden insect pest under control. Fertilize with triple 1o.
3. Sea Purslane is great and really do their job, this ground cover spreads really well and can completely cover your garden area, care should be taken when installing. Plant in masses around palm trees, the flowers are small and may not be that showy but it adds to the overall garden design. Sea purslane can survive on very little water. Sea purslane has no known pest problems.
4. Geranium Ivy is a wonderful showy plant, I have worked with these plants over the years and in my opinion, they bring that soft touch. This plant is very delicate and should be handled with care. Geranium is often planted in hanging baskets and can be placed on porches or patios. Make sure that the soil is moist, allow the plant to dry out a bit, and then water again.
The main pest problem includes aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies. Using a liquid soap spray will get the job done. The fungus causes a disease known as grey mold, dying flowers, or drying leaves begin to rot once the rain and cold set in. Remove diseased parts and apply a fungicide, fertilize with a light application of bloom booster. Follow the label when applying chemicals and fertilizers, because the label is the law.
5. English Ivy makes a good ground cover, these plants are known as climbers and can do wonders for your garden area but be careful because this plant grows vigorously and can take over your garden. It is best to plant them by themselves or under tall trees.
Ivies can survive on small amounts of water. Graden pest problems include mealybugs, aphids, scales, and spider mites. The use of insecticidal soap will get rid of these pests.
Botrytis blight is caused by a fungus, signs include grey fuzzy mold that causes dead patches to appear on leaves and stems, the upper parts of stems, and eventually, the whole plant dies. Prune infected plant and thin for proper air circulation. Apply a fungicide, bacterial leaf spot signs include dark patches on wet leaves, the patches turn brown and forms a yellow cycle around spots, stems will dry up, and then death sets in.
Remove diseased parts and thin plant for proper air circulation and then apply a fungicide. Be careful not to overwater because root rot may occur, decrease watering and drench the soil with fungicide. Fertilizer with triple 20, triple 10, etc.. follow the label and apply fertilizers and chemicals as directed.
The final word
Ground covers are an excellent choice, why not choose them to be an overall part of your garden and landscape design?
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About the author
Norman loves being in the garden, both at home and for his job....
he is 'Natures Little helper' being outdoors, growing his vegetables and flowers from an early age.
Now having spent over 22 years in the profession he want to give some of his knowledge to others...
his vast array of hints and tips you will find scattered over this site will help you no end growing plants in your garden.
I love your website, there is so much great information on it. I plant a garden every year and the last two years my cucumbers have had gray mold on the leaves so I will be taking your advice and try to get rid of the fungus.Great Job! The information was easy to read and follow and you page is well thought out.
Hello Dana it is so good to meet you and thanks a million for those kind words. Please let me know how it goes. All the best to you.
Hello Norman,
I think you have lots of good information in your website. You’ve done an awesome job.
Some comments I can offer is maybe better organization of the pages/topics you have created.
You have allocated 3 main pages (the middle three) to talk about various topics, in addition to many others pages on the Right Hand Sides. So my suggestions is that you create several more main pages on top or on the side that deals with, example:
• How-to …. (plant this tree, create garden beds, … )
• Nutrients/Benefits of …. (oranges, aloe, …)
• Understanding different …. (grass, plan types, terminologies ( (perennials)…)
• Garden Disease ….
And place those pages in the appropriate categories.
So creating additional categories or sub-categories could help your audience better quickly locate for something.
In addition, you can also you different colors or Word Formatting to create a more distinct look of different categories.
Wish you the best!
Hello Jone so nice to meet you and thanks a million for those kind words and for you advice. I will see what I can do. All the best to you and have a good day.
Hi Norman, Love, love, love your article on ground cover. I am so glad I found it. I know nothing about gardening and have been having a problem with trying to figure out the best plant to grow in a patch of dirt, in the front of my house. Someone said to plant hydrangea there, but I like the Lantana you mentioned. The issue’s I am having is there are a bunch of little rocks in there, should I dig them out and will the Lantana grow in the San Francisco area? Your advice will be greatly appreciated.
Hello Sarhar it is so nice to meet you and thanks a million for those very kind words. Lantanas loves sunlight but may also do well in partial sunlight, the plant itself can survive on little water and attracts wildlife like butterflies.
You can buy lantanas in one gallon size so you don’t have to dig that deep The rocks should not be a problem as long as you can work around them. Hope this helps, all the best to you and have a good day.
Great information Norman! Thank you.. I do have a question on ground covers. I’m getting ready to start my fruit and vegetable garden. I have been told there are certain flowers that will help deter pests from attacking tomato plants, etc. Do you have any information regarding which flowers are best and most effective in a food garden by chance?
Hello Chays it is so good to meet you and thanks for commenting. Here is a link that you can follow that may help. These are just a few that you can take a look at hope this helps.https://staging-gardenofedengardencenter.siterubix.com/plants-that-repels-insects
I love colorful landscape ground covers!
Geranium Ivy definitely caught my eye right off the bat – It gives that high-maintenance vibe & royal look, that can turn heads.
Despite the fact that my every-day hobbies are nowhere near gardening, nor something that involves green, I highly appreciate the beauty it brings to our surroundings.
Every once in a while I tend to stop by, to admire & take photos, if I see something colorful that nature has to offer to us..
..planted by human, or not, it doesn’t even matter.
It’s all good & refreshing to our emotion. Don’t you think?
But getting landscape organized, that’s a whole another level. Thanks for the great design ideas, let’s make our homes more beautiful!
Hello Henry it is so good to meet you and you are right, Having a beautiful landscape is so great and can do so much wonders to our surroundings. Nature is so wonderful with all its beautiful designs and color. Nature walks are great
and is a get stress reliever to lift our spirits and clear are heads. Landscape is fun along with a good workout. I believe that in this field you can get the best of both worlds.
Thanks for commenting, all the best to you and have a good day.
It was really nice to learn what a landscape cover is and how to care for them. We are planning to get a new home in the country area, with a garden, super exciting. But it will definitely a new learning curve for me. I think I will definitely be going for plants that attract butterflies.
Hello, ririj it is so good to see you again and I am glad that I could help. A new home in the country that sounds so wonderful, I would be super excited myself and I am happy for you. Please let me know how everything goes
Wishing you the best of success, all the best to you and have a good day.
Well, I now what what ground cover plants are! What a great post – well thought out and very educational! I have lantanas in my garden and I’ve been looking for other ground cover plants to keep the weeds down and keep it looking colourful! You’ve given me some really great ideas here! Thanks
Hello Alison so nice to meet you, I am so happy that I could help. Thanks for your kind words and have a good day.