Most of the time, grass is used to cover areas without plants in the garden, although there also exist flowers that may very well replace it. Thus, one can choose to resort to some plants that grow like grass and that will cover some areas such as a border, a rockery or a low wall. In addition, these plants will prevent weeds from emerging. All in all, ground cover flowers are a good investment.

The most widespread ground cover plant is grass. It actually comes in a multitude of forms. These plants are easily spread, a necessary quality for a ground cover flower, but some of them must be maintained to prevent them from invading the rest of the garden.

Characteristics of ground cover flowers

Except for grass, which requires to be mowed regularly, most ground cover flowers only require slight maintenance, if any. They grow very little in height but spread easily, forming a carpet of vegetation that covers the ground. As such, they are essentially grown for their foliage and are often perfect for concealing a border. As mentioned previously, these plants are not demanding, be it in terms of water or care. If they are planted in appropriate areas, their needs will be taken care of naturally. Not only are they beautiful and easy to grow, but ground cover flowers will also prevent weeds from developing. Thus, at the time of planting, make sure that the soil is perfectly clean. That is to say, stripped, up to a certain depth, of all the weed rhizomes that may still be present. The use of a complete pre-planting herbicide is not advised against, but it will require the gardener to monitor the product’s decomposition until it has completely disappeared. Once the ground is prepared, plant in the selected location, and according to the species’ needs. It will be necessary to supervise the plants to control their development. During the first two years, small maintenance work is required. It consists of hoeing and hand weeding around each plant. As they grow, they will form a compact vegetable carpet that will make the emergence of weeds almost impossible. Thus, each species has its usefulness in the garden, whether it is used to cover the bare ground or conceal a border.

Flowers used as ground cover

All ground covers flowers have a specific use. Some flowers, such as those belonging to the genus phlox, are perfect for creating a carpet of flowers as they effectively spread on borders and rockeries. These plants belong to the Polemoniaceae family, and are native to the United States. They produce star-shaped flowers until summer. They are to be planted in fertile soil that is well supplied with water and of which the pH is neutral or slightly acidic. Perennial geraniums grow in all types of soil. They grow easily and the flowers appear from May to September. On top of that, they are known to be particularly hardy. Hosta, in turn, does not require any maintenance. Planted in rich soil, in an area sheltered from the sun, it will produce original foliage while perfectly fulfilling its function as a ground cover flower.

Related posts:

  1. Ground cover plants
  2. Getting rid of weeds: manual, mechanical and chemical means
  3. Different ways to fight off weeds
  4. Preserving and protecting flowers from the cold

Published in Ground cover by Alexander on 31 Aug 2011