Design: Ground Covers

  • sloped garden densely planted
    Design

    Design Ideas for Managing Rainwater in Your Garden

    Whenever I am working to resolve water problems in a landscape, I must acknowledge that water will always win. The best we can do is creatively direct it toward the…

  • ground covers for pollinators
    Design

    The Best Ground-Cover Plants for Attracting Pollinators

    Although pollinator populations are diminishing worldwide due to habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, and disease, gardeners can slow this decline through cultivating and maintaining safe environments where winged garden visitors…

  • pollinator garden tips
    Design

    Tips for Installing and Caring for a Pollinator Garden

    Choosing a palette of plants that will sustain pollinators throughout the growing season is a great start. However, the way you plant and care for your selections can provide additional…

  • adaptable plants
    Design

    6 Knitter Plants That Can Tie a Garden Together

    Among the diverse combinations, several adaptable players help to knit the different parts of the garden together, thriving in a variety of microclimates and design aesthetics. See how Dan Johnson…

  • Rohdea pachynema
    Design

    Yellow Thread Rohdea Is a Rare Perennial Jewel for Shady Nooks and Crannies

    While some may be familiar with Japanese sacred lily (Rohdea japonica, Zones 6–10), Rohdea pachynema is an uncommon species that is indeed a Rohdea less traveled. Found only in the…

  • Hardy ice plant
    Design

    Evergreen Ground Covers for the Southwest

    From erosion control to weed suppression, ground covers play an important role in the garden. They benefit neighboring plants by shading the ground, which helps keep soil cool and reduces…

  • climbing hydrangea covering a covered patio
    Design

    Tracy’s Shade Garden

    Today we’re visiting with Tracy Tallman in Southern Ontario. We live on a very shaded country lot. This limits our plant choices considerably. Our repeat favorites include Hosta (Zones 3–9), hellebores…

  • creeping plants for sun
    Design

    Creeping Plants for Sunny Spots in the Northern Plains

    Spreading ground covers are invaluable in certain garden situations. Over the years they creep along the ground to fill in large spaces easily, saving you a lot of time and…

  • Episode 134: Hole Fillers
    Design

    Episode 134: Hole Fillers

    Every garden has gaps that need to be filled from time to time. Whether you are looking for a short-term stand-in while a bed is being reworked or a quick…

  • Design

    Ground Covers for Dry Shade in the Mountain West

    One of the most challenging microclimates in Mountain West gardens also happens to be one of the most common, particularly in mature, treed landscapes—dry shade. Most plants adapted to grow…