Covering Ground

Ground covers are a pretty and practical way to bring diversity, elegance, and durability to open sweeps of lawn. Give your landscape a vibrant new palette that is both sustainable and low-maintenance through plantings of herbs, shrubs, mosses, and more. Barbara W. Ellis provides a variety of full-color lawn designs and professional planting advice to get you started. You'll be amazed as your ordinary lawn transforms into a striking display of color and texture.  Barbara W. Ellis is a freelance writer, editor, and lifelong gardener. She is the author of many gardening books, including The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book, Deckscaping, Shady Retreats, and Covering Ground. She holds a B.S. in horticulture from the Ohio State University, Columbus, and a B.A. from Kenyon College. She has worked as managing editor at Rodale Press and as publications director for the American Horticultural Society and is affiliated with the Hardy Plant Society Mid-Atlantic Group, the Garden Writers Association, and the Perennial Plant Association. She lives and gardens in Maryland, where she and her husband live in a renovated "green" home with an assortment of rescued dogs, cats, and parrots. Her garden, which is managed organically and designed to be wildlife-friendly, features a wide range of ornamentals, herbs, and edibles for both sun and shade. Getting Creative with Ground Covers



Part One: Rolling Out the Carpet

Why Ground Covers?

Making the Most of Ground Covers

Addressing Problem Spots

Knowing Your Site

Plant Selection

Creating Combinations

Going Wild

Aggressive & Invasive Ground Covers

Covering Ground with Hardscape



Part Two: Perfect Plants for Every Site

Active Spreaders for Sun & Shade

Sun Lovers for a Patterned Garden

Ground Huggers for Paths & Stepping Stones

Small-Scale Spreaders

Perennials for Bold Cover in Sun

Ground Covers for a Sunny Slope

Vines for Covering Ground

Shrubby Ground Covers for Sun & Shade

Selections for Shade

Flowering Ground Covers for Shade

Native Plants for a Woodland Floor

Ground Covers for Wet Soil

Ground Covers for Acid Soil



Part Three: Planting, Growing & Propagating

Site Preparation Basics

Buying & Installing Ground Covers

Planting on Slopes

Planting over Time

Caring for New Plants

Renovating Ground Covers

Growing Your Own



USDA Hardiness Zone Map

Photography & Garden Design Credits

Resources

Index REIMAGINE the Possibilities for Covering Your Ground



REPLACE GRASS on hard-to-mow slopes



CONNECT scattered flower beds, trees, and shrubs



CONTROL erosion along stream banks



CARPET the patches between stepping stones



STABILIZE boggy areas



EDGE walkways, curbs, and driveways



CREATE natural alternatives to traditional lawns



ADD A SPLASH OF COLOR anywhere you need it!
"Barbara W. Ellis transforms yards into flowering pieces of art…offering low-maintenance schemes, plant combinations, and in-depth advice on nurturing verdant landscapes."
Home Magazine

"Covering Ground will inspire with its wonderful possibilities for creating eye-catching color and texture in unexpected places. Ellis has the answers to the toughest garden situations…"
East Coast Gardener

"If you're making the decision to get rid of some water-thirsty lawn, here's help. Here are plenty of alternatives, as simple or as show as you want, for sun or shade, around pavers, along edges, fragrant or not, fast- or slow-growing, high- or low-maintenance."
St. Petersburg Times

"There's life beyond lawn grass, and even beyond English ivy and pachysandra. You'll find lots of good ideas in Covering Ground."Chicago Tribune

"Barbara Ellis … elevates utilitarian ground cover plants to garden stars."McClatchy News Service