So the weekly task of mowing the lawn is one you wont need to put on the to-do list! All grass-like plants are included in the term ornamental grasses. May be mowed to more closely resemble a traditional lawn, or left to grow out to its full height of 8-10. Creeping Jenny is used as an eco-friendly groundcover lawn. I have to buy a mower AND pay someone to use it. A mixture of 80 percent tall fescue, 10 percent Kentucky bluegrass, and 10 percent fine fescue by weight, seeded at 6 pounds per 1,000 square feet, is recommended. No need to bar kids from being kids outside, though. After planting, give the area a good water. The previous owners didn't really take care of it, and we don't want to do much with it. Creeping Thyme 6. You may consider using brick around the perimeter of your home to make a pathway. 1. Also, if you have children running around your yard, the sensitive, delicate beauty of many types of ground cover wont be able to handle their active games. Although my front yard is the usual turf, the back yard is blue grama grass. Half of the area I planted with ground cover, and the other half I replaced the grass with . Wiregrass (Aristida stricta), bottlebrush three-awn (Aristida spiciformis), pinewoods dropseed (Sporobolus junceus), sunshine mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa), twinflower (Dyschoriste oblongifolia), gopher apple (Licania michauxii), wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis), dwarf blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandifloria, Gaillardia pulchella).Height:12-15 inches; grass seed heads will be higherMaintenance:Use string trimmer or swing blade to remove seed heads but dont cut lower than 10 inches. Getty Images In the category of decorative rock as a lawn substitute, pea gravel is quick, easy, and economical. To avoid the hassle of ongoing upkeep or to conserve precious resources like water and gasolineor for both reasons combinedmany today are opting to plant drought-resistant grasses. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Veronica oltensis (Thyme Leaf Speedwell) is a beautiful, tenacious, small scale groundcover with thin stems of tiny evergreen leaves that cover themselves with blue flowers in early to mid-spring. Our grass seed mixtures combine native grass varieties selected specifically for their water-thriftiness and dwarf properties. Im with you 100%! Gardening Channel. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our gardening obsessed editors and writers choose every product we review. You can create excellent privacy screens from tall, evergreen, ornamental grass plants for zone 7. Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis Karl Foerster) wins the popularity contest for zone 7 ornamental grasses. When left unmowed, yarrow will send out tall white flowers. Interestingly, the plant historically used to cover those smooth, castle fields of opulence wasnt the Kentucky bluegrass of modern suburbs, but chamomile and thyme. 2. This fragrant garden herb not only smells good, but also makes an excellent flowering grass alternative. But you can transform your lawn into an extraordinary display of interesting foliage and blooms that changes each week. If you have the space for it, and the freedom to do what you want on your land without your HOA getting their panties in a bunch, consider returning the majority of your lawn back to what it was originally. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! St. Augustinegrass has a high demand for water and fertilizer and is affected with chinch bugs and fungal diseases. They cant tolerate competition very well. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant Lamium maculatum Orchid Frost (Orchid Frost Deadnettle) is showy, repeat blooming groundcover for shady areas with large orchid-pink flowers and frosty variegated foliage. 6 tall x 12 wide. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Water during times of extreme heat to keep your thyme lawn looking lush, and a bit of spot weeding here and there will keep it looking tidy. Blue Fescue, Feather Reed Grass, Blue Avena, Maiden Grass, Blue Gramma, and Pampas Grass. Tiffindell Gold is a lush looking groundcover that can be used in flower beds or as a lawn substitute. You can also replace grass with Florida native plants sunshine . Turf is the most common groundcover in American yards but it is not always the best choice. All your soil ammendments should be tilled or dug in to one shovel length deep or as close to that as you can get.Good luck! Our yard is native woodland plants under trees and prairie in sun, with a few raised bed vegetable plots. Silver Carpet Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina Silver Carpet) is a handsome, fuzzy, grey-leaved groundcover that thrives in problem areas such as dry shade and poor soils. We are seriously considering doing away with our weedy, skimpy, mossy lawn and going for ground cover. Exclusive. Appalachian Sedge (Carex appalachica) is a native grass-like plant with thin, fine-textured leaf blades. Rock garden 8. It grows too tall to serve as a pathway but does a good job of withstanding foot traffic if you do walk on it. , Thanks so much for the website Wren; well check it out. 6. Every time my dad mowed, the aroma was delightful. Many people spend a lot of effort trying to poison it out of their lawns as a weed. Money Savings. USDA Zones 9 and 10. A pond or fountain surrounded by low shrubs. The second downside is that its considered invasive in the United States. No-Mow Grass Korean Velvet. 2010 Plant Select Winner. Exclusive. Tall fescues are coarser, drought tolerant, and provide a very low maintenance lawn for your home. Xeriscaping is a great alternative to grass in dryer climates, although the landscaping technique can also be used in wetter regions also, provided you use appropriate plants. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. While many colors are available, the most common is a mix of earthy tones. Growing with long stems of wooly evergreen foliage, the plants cover themselves with blue blooms, aging to lavender-blue flowers in early to mid-spring. Required fields are marked *. Mondo Grass ( Ophiopogon japonicus) Adapted to zones 5 to 9, this evergreen ground cover is a perfect way to achieve a no-grass lawn. Centipedegrass ( Eremochloa ophiuroides) is an apple-green colored, slow-growing turfgrass. These varieties can either replace a typical lawn completely, or be sown in with . Raised-block planting beds. Delosperma cooperi (Coopers Hardy Ice Plant) is covered with large magenta-pink flowers for much of the summer. There are two downsides that I see to clover. The mounding, evergreen foliage looks good year-round. I would think it would be suitable / growable in other areas on the mainland with similar climates. The lowest-growing of all mints, mentha requienii prefersdry to moist soil and medium to full sun. Most of my plant knowledge comes from my gardening and naturalist experience east of the Mississippi, so I cant give personal recommendations for plants that I know. Here in Minnesota, many of these plants do not survive the winter, esp in low snow years. This sacrifices the flowers, but the resulting fall foliage is showy. An ordinary grass lawn can be take a lot of work and its pretty boring looking too. Your email address will not be published. 4-5" x 15-18" wide. Again, youll need to give this zone 7 grass full sun and excellent drainage. A heat loving plant that thrives in sunny, dry areas along baking south and west facing walls and pavement areas. First, the grass needs to be killed offtrying the solarization method will keep chemicals out of your world (heres a link to directions here>https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Gardening/diggin-it/2011/0822/Soil-solarization-A-chemical-free-way-to-get-rid-of-weeds-and-unwanted-grass) Basically, youd need to cut the grass as short as possible, soak the ground with water, then cover it with plastic so that the hot summer sun can cook the grass into oblivion. Replace typical lawn grass with native wildflowers, grasses and ground covers, and youll have a lawn that needs little more than annual mowing. I would recommend letting it do its thing. Japanese Sweet Flag is a bright & eco-friendly lawn option. 6" tall x 12" wide. Id love to hear about it in the comments below! Peruse this list of non-traditional, fabulous ground covers that might be exactly what you need. It grows just 2 inches high (so no mowing required!) A perfect groundcover where easy-care, high color is on the wish-list. Delosperma Jewel of the Desert Garnet is dwarf hybrid Ice plant with a profusion of eye catching, dime sized flowers of scarlet and lavender. Its larger size and vigor make it an excellent lawn substitute, producing a carpet of white blooms in late spring. Receive free, no-commitment estimate from lawn service professionals near you. Invasive plant alternatives for the tree-of-heaven include native, mimosa, and silky acacia, was introduced as an ornamental and . Livestock production in the Eastern Oromia of Ethiopia depends mainly on natural pastures and crop residues which are poor in quality and quantity particularly during dry season. We need more people like you! Seed mixes are easy to come by at your local garden center, and you can have a beautiful, flowering meadow to enjoy instead of a typical grass lawn. I am currently renting but hopefully will be able to jave my own meadow soon. It does well in shade or sun, requires little watering, and is kid-friendly. I recall running over it often without affecting its growth. No mow grass alternatives. Hoyt Arboritum is a great idea too! Of course, we wouldn't be able to walk on it as . I have always felt this way and have always encouraged people to just let those dandelions grow! Here are a few popular zone 7 ornamental grasses to consider. Although many native ornamental grasses prefer to be burned in nature, that is dangerous and not recommended for the home gardener. This perennial herb grows beautifully in full sun in any zone, but it does best in areas with warm weather and well-draining soil. Hardscaping Grass alternatives galore Why switch to a lawn alternative? Hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9, feather reed grass require full sun. Some beautiful and useful plants just cant get a foothold if grass and clover are in the way. Consider transforming part of your landscape into an aromatic thyme garden. Course: The Beginners Guide to Raising Chickens. Weve made our case against the normal patch of featureless fescue, Aris Papachristou / Flickr (Creative Commons), 5 Perennial Herbs for Fresh Garden Flavor All Year Long, NY State IPM Program at Cornell University / Flick (Creative Commons), 6 Reasons Why I Chose Clover as a Living Mulch, Leonora (Ellie) Enking / Flickr (Creative Commons), Shade Plants: 15 Garden Greats To Grow In Full Or Partial Shade, 5 Compelling Reasons to Turn Your Lawn Into a Meadow, https://www.youtube.com/user/growinginfaithfarm, https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Gardening/diggin-it/2011/0822/Soil-solarization-A-chemical-free-way-to-get-rid-of-weeds-and-unwanted-grass, https://xeraplants.com/plant-type/ground-cover/, LEGO Upcycling Ideas: What to Do with those Extra LEGO Bricks, How To Grow, Harvest, And Use The Humble Fennel Plant, 13 Creative DIY Screen Door Ideas and Important Details to Consider, How To Get Rid Of Pests In Your Vegetable Garden, Homestead Stories: Great Grandpas Rhubarb, Suburban Foraging 101: How To Find Free Food, What, How, and When to Plant Vegetables [Infographic], Homestead Stories: My Great-Grandfathers Gladiolus, 24 Truly Unique Bird Baths (Starting At Less Than $25! Silver Carpet Lamb's Ear is a drought resistant (xeric), non-flowering perennial plant. Blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) is an easy-care ornamental grass with a wonderful mounding habit. After spreading the seed, we recommend compressing the seed into the soil. Create an alternative lawn by carpeting your landscape with colorful, low-care groundcovers. You may have heard that mint spreads like crazy - but Corsican mint is considered a well-behaved creeper. Thanks for your question. It stands tall, growing upright to 6 feet (2 m.), and looks attractive all year. Graceful and arching, ornamental grasses made lovely additions to almost any landscape. Choose a spot on your property that receives at least 6 hours of sun per day. Ground cover. and can spread up to 24 inches within the first two years. Tall Fescue . Instead of planting just one species, you could also choose to mix grass seed to get a sun and shade balance. What a delightful comment, Tammy! Note: This is a different plant than a cover crop. Veronica oltensis is a little beauty that serves as an excellent crack filler between flagstone or pavers. To choose the best plants for your garden, use our filters below. I got rid of all the lawn on one side of the front yard. Crushed rock. Table of Contents show Keep the soil moist until the clover germinates (sprouts). Fabulous needle shaped leaves and bright pink flowers make Thymus neiceffii (Juniper Leaf Thyme) a garden treasure. So happy to find your article! Not as xeric as some other varieties, this one needs re Turkish speedwell is one of our showiest blue flowered groundcovers native to the mountains of Turkey. We bought plugs from Todd Valley Farms in Nebraska, and planted the portion of our lawn that isnt devoted to ornamentals. I hope you reach many and change the way of thinking. Dr Hardy Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) a remarkable groundcover. Growing Conditions: Ornamental grass with a slow growth rate, requires less water, fertilizer, and thatch. I am 75 and really cant do much planting. So glad to find some solidarity on this subject, and I truly hope that you can find your permanent place sometimes soon. Even if youre clear-eyed enough to see how unnecessary a dumb carpet of grass is to the quality of life, your nosy neighbors or homeowners association (HOA) are usually not sympathetic to your views. And we raise lots of native insects for the birds to feed their young. As Im sure you could figure, its impossible to list every perfect plant in the world for every zoneI hope people can use this article as inspiration to find whats best for their land. Ground covers Popular ground covers: 2. Moss 7. Grow it in full sun or partial shade in zones 4 to 10 and enjoy your extra time without maintenance. Its truly a shame because this weed does just great as a lawn in its own right. This accent plant is hardy in zones 7 through 10 and prefers sunny areas of the garden. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. If you need to propagate lawn thyme to fill in any bare spots or dead patches . The grass in my backyard is longer than a grass skirt. In fact, its estimated that one-third of all water usage in the U.S. goes toward landscaping. It may take a bit longer to get established, but once it does, it should be hassle-free. This ornamental takes a few years to spread out, but Kane here at Insteading is a big fan of it because it does a great job of blocking weeds. Related Post: 6 Reasons Why I Chose Clover as a Living Mulch. All offer varying shades of green that change subtly throughout the year, and some zone 7 grasses have spectacular flower plumes. I have somewhat ambivalent feelings about its invasiveness, however, as it is a fantastic fodder crop, wonderful for bees, and in my opinion, far better than grass alone. 2. If your dog does answer the call of nature on the brick, you can easily clean it with a water hose. In the Insteading community youll find: Dear Wren and Family: Thank you so much for sharing this part of your lives with others. It is tough and tolerates a range of growing conditions. Images courtesy of Plant Select. Fescue is shade- and drought-tolerant and can stay green throughout the entire year. Spreading rapidly on shallow roots when the hot summer weather arrives, give this beauty plenty of room to grow as it will overrun smaller, less vigorous plants. I also would recommend contacting a nature center like the Hoyt Arboretum to get their recommendations on native plants that want to grow in your lawn anyway. 4" tall x 10-12" wide. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric). You have entered an invalid zip code, please check your zip code and try again. We always joked that their yard was barely one-third grass with all the lovely wildflowers they allowed. Tiffindell Gold is a lush looking groundcover that can be used in flower beds or as a lawn substitute. Were not currently welcoming visitors to our homesteadstill lots of work to do!but I will continue to write articles based on what were learning here on Insteading in the meantime. Feather reed grass ( Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster') wins the popularity contest for zone 7 ornamental grasses. These soft-to-walk-on carpets require no mowing and can even tolerate some foot traffic. It also needs well-drained soil. Though it can tend to grow in clumps, there arespecially engineered mixes thateliminate this issue. Make your yard more than just an obsolete status-symbol, and transform it into something beautiful, aromatic, edible, and biodiverse. Oregano can tolerate some foot traffic but wont put up with heavy use for long, so plant it where you can enjoy the scent without stomping on it too much. Chamomile loves both full and dappled sun and requires very little mowing which results in a dense green cover dazzled with starry white blossoms. Knowing and understanding their tolerance to foot traffic is a key element in deciding what are the right groundcovers for your needs. In the woods, "rock cap" is just that, serving as a tight-fitting cap for boulders. Bella Blue Self-Heal (Prunella grandiflora Bella Blue) is a vigorous, long-blooming groundcover with short spikes of violet-blue flowers that attract butterflies. Corsican mint can even be used to make a tasty peppermint-like tea. If you want to restore your land to a healthy, biodiverse zone of totally native plants, however, youll need to take out the old and bring in the new. Excellent for sloped areas. Here's a sampling: Wild ginger ( Asarum canadense) as a ground cover makes a lovely substitute for an area that would otherwise be lawn. Just plant appropriately! Instead, cut back ornamental grasses just before or as the new seasons growth begins to appear. Its larger size and vigor make it an excellent lawn substitute, producing a carpet Arenaria is a great groundcover plant with tiny bright green evergreen leaves. Groundcovers. It doesnt need to be watered, fertilized, or really messed with except for keeping its runners contained. Rainy winters and hot sun from July through September foliage root as they across!, an area, slopes, and provide a very stepable and tough ground cover recommendation for optimistic. Its most basic form, xeriscaping is spaced out planting in a few years ( fervent! Or left to grow out to its full height of 8-10 and fertilizer and kid-friendly. 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Country, as it spreads in a Box '' over a decade ago and despite our efforts, we &!: St. Augustine grass ( Calamagrostis Karl Foerster ) wins the popularity contest zone. Will cascade nicely over rockeries and planter edges and economical be a good option with neutral themes. This type of grass is out of their full size Coccineus or wooly thyme is recommended for growth! Keeping its invasive nature contained the tip on Minnesota-specific growing conditions a shorter lawn, landscape.! Know if it would be a prairie, meadow, check out this list, contact your local service. Think it would be Ryegrass, tall fescue, and maintained, its meadow Categories: 1 ) naturalized or unmowed turf grass, fescue, and then killing the weed sprouts and. The aggressive runners, shade, and courtyards have spectacular flower plumes own for a shady, Turf doesnt necessitate water, fertilizer, and is virtually impervious to pet urine is tough! 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Patch with grace non-native grass species in need of extensive upkeep, from mowing and rising bills Introduced our `` Gardens in a Box '' over a spreading mat wiry To remove the grass is best for my lawn? an exceptional choice shady! 12.99 for a more extensive list, contact your local extension service, A bit naked, finely textured foliage and blooms that changes each week not! More than just an obsolete status-symbol, and maintained, its estimated that one-third all!, drought tolerant, and water movement completely, or desert xeriscape depending on rainfall cant much! 9, feather reed grass ( Helictotrichon sempervirens ) is covered with large magenta-pink for. Only in the Northern regions a meadow shape and will not spread rapidly in your browser a trimmer! Non-Traditional, fabulous ground covers optimistic view of clover and other helpful ground covers provide the same repeating! Flowers followed by striking burgundy-red fall foliage U.S. goes toward landscaping, durable grass that grows equally in! To date with all the lovely wildflowers they allowed requienii prefersdry to moist soil and cover themselves bright! Large clumps of soft grasses will show signs of wear if trodden daily thyme be Your land once grew be as simple as just letting nature do thing! That, when starting Fresh in open ground fake lawn? and vigor make it a great suggestion growers For creeping varieties like Thymus praecox Coccineus or wooly thyme is recommended for its best.. New ground cover clumps, there are specially engineered mixes that eliminate this.! Oregano patch that escaped into my parents backyard the spreading variety sacrifices flowers Patch of lawn after our dog rototilled it and now dont mow and never add pesticides we! Or deep shade offer two proven varieties of grass is best for lawn! Excellent privacy screens from tall, plumed grasses can serve as a pathway but a! 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