Planting creeping thyme in your garden allows you to enjoy the sweet fragrance of the plant when it starts to flower. . If you don't know your area's plant hardiness zone, go to EdibleLandscapeDesign.com for links to zone maps in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, New Zealand, North America, South America, and the U.S. What can I use instead of grass in my backyard? We grew our thyme from seed, but you can also purchase organic plug trays for quicker results. What is the fastest growing ground cover? Happy 4th. Answer: You're in 7a or 8b, depending on your location. It loves full sun, it's drought-tolerant, and it isn't picky about soil quality. It might not be a tall plant, but it would spread out with vine-like threads, hence the name, creeping. No matter which variety you grow, pollinators will be drawn to its broad flower heads. However, Johnson grass and weeds grow great! We have a bed with Bottle Brush and a white rose with Lipia Nordiflora ground cover. I have a pond with a small island in my backyard. USDA Zone? I need weed control, and hopefully something about 8-inches tall or so. We use weed eaters for the efficiency, and all you have to do it have your hive 5-6 inches off the ground and you can easily mow around them without harming them. I have some Elfin Thyme that I love. Good luck! Flowers would be nice but not essential. http://extension.msstate.edu/vegetable-gardening-m... http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/tips/lawn_alte... https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/... http://extension.missouri.edu/main/aae.aspx. Low maintenance, sandy soil. I hope it can rejuvenate the soil .. I have a Limelight Hydrangea tree nearby, but it hasn't grown much in two years. This low maintenance turf alternative requires no mowing, fertilizing, thatching or watering. What service each of these plants does perform, however, is that where they do grow, they grow tightly, making it less likely you'll have to weed. Do I need to remove grass before planting? I also find that if I plant among it, the disturbed area looks good within a day or two. So my question, is there anything could I plant that wouldn’t choke out the natural beauty but still cover the slope and choke out the weeds? I have about 150 sq. It is North side of home, sees no direct sun. https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/#. I'm passing along to you a link to your area extension service so that you can ask a gardening expert in your state (mostly likely a professor) about the best choices for that area of your yard. I doubt any groundcover would harm your oak unless it is already on its last legs, but why don't you use landscaping fabric or heavy cardboard over the weeds and mulch underneath the oak to the drip line? Bricks, wood or anything that sinks a few inches in the ground to stop the grass from overtaking it. Question: Can I use ground cover plants as a mulch in my flower garden? Could you recommend a colorful ground covering that would be tolerant of that. I will add a bright crape myrtle in the fall - UNLESS you have a suggestion for a long or multi-season interest tree. I killed my St. Augustine grass several years ago and last year planted frog fruit. Best,Jill. For extremely high-traffic areas that don't bear up well when planted with grass. They're easy to naturalize, so they'll spread on their own. Any of these plants would require less maintenance than a lawn would, especially the ones that don't need a lot of water. I'm actually planning this tonight and I'm excited. I am going to plant some Spring bulbs and some trees and bushes now during Fall here in Northern Utah. I know grass has a thick root system that makes it hard for our desirable plants to get water and nutrients. Great choices! Sometimes in arid climates, you’ll see them planted along highways. Soul is compacted, and it is a hot location. I find that ice plants "travel" on me too. It's a lovely plant and very compact. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on June 06, 2020: Sorry it's taken me so long to respond. See full descriptions and photos for each below. I love creeping thyme and have some near a rose bush. I have no practical experience with it, but it's supposed to be hardier than the other varieties and stay somewhat green even in subzero temps. In summer, it has showy red flowers. Answer: Many outlets sell ground cover seeds. I really appreciate the encouragement! Ground covers that crowd out the weeds are a perfect solution. House is at 5,500 elevation, 18 miles south of Big Bear. The other plants could be considered deer resistant; however, that doesn't mean deer won't sometimes eat them or at least take a bite and then decide they don't want to graze those particular plants. Good luck to you! Answer: It varies by county. None of them have thorns, so they shouldn't hurt your bare feet. that is excellent at breeding waves of weeds. Can my dog go up and down stairs after being spayed? Thank you for the information. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on August 24, 2011: So many people seem to dislike mint, but like you I'm really fond of it. You will probably want to choose native plants, which will require less maintenance than non-natives. I just don't want to create a battle where I have to trim it back all the time. Walking on it will cause little bursts of thyme scent to accompany every step. Take care, Jill, another great Hub! I want to avoid landscape fabric because it doesn't work well from my experience. The soil is more on the sandy side. Use it to ring a pond, trail along a wall, or edge a walkway. Needs to be deer/rabbit resistant. The pictures were great! A cultivar of the succulent Sedum spurium, dragon's blood ('Schorbuser Blut') is hardy in Zones 3-8. The Best Low-Maintenance Ground Covers for Your Garden. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on May 17, 2011: Sounds like we have some of the same issues! The water pours out of the mountain and from what I can see on the Highlands Water Preservation it is the headwater to the stream. Mine is growing in a flower garden. We have a hill behind our home that is mostly composed of weeds. We'd love beautiful flowers too. I'm in Zone 8. Purple mixed with lavender butterfly bushes, pink cotton candy muhly grass, pink armeria, probably Lord Lieutenant Windflowers (blue-ish purple), French Lingerie reblooming daylilies, maybe a Millenium Globeflower, maybe Lilac Sensation OR Josee Lilac. Last couple of 6 inch pots of phlox below, Vlad n't and! Could use daylilies, too and full-sun areas 5,500 elevation, 18 miles south of bear... In containers, rock gardens, and places where little else ( besides weeds ) will grow miles of. Snake River in Southern Idaho flower colour as well as partial shade, but it forms a dense carpet four! 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