Fabulous Ground Covers

Who doesn't love a good ground cover? Anyone?

With so many benefits, it's hard not to appreciate all that ground covers do for your landscape and our environment. What benefits are we talking about? Why, we're glad you asked!

The 3 Best Benefits of Fabulous Ground Covers:

1. Their ability to cover ground- as simple as that may sound, one of the greatest benefits a ground cover provides is it's ground-covering abilities. By spreading its roots and leaves over the ground, a ground cover can dramatically help prevent the erosion of valuable topsoil in your landscape and in the environment!

2. Their Weed-Reduction Capability- not a fan of weeding? Plant a thickly-growing ground cover! Once the ground cover establishes itself, it helps to significantly reduce the weeds that grow in your beds. 

3. The color and texture they add- Ground covers come in all sorts of textures and colors and can add some great interest to your landscape! Plant a big swath of your favorite ground cover for a vast, carpeted effect, or mix a few varieties together for a mottled look!

Now that you know the great benefits ground covers provide, let's talk about a few Fabulous Ground Covers for the Central Virginia area:

English Ivy

If you've ever taken a stroll through a Gillette garden, you know the importance of this timeless ground cover. A tidy patch of ivy at the base of a tree lends a quintessentially 'Virginia' feel to any landscape. It does well in sun or shade, and is evergreen. Just be sure to keep an eye on this one- it's an aggressive spreader and will 'cover' you're whole landscape if you let it!

Green Liriope

This lush, evergreen ground cover is a 'tough as nails' option for covering ground. Easy to plant and establish, green liriope quickly defines a space with a soft, sweeping texture. It's great for planting in sun or shade and produces pretty purple or white flower stalks each summer.

Variegated Liriope

Cousin to the all-green variety, variegated liriope is a great way to add a little color and texture to your yard. The soft green and white blades look wonderful planted en mass. A little bit more sensitive than the green variety, it's best to give this liriope a little shade. Cut it back after each winter to get rid of any frost-burned blades.

Dwarf Mondo Grass

This beauty has a fun, spunky appearance! Its short, green blades fan out from the center, creating little green star-burst effects wherever it is planted! Dwarf Mondo Grass is a slow-growing ground cover that does well in the shade. Once you establish a stand of it, you've got a lush, carpet-like covering that is so fun to look at!

Pachysandra

This high-texture, evergreen ground cover is a superb choice for shady spots. It's low-growing nature lends a fun layered effect to you yard when it's planted in a large swath. It's green, glossy leaves create a tidy appearance wherever it is planted!

Of course, these five examples of Fabulous Ground Covers are just a few of the really beautiful ground cover options available to you! What's your favorite ground cover? Do any of the above make your list? Have you planted a large swath of ground cover? We'd love to hear about your experience!