Groundcover

Not sure what to plant? Look around!

bluehousegardens Evergreen, Great Outdoors, Groundcover, Perennials ,
Photo of woodland garden
Ferns, Pulmonaria, Hellebores, Redbud, Astilbe and more grow at the driveway’s edge of this woodland garden.

Whenever I go for a site visit, I like to look around the neighborhood to see what’s growing. This gives me a sense of the area and also helps me identify plants that might thrive, especially with regard to deer. This lovely garden is at the edge of a long driveway on a very wooded lot. I was surprised to see the host looking so good, but you never know what route deer will take as they pass through. Maybe the proximity of the hellebores acts as a deterrent? I don’t know, but I enjoyed seeing it.

 

Rock Spring Park

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New Cedar Growth
Redbud
Cryptomeria Cones
Fothergilla
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Several times a week I jog through Rock Spring Park, one of our wonderful green spaces here in Arlington. There’s always something to stop and admire, whether it be blooms, new green growth, ducks in the water, or someone’s adorable canine pal out for a walk. In addition to Arlington Parks & Rec, a lot of volunteers make sure the park stays healthy, and I appreciate them every time I go through. And if you have part-shade in your garden, you can be sure that anything thriving here in deer territory will do well at your house, too.

Artificial Turf is Perfect for an Urbanscape

bluehousegardens Garden Structure, Groundcover, Landscape Design ,
Artificial Turf Stripes
Colorful and Comfortable
Bold Planters add Greenery

We were in the Shaw neighborhood a couple days ago where I saw this wonderful streetscape. The new artificial turf products are fantastic! I love the green stripes. I’d enjoy seeing this on my daily walk or from my apartment window. We’re starting to see some progressive clients using this turf in their residential projects now. Don’t knock it until you’ve seen it and touched it! (I personally still have about 300 square feet of lawn that I love to mow.)

Groundcover for Charm and Function

bluehousegardens Evergreen, Groundcover, Plants, Uncategorized , 0 Comment
A stone landing tidies up the connection between the driveway and fenced bin area.
Mazus reptans will quickly fill in between the stones.
Second season Mazus reptans groundcover filling in nicely.

So-called “steppable” groundcovers are widely available at garden centers. These are plants that can be walked over without significant damage. They’re great for filling areas along walkways and they add so much charm. Mazus reptans is one of the most common. As you can see, it will definitely do the job!

Covering ground with Euphorbia

bluehousegardens Flowers, Groundcover, Plants , , ,
Photo of Euphorbia
Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae is a great evergreen groundcover.

I’ve posted pictures of this Euphorbia (Wood Spurge) before, but since it’s flowering right now, I ran out after a rain shower and took another photo. This is such a great groundcover. It’s evergreen and it spreads to cover more area, but it’s very easy to pull out if you think it’s getting unruly. Check out this article from Fine Gardening to see some commonly available varieties.

Naturalized Daffodils Just Work!

bluehousegardens Flowers, Great Outdoors, Groundcover, Plants , , , 0 Comment
Photo of Daffodils
Naturalized woodland daffodils

Daffodils are a perfect choice for the DC Metro Area. They will naturalize (come back year after year, often forming clumps), squirrels don’t dig up the bulbs, the deer don’t eat them, they’re affordable, and they require very little effort. Best of all, they bring incredible cheer all spring long. Love!

My very favorite source for bulbs is Colorblends. Check them out and order early in the fall- they do sell out!