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Ground Cover Plants

          What is the definition of a ground cover? 

By Tim Wood 

  All rights reserved ©  Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc.

When we think of ground covers our minds quickly think of sweeping beds of Pachysandra and Vinca minor. We have this paradigm that ground covers should grow only three to six inches tall and come in trays or small cell packs.  Our limited definition of a ground cover confines the potential of our designs, our selling techniques, and the solutions we offer our customers.  O.K. let's test your ground cover knowledge. What is the most popular ground cover sold today?  If you guessed Pachysandra, Vinca or English ivy your are way off. Turf grass is the most widely utilized ground cover today. We most likely missed the answer because turf fell outside of our normal definition for a ground cover.  What is the definition of a ground cover? Something that covers the ground, of course.  It could even be cement, mulch, stone or shrubs. Yes shrubs. Shrubs make excellent ground covers.

            For a plant to be a good ground cover, it should; have a dense growth habit, be easy to establish, look good in mass, shade out unsightly weeds and possess beauty. It is often beneficial if the plant has the ability to hold the soil and prevent erosion. I am often asked for suggestions of ground covers for steep slopes where mowing is difficult and erosion is a problem. Shrubs are an excellent choice for such areas, often out performing the traditional ground covers.

            I've taken the liberty of listing a few of my favorite shrubs that I feel make excellent ground covers based on the criteria listed above. Don't be limited by my opinions, but instead use them to break out of your existing ground cover paradigm. For more information on ground covers, and to thoroughly expand your ground cover pallet, pick up a copy of David MacKenzie's new book entitled "Perennial Ground Covers."  Don't think that this book is only about herbaceous perennials such as Ajuga and Astilbe.  A perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. Trees and shrubs are perennials that just happen to be woody. David's book describes hundreds of plants that we don't normally think of as ground covers, both woody and herbaceous. It is an excellent book that you should add to your reference library.  Well here are a few great shrubs that should be utilized more as ground covers.

            Stephanandra incisa 'Crispa' makes a great ground covering plant growing only 1-2 feet tall and up to 4 feet wide. It is a low mounding shrub with attractive, small, maple-like leaves which turn a bronzish-purple in autumn. The beauty of this plant is its attractive foliage and its ability to shade out weeds and hold soil. The branch tips root in as they touch the soil forming a dense, non-yielding thicket. Stephanandra is a tough plant that can tolerate full sun to partial shade. Use it to cover steep banks, under trees, in parking lots or in any location you need a durable, low maintenance rug. 

            Itea virginica (Virginia Sweetspire) is prized for its white, fragrant, pendulous, bottlebrush-like blooms and its attractive foliage which turns a blazing red in autumn. It forms a dense thicket that fends off weed competition quite nicely. The plant produces underground shoots that helps to fill in a mass planting, but still not so aggressive as to cause problems. There are two cultivars of Itea that are well suited for covering ground. The most common cultivar is Itea 'Henry's' Garnet', a compact selection which grows 3-4 feet tall by 5 feet wide. An exciting new dwarf selection is Itea LITTLE HENRY® which' reaches only 18-24 inches. Its smaller stature makes it especially well suited for massing and covering ground. Use Itea under trees and in other semi-shady locations. Make big sweeping drifts to take full advantage of its floral display and superb fall color. It makes a great ground cover for banks, and around decks.  It's easy to grow and requires very little maintenance.

                Forsythia is a popular flowering shrub that few would ever choose to use as a ground cover. That is until the recent introduction of Forsythia Gold Tide. Gold Tide grows 2-3 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide. It has a soft feathery, light green foliage and an excellent spring floral display. It is a vast improvement over Forsythia viridissima 'Bronxensis' which is grown for its dwarf habit, but rarely ever blooms.  Gold Tide is an excellent choice for covering banks, massing, or planting around low decks. It forms a dense plant that few weeds can penetrate. It is truly a new use for Forsythia. 

            Spiraea japonica is a popular, easy to grow shrub that has become very commonly used in recent years. Spiraea japonica 'Alpine' is one of the shorter cultivars growing only 1-2 ½  feet tall and twice as wide. It has green foliage and soft pink flowers in early to mid-summer. If you are looking for something a bit flashier than you might consider using Spiraea Dakota Goldcharm® which has golden yellow foliage and reaches only 12-15 inches tall. For a Goldflame-like plant, but with a dwarf 18-24 inch height, consider using Spiraea 'Magic Carpet'. Magic Carpet has gold foliage with bright red tips and vibrant pink flowers. It is a wonderful little Spiraea that looks its best when planted in large drifts.  No matter which dwarf you choose or use, Spiraea will provide good summer color and a neat and tidy habit.  Use in mass, planted 2-3 feet apart, to make sensational drifts of color. Use in mass on banks, as a border or around decks and patios to create a splash of color.

Deutzia 'Nikko' is a wonderful plant that makes as nice a ground cover as you could ever want. Nikko forms a dense mat of 18-24 inches in height that few weeds can compete. When it blooms in late spring, it is covered in delicate, tiny white flowers. Even when it is not flowering this plant looks good! In the summer it is a very pleasant plant with fine texture and bright green foliage. In the autumn you will be pleased to see it has attractive purple foliage. This plant is at its best when planted in mass. It looks great drifted next to a walk, a stone wall or a staircase, because its texture and color soften the harshest features. It is also an excellent choice for banks and erosion control. As it spreads, Nikko roots into the soil to hold the soil in place. You will not be disappointed by the beauty and utility of this low growing Deutzia.  

MIDNIGHT WINE Weigela  is an interesting new shrub. Instead of a five foot tall shrub like most Weigela, MIDNIGHT WINE is a super dwarf 10" tall mounded plant. The overall habit is more like that of Artemesia 'Silver Mound, but instead of silver foliage this plant provides deep burgundy red foliage and light pink flowers. It makes a great substitute for Crimson Pygmy barberry. It has not thorns and it blooms. Use this plant in massed ground cover or as a specimen in a perennial garden or rock garden. The only strict requirement is that you grow it in full sun to get the best foliage color.

I hope that my ground cover choices have forced you to rethink your definition of a ground cover. I think you will we pleasantly surprised with the selections I've listed. Try using shrubs in your next design. You won't be disappointed with the results.  The varieties I've listed all form dense thickets that will greatly reduce weeding and look good doing it. The textures, the flowers, and the fall color only add to their beauty and usefulness.