HippoKat, not sure as to your climate zone, though would have thought ground cover conifers such as Juniperus horizontalis Glauca & other prostrate conifers would be suitable. Especially if you added some course sand to the soil to get the plants started? allan

Thanks! Do you know how sedums do when they DO get a lot of water? The information that I found only said that they were drought tolerant, liked well-drained/sandy soil, but didn't mention if it would survive heavy rainy periods that we also get here certain times of the year. I'm not familiar with the other 3 you mentioned... have to look them up to see what they look like, if they're supposed to be OK in zone 9B, rainy season tolerance, etc. Also... maybe I should start a new post for this... What about ground covers to replace turf grass in areas that DO get foot traffic, but aren't in full sun all day? I was shown "perennial peanut" in small pots today at a nursery, but need to go look at an established "lawn" full of it(I know someone in this area to visit who has it.) Karen

Lacey's point is well made :-)) There really isn't any other type of groundcover more suited to this large expanse of real estate than turf grass nor would be as well-suited to play and traffic from kids and pets. Turf grasses - lawns - are really the ultimate in low maintenance and inexpensive GC's to cover large, mostly flat, open areas. I'd suggest you contact your local extension office as to what sort of grasses would work best for you - they could differ considerably depending on location and I am not familiar enough with your area and its climate to make specific suggestions. Most areas that tolerate or recommend cool season grasses recommend blends or mixes of various types of grasses that offer different characteristics at different times of the year. Cool season grasses - if appropriate to your area - offer the benefit of going dormant in summer so mowing frequency is reduced during that period. They also require less water during this period of dormancy as well, as long as a somewhat dried, browinsh look is tolerated. They green up again promptly with cooler temps and more rainfall in fall. But also start growing again as well :-) Sorry, but you cannot escape the need for frequent mowing unless you select some sort of meadow grass.

Ajuga? Will that survive the dry spells--maybe once it's established? Lamb's Ear? There is a range of aggressive groundcovers. Creeping Jenny might be a 9 and you just need a 3, for example. Some of those things we're all trying to get rid of might be just what you want! Good luck!