Best grass/ groundcover
Autumn Mcpherson
5 years ago
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Tom
5 years agoraee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Perennial Fountain Grasses Growing with Snow in Summer Groundcove
Comments (7)It just depends on whether you want to add some height or not as a visual interest. I understand you to mean the grasses coming up through a low ground cover, not the other way around. I would choose a more vertical grass myself, such as Little Bluestem 'Standing Ovation' or Panicum 'Northwind' and keep them spaced out, otherwise you will crowd out your silvery ground cover. Grasses would make a nice contrast against a backdrop of evergreen trees, especially if you get late afternoon sun hitting and lighting up the seed heads, that would be quite pretty. Or, you could just go with only grasses massed in and let the ground cover get taken over, again it depends on if you want to add height in front of the evergreens....See Morewhich grass or groundcover is best and easiest?
Comments (2)If this is the specific look you are after, there are few alternative grasses that do it as well as Zoysia. Up here in northern California, it is usually only available as flats, and your $4.99/SF price is certainly competitive with what a flat would cost. Regular sod is much less expensive. As Zoysia is super slow from seed, I wouldn't recommend even going there, unless you have a strong desire to regularly weed. Zoysia can also be cut into 2 or 3 inch squares and planted 4 to 6 inches apart to stretch the quantities. Another similar subtropical grass which will also give a similar effect is the much faster growing and rougher textured Kikuyu grass, Pennisetum clandestinum. I risk getting flamed by the myriads who will proclaim this is the Devil's Grass, and should never be set loose in a California garden. It is more drought tolerant than Zoysia, faster growing, and similar look with the lumpy growth habit if not mown, but it can be invasive, Not a grass at all, but sedges such as Carex tumulicola, C. pansa or C. 'The Beetles' could also be planted out in mass to give a soft meadowy effect. Red Fescue is also used on slopes in southern California for a billowy lawn effect, but needs alot more water to stay green, and is not very practical if you need to limit your water bill....See MoreGroundcover to replace grass--need suggestions, please
Comments (13):) I'd totally go with a mix of sedums...they're easy to start from trimming, they take a great deal of abuse, and will survive anything the utilities can hand them. you can buy a single pot of 'autumn joy' at any garden shop, and there will be a dozen or so stems coming off the crown. break half of them off, snap off the leaves from the bottom 1/3 of the stem, and stick the stems in a tray of damp soil. set in the shade for a week, watering lightly if the soil dries out, and they will root. you now have 8 or so plants, plus the 'mother'. around here, you could go door to door, and have people HAND you plants they have come to find invasive- daylilies, artemesias, stachys (lamb's ear) and three or four kinds of low-growing sedums (also called stonecrop) which you could root in that area, and let the best plants win. I'm sure there are similar 'bullies' in your neighbors gardens. the ultimate bully, in my opinion, is a plant called 'yellow archangel' of the false lamium family. it's a pretty plant, invasive and fast spreading- takes sun, takes shade, takes an act of god to kill it, and you can abuse it, taboot. this isn't the time of year to be mailing plants to you- but I'd be more than happy to share some archangel with you once the weather breaks :)...See Morebest grass seed / groundcover
Comments (1)You may need to be more specific about what you are trying to accomplish and how much work you are willing to do to maintain it (i.e. are you looking for a low maintenance ground cover, erosion control or a lush enviable lawn?) If you are asking for advice on how to seed a lawn, you may get more responses by posting your question on the lawn forum, there are several grass gurus from Texas on that site that are very helpful good luck Nik...See MoreSuper-Sod
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
5 years agoAutumn Mcpherson
5 years agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
5 years agoYardvaark
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years agoTed (Zone 4) IA
5 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
5 years agoAutumn Mcpherson
5 years agoChristopher CNC
5 years agoAutumn Mcpherson
5 years agoAutumn Mcpherson
5 years agoraee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years agoAutumn Mcpherson
5 years agoChristopher CNC
5 years agoDeb
5 years agoraee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years agoDeb
5 years agoAutumn Mcpherson
5 years agoblakrab Centex
5 years agoraee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years agoYardvaark
5 years ago
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