Native Plants
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
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| topic | question | |
| Ground cover for cleared property in Austin February 23, 2010 I live in a small apartment building near 183 & 620. The land beyond the lawn has trees and has been cleared of brush. They are planning to seed the ground. I thought invasive native ground covers wo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for a mixed border in Houston February 22, 2010 I live in Houston and have a flowerbed I'd like to fill with plants that will look good year-round. The back is already lined with 6-foot shrubs so nothing like that. I'd like something with colorf... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for primary school in Illinois January 12, 2010 I'm looking for a ground cover to plant on primary school grounds. It will need to be able to handle foot traffic. Is there anything that flowers and is a perennial? The area gets full sun and is b... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for parking strip in Pasadena, California January 04, 2010 Can you suggest a low growing, low maintenance plant which will spread to cover parking strip in Pasadena, California? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcovers for Sarasota County, Florida January 02, 2010 I would like to replace the grass in my yard with native or any other appropriate ground cover. I live in North Port, Sarasota County Florida. I would be grateful for any suggestions. Thank you in ad... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Replacing a Grass Lawn with Moss January 02, 2010 I have a small north facing yard that I would like to change from grass to moss. There is some moss now but still lots of grass. I need to rake a lot of leaves in the fall but want to get away from a ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Prairie wattle for woodland area in Austin November 29, 2009 Can prairie wattle be grown in a woodland area? It would get part shade, with full sun for at least half a day. The soil is a bit rocky; location is Austin. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for New York sloped area November 24, 2009 I'm looking for native ground covers (vines?) for steep, heavy shale sloped areas as well as a ground cover in gently sloped area, preferably not higher than 6 inches. All that I've found is non-nat... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Vinca minor and St. Augustine grass November 22, 2009 Will St. Augustine grass choke out vinca minor? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen groundcover in Louisiana November 17, 2009 I need a suggestion for an evergreen groundcover plant that can tolerate moist soil. I want something that is low maintenance to go around a pergola in my backyard that gets mostly full sun. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for morning sun in Pembroke MA October 07, 2009 Could you please suggest native groundcover,plants/shrubs/grasses for eastern facing slope which gets morning sun? It is my front yard which slopes down toward driveway so it would be a major focal po... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for wet soils in North Carolina October 03, 2009 I'm looking for evergreen plants (shrubs or ground cover)that will tolerate wet conditions for the zone 8 area of North Carolina. The local garden centers here do not stock these types of plants, eve... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Groundcover for Maryland to replace English ivy September 21, 2009 What is a suitable ground cover native replacement for english ivy? Native to Maryland. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Horseherb for ground cover in Dallas September 19, 2009 When considering horseherb as a ground cover for a large area; are there disadvantages to sowing seed versus planting established plants? If not, what time of year is best to sow horseherb? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Aggressive Frogfruit September 17, 2009 I have frogfruit voluntarily growing in my flower beds. I had intended to use it as a ground cover but am concerned that it is taking over. Will it kill (smother) my flowers that I have planted for bu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcovers for California September 16, 2009 Can you recommend native ground covers for shade area to prevent soil erosion; the area is near an old California Live Oak. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native groundcover for central California September 02, 2009 In Modesto, CA. Hot summers, cold winters. Need a low ground cover for area next to driveway approx. 5ft X 14ft. that stays green all year round. I did have grass there but neigbors lawn is loaded wit... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover called Jumping Jacks August 19, 2009 My neighbor has a beautiful ground cover and she doesn't know the name and I have searched the nurseries and internet and can not find it. She says it spreads like crazy and when she was young they c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low native groundcover for Wicksburg/Newton AL July 29, 2009 I am laying a rather wide-set flagstone pathway in our back weeds (planning some native grass and wildflowers in the fall on either side of the path). I am looking for some very low native groundcover... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Non-vascular moss between flagstones in Mechanicsburg PA July 11, 2009 We would like to plant moss between our flagstone. However, the moss will have full sun all day. Can you recommend a moss for Central Pennsylvania near Harrisburg? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for a sandy slope at a weekend cabin in central WI. June 30, 2009 I have a cabin in central Wisconsin where the soil is equivalent to a sandy beach. There are some areas that are nearly impossible to mow because of how steep the incline is. Could you recommend som... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for a steep bank in Virginia June 23, 2009 I have a small yard with a 3 foot steep bank that I want to plant on. I am looking for fast growing ground cover. There is some shade but not a lot and has a southern exposure. Ground is a bit roug... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants to put between stepping stones in Virginia June 07, 2009 We are a public school in Northern Virginia and are looking for native plants that could be planted between heavily used stepping stones and could withstand some foot traffic (mostly in a sunny spot, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Wildflowers for high canal bank in Florida May 27, 2009 My home is on a canal to a natural lake in Central Florida (Orlando area). I am wondering if there is a wildflower that I can grow on a 3' high canal bank that is mostly shady. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for wet area in Missouri May 25, 2009 Hello, I live in Missouri and our neighborhood is built over a natural spring. Half of my yard remains wet/moist for weeks to months and we can't mow it. I'm looking for a ground cover and plants... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Flowering groundcover for Indiana May 25, 2009 I live in southern Indiana and am looking for a nice flowering groundcover that will overcome the grass. It is on a hill that is very hard to mow. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for slippery slope May 20, 2009 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, I am looking for a ground cover for a slippery slope. Do you have any suggestions? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for steep slope under large oak in East Texas May 17, 2009 I live in Longview and have a slope on the west side of my house that is eroding. There is a large 18-20 y-o oak tree that shades half the slope. The slope itself is too steep to safely/easily mow. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for under oak in Plano, Texas May 15, 2009 I live in Plano Texas USA. I have a huge live oak tree in my front yard and a large Cape Myrtle as well under these trees no grass will grow so we have dirt or mud when it rains. Fact is the front y... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for steep hill in Georgia May 04, 2009 We have a large steep hill with only clay and rocks on it in the North Georgia Mountain area. What is a good Native ground covering to put on this for erosion? Something that grows fast preferably. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover or grass for Panama City, Florida April 19, 2009 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants I live in Panama City Florida and am having great difficulty growing a lawn. I would prefer no lawn as grass, it seems a pointless use of resources but my husband requires gr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native plants for groundcover under Magnolia in Austin April 09, 2009 What plants native to the Austin, Tx area will do well underneath a large magnolia tree (instead of the English ivy that is there)? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low maintenance ground cover for pool area in Corona CA March 28, 2009 Hi, I have this slope in my backyard that goes up to the neighbors yard. I'm looking for a low maintenance ground cover type plant that will stop erosion and won't cause a mess for my pool which is... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for Massachusetts March 21, 2009 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, We are trying to kill poison ivy in shaded areas bordering our driveway and want to plant something quickly to replace it. There are many tall trees in this area, mainly pi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Drought tolerant ground cover for Winter Park, FL March 09, 2009 I'm looking to replace my lawn with a drought tolerant ground cover. I do not have a watering system. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for Poconos in Pennsylvania March 09, 2009 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, I am having a problem growing grass. I live in the Pocono mtns of Pa. my soil is not typical for this area. I have very sandy soil, probably poor quality. grass will not grow. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native ground cover for Houston March 02, 2009 I'm interested in finding native ground cover, either perennials or grasses, that would help control erosion on a steep slope along Soldiers Creek. Currently there is Jasmine, ivy, prairie spiderwort... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for wildlife in Virginia March 01, 2009 Looking for a good ground cover to replace what we've got growing in front of our condo in Northern Virginia. Something to provide cover for the birds and their fledgelings in the spring and summer, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Virginia wild strawberry plants for New Hampshire or Massachusetts February 25, 2009 Where can I find Virginia wild strawberry plants or seeds for my garden and will they grow up north in New Hampshire or Massachusetts? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native grasses for groundcover in Bossier, LA February 18, 2009 What kind of ground cover can I plant on a slope that gets full sun? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover beneath a maple January 24, 2009 I am looking for something to spread out in the shade of a maple tree. I have tried lily of the valley, ferns, pachysandra, ivy, hosta, euonymus.. nothing spreads out. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for North Central Texas January 24, 2009 I live in north central Texas. My backyard has very fine, powdery sand soil. The previous owners of the property let the grass die out and now every time it gets windy, the sand gets into our patio an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground cover for damp areas January 11, 2009 I am looking for a cover ground plants that tolerate damp areas. Any suggestions? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Locating free tumbled glass for mulch in Austin October 31, 2008 Do you know where tumbled glass can be obtained for free in Austin? You've used it as a mulch at the Center. Someone in one of my Native U classes mentioned that it can be gotten free somewhere in ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcover for drainage ditch in Bastrop October 02, 2008 A friend in Bastrop has a drainage ditch in front where she'd like to use a groundcover. Normally it's very dry, but when it rains, can have 1-2" of water. Gets mostly sun. I was wondering about ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| How to combat weeds growing in mulch September 12, 2008 Trying to decide on either ground cover plants, or some type of gravel. We have a new house where the builder has planted small shrubs in the full sun flower bed next to house. The bed has mulch at th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Groundcovers to replace meadow grasses September 08, 2008 Are there any groundcovers that are tolerant to local conditions between Bastrop and Elgin and hardy enough to takeover meadow grasses? I have a couple of acres that was a meadow before I moved here e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Santa Fe orchard groundcovers September 05, 2008 Howdy We were wondering what kind of ground cover you would suggest to use in a sunny area that has a few new apple trees [7' high]. The area is about 80' x 100 '. The soil is clay & was used to ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low ground cover for steep bank in Ohio September 02, 2008 We have a 3/4 acre pond that has several places along the bank too steep to mow. We would like to plant some type of ground cover in those areas that would keep the weeds out. The planting would need ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Ground covering around cypresses in pool area July 25, 2008 We have multiple cypress trees planted along our pool area..they shed way too much..but I'm looking for something to put under and around them over the dirt..do you suggest wood chips or a ground cov... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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