Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Wednesday - July 23, 2008
From: Middletown, NJ
Region: Northeast
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Groundcover for sunny yard in New Jersey
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hi. I'm looking for ground cover for a mostly sunny section of my yard. The ground we are looking to cover is next to a slight hill with in a few feet of an in ground pool. I would like something that grows short, maybe a few inches, that also has a thick root system to keep the top soil in place. ThanksANSWER:
Grasses and sedges are excellent in holding top soil in place because of their fibrous root systems. The grasses listed below are not low-growing, but they are ornamental and clumping. You could perhaps use some of them in association with other groundcover plants. The sedges are shorter than the grasses and evergreen or semi-evergreen. The Christmas fern grows up to two feet high, but the remainder of the plants are low-growing.Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats) shade, part shade
Deschampsia caespitosa (tufted hairgrass) part shade
Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye) shade, part shade, sun
Muhlenbergia capillaris (hairawn muhly) sun
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) part shade, sun
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge) shade, part shade, sun and evergreen
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) shade, part shade, sun and semi-evergreen
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) shade, part shade, sun
Phlox subulata (moss phlox) shade, part shade, sun and evergreen
Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry) shade, part shade and evergreen
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry) shade, part shade and evergreen
Claytonia virginica (Virginia springbeauty) part shade
More Groundcovers Questions
Groundcover for Massachusetts campus
April 01, 2012 - Our campus is converting to more sustainable landscaping practices, and in the process we are planting native plants and removing lawn. Thus we would like to replace the lawn, and some invasive groun...
view the full question and answer
Flowering Deer Resistant Ground Cover for Dry Rocky Soil: Alabama
March 26, 2012 - My question has been partially answered in the FAQ but I live in Birmingham where the soil is clay and rocky so it's a little different. I want to plant on a rocky slope (small rocks like the size of...
view the full question and answer
Grass installation with plugs from Austin
February 05, 2013 - As much as I would love to use the seed mixture you suggest for Austin, I am not physically able to do the needed prep and was unable last year to get a professional. No one would even call me back wh...
view the full question and answer
Plant ID at Wildflower Center from Waco TX
June 18, 2012 - I was at the Center last weekend and no one was able to answer these two questions: 1. Where can I buy Silver Ponyfoot groundcover? 2. What is the name of the plant with coral blossoms in front of...
view the full question and 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 the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |