Would you be happy with bare ground in front of your backyard or your front yard? The answer is obviously no, right? Every individual on this planet appreciates the minor aspects of their surroundings and finds ways to make them lively. If you have bare ground in your front yard, there is also a likelihood of increased heating. This will cause problems while moving around, also affecting your pets. The most logical option is to cover the bare ground and transform it into a paradise with lower maintenance and can be easily achieved with a lower budget. After hearing a lot about ground covers, you might wonder what they are?
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What Is Ground Cover?
Ground covers are plants planted to improve the color and texture of the surrounding. They are low-lying plants with a creeping habit and tend to spread across the ground. They are grown for aesthetic reasons, mainly to cover bare ground and bring life to the region. The plants planted as ground covers are usually perennial. These include some shrubs, grasses, bushes, and some spreading plants. However, you need to beware of avoiding invasive species that will reduce biodiversity and cause problems. You will also have to weed it out and increase your time on maintaining the patches.
How Are They Different From Flowers?
Planting flowers to cover up nasty patches of your front yard can be pretty expensive. This also includes the costs of maintaining it and establishing preventive measures to keep the flowers safe from rodents. Additionally, you will have to check if the weather conditions you live in are compatible with the flower species. Such constraints make it challenging to plant flowers in your front yard or back yard, and its maintenance requires a reasonable budget, time, and energy. Additionally, flowers are frail and cannot withstand harsh conditions, especially when the sun is stronger and brighter. Therefore, people choose ground cover plants as they are easy to maintain and cost less to withstand harsh conditions.
Top Reasons To Choose Ground Cover
Choosing a ground cover for your lawn, as you have noticed, is quite advantageous in all aspects. There are various ground covers to choose from: carpet-forming, club-forming, and evergreen, including plants like turf grass, blue rug juniper, ice plant or sedum, creeping thyme, and more. Here are some of the top reasons to choose ground cover over flowers;
1) Low Maintenance
There is next to no maintenance required to sustain ground covers. Initially, you will have to water the plants daily. Once the plants start maturing, you will have to weed them to maintain texture and consistency; otherwise, the weeds will mess up. Other than that, there are no added tasks associated with it. You can sit back on the lawn and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. Hence, you save time and money.
2) Brings life to your surroundings
Since ground covers adapt to harsh conditions, they can quickly bring greenery to areas that weren’t expected at all. If you have a barren lawn and wish to bring colors, planting ground cover is ideal.
3) Covers barren areas
Ground cover plants are perennial and sturdy, able to withstand harsh conditions. Groud cover plant species can mulch the area and bring life to it. This also opens scope to the plantation and increases the biodiversity in the region to attract some rare insects.
4) Added protection
Ground covers tend to add texture to your ground, as you have observed in kid’s parks or various turfs. This reduces the possibility of getting hurt, and if you have a toddler at home, you should plant ground covers. Additionally, it makes good paths to move around the house and establishes a good picnic spot.
5) They are not seasonal
Compared to flowers, ground covers are perennial and green throughout the year. Therefore, you will not have to experience the flowering cycles of shedding, budding, and so on. This will prevent your lawn from looking different throughout various seasons.
6) Controls erosion
They also control erosion, especially in slope regions where the water pushes out soil from the region. Ground covers can help mitigate this as the foliage and its root prevents soil from getting washed out from the water. Thus, you can also move around your yard quickly without having to slip and fall.
Conclusion
Various ground cover plant species and types can bring colors to your lawn/yard/hilly region. Some species also bring out easier-to-maintain flowers, like Sugar Plum Coral bells, candytuft, scotch heather, and more. They make a great alternative to planting flowers and a perfect reason to choose ground cover over flowers.
