Easy-to-Maintain Lawns and Ground Covers

By J. A. Young

Caring for a traditional lawn is one of the most time-consuming tasks during the growing season. Mowing, hand-trimming, weeding, fertilizing and watering take both patience and time. But relax - there are easier ways to obtain a great look for your front yard with less time spent performing those routine chores. The following article offers low-maintenance ideas for alternative lawns and ground covers as well as time-saving tricks for the savvy gardener.

The kind of grass you plant will determine how much attention you need to give it. Also, your climate will dictate certain choices as well. Hot, dry areas usually require gardeners to water often; in such places you'll want to choose an appropriate species that is drought-hardy. Whatever type you choose, be sure you begin with its optimum health and be certain it will thrive under the conditions of your yard; consider amount of sun and soil type. It is also not uncommon for gardeners in many areas to plant different species for particular areas in their yard - for example, a ground cover that needs no mowing for a steep slope, or an ornamental type that surrounds a porch or deck.

There are lots of benefits to planting a mix of grasses. It may not give you the formal appearance that a single uniform lawn will provide, but it will be easier to maintain. Mixing your grasses means a lawn that generally adapts better to wet and dry seasons. Differing species have different resistance levels to critters and disease; when one type is suffering, you will not lose your lawn’s overall look because chances are, the other types will manage fine. It also creates distinctive visual interest and gives your yard a unique character of its own.

Alternative ground covers are perfect for spots that are nearly inaccessible for the lawnmower like rocky sites or sloped areas, but consider them for the other areas of your yard as well. Unless you’re completely attached to the idea of a traditional lawn, alternative ground covers may be just as lovely, but are far simpler to maintain. Just identify your yard's conditions and make a list of the ground covers that should adapt to your spot. Then, read up on a few of your choices; find one you like and determine how much work it will require from you.

There are many beautiful low-maintenance ground covers. Lily-of-the-valley is great for cooler climates. It does well in a moist soil with partial shade. It will be all right in heavy shade, but it will flower less. Its foliage is a lush green that will grow to about eight inches. It likes nothing more than to spread out, so if you’ve got space, this is an excellent choice.

If, however, you still want that low-to-the-ground green look, consider planting dwarf mondo grass because it produces low mats of rich green, grass-like foliage. It is not an aggressive spreader, so it should stay contained where you plant it, but it is dense enough to discourage weeds. How's that for low-maintenance?

A beautiful choice for a moist shady area is the spring-blooming creeping phlox. It forms wide, dense clumps of green ground cover that become a lush carpet of pink or lavender blooms in the spring. It is utterly lovely and easy to take care of. It needs some watering during drought conditions, but you can leave your lawnmower in the shed.

Finally, a great green choice to grow near paths or walkways is Japanese pachysandra. Its clusters of green leaves stay bright throughout the growing season, provided your soil is rich and well-drained. It is particularly attractive as background foliage for your bulbs. Of course, there are hundreds of other species to consider; just check online or visit your local garden center.

Nevertheless, maybe you are stubborn - or maybe just loyal to your sod or traditional green grass. There are ways to cut down on the time you spend caring for it. One way is to reduce the area of your lawn. This may mean incorporating a small easy-to-maintain rock garden or adding in some areas of low-maintenance ornamental grasses or plants to various sections of your garden. Also, if you truly want to enjoy the beauty of your lawn, build a deck or enlarge your porch so you can shrink your mowing area, but still have some lawn to showcase.

Other methods to make lawn-care simpler include grass or sod removal from hard-to-mow areas like around trees and shrubs. Consider mulching around all of your trees or planting alternative ground covers around them. Instead of hand-trimming along all the edges of your flowerbeds, install mowing strips, which are flat bands of brick or cut stone that sit flush with the soil; you can edge all your flowerbeds with them and they also help cut back on weeds.

When it comes to fertilizing your lawn, try allowing the grass clippings to fall back on the lawn. The clippings provide nourishment for your lawn and save you the time of bagging them. Just don't let them form piles that could smother your grass in spots. And to keep you from becoming a slave to your hose, install a sprinkler system - this may be an expensive alternative for some, but it often waters more uniformly and may prove more economical in the end. Finally, when you lay your lawn, try to avoid sharp angles and curves; straight lines make mowing a whole lot easier.

Click here to purchase lawn and plant care supplies.

© Doityourself.com 2006