Comments on: The dance of the groundcovers

By: GAR-DAN

GAR-DAN — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:08:24 +0000

Just a few minutes ago, thanks to Fine Gardening magazine’s Billy Goodnick, I discovered your most wondrous website, Susan!!! I am delighted to belatedly discover the groundswell (pun intended) of grass roots (ditto) interest among gardeners in downsizing their traditional grass lawns. I live in Charleston, West Virginia and growing grass on my rocky (much sandstone), sloping, mostly clay lot is an exercise in futility. This spring, on a whim, I decided to let the most difficult grassy area (it totally slopes) do its own thing (as we used to say in the sixties). Well, my mini-meadow, as I have dubbed it, is a total delight!!! What used to vex me as annoying, intractable weeds have mostly revealed themselves to be wonderful wildflowers…they seem to be native plants and are quite hardy. I have transplanted several types of wildflowers and grasses, from other parts of my property, into my mini-meadow. My slogan for this part of my yard is “MOO, NOT MOW!!!” Anyone know where I could purchase some reasonably priced bovine figurines to put among my flora friends?!!

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:27:47 +0000

I like the look….you go girl!

By: suzq

suzq — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:13:27 +0000

I’ve been growing miniature succulents and sempervivum along a low stone wall in my garden. They can stand up to brutal sun and dry conditions. They spread and mix quite nicely. They bloom at odd times of the year– some early spring, some mid summer, some late summer–so there’s always something to look at. And the worm their way in between the rocks and cascade down quite beautifully. They’re a nice addition to the lemon thyme and moss I have growing nearby.

By: Pat Hilty

Pat Hilty — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:51:26 +0000

For high traffic area Dymondia margaretae is great. Mazus reptans has small purple flowers but takes less traffic. For shady areas Ajuga reptans is great.

By: commonweeder

commonweeder — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:01:41 +0000

I love your lawn upgrade. I have lots of thyme and clover, but we do still mow occasionally. I’m working on that, though. After last summer’s foundation construction project I had to replant. Clover was the answer! Yesterday I acquired 2 new daylilies. My husband has decided he’s willing to invest in a mess of daylilies to cover an difficult to mow bank. I’m ready.

By: susan harris

susan harris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:44:35 +0000

Chuck, it’s hard to see in the photo but there are brick pavers bisecting the oval in two directions. They matches the brick that’s the surface of the front porch and also the walkway from sidewalk to the porch.