Tag Archives: ground cover

Gorgeous Ground Covers

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Spring will come again but there’s no need to overlook your garden in the meantime.

Pachysandra terminals in a shady woodland garden

If things are looking stark out there, adjusting the plant palette can turn blasé into beautiful. Adding evergreen plants is an easy way to create a lush-looking winter garden in the Maritime Pacific Northwest.

In past blogs, I’ve mentioned the importance of using evergreen shrubs to provide unifying structure when perennials are dormant and deciduous trees are bare. 

This blog focuses on evergreen ground covers that make the whole garden look more vibrant, especially during wintertime.

Below are some of my favorite, easy-to-grow evergreen ground covers that will brighten up any garden.

Pachysandra terminalis sp. (Japanese Spurge) has glossy, apple green foliage that reflects light even on dark, overcast days. For best performance, plant it in rich, loose soil in dappled shade where it will get some supplemental water during summertime. A woodland environment is ideal. Once established, Pachysandra is vigorous – becoming a dense, fluffy carpet of green about 6″ high. Although not invasive, it spreads vigorously by underground roots and will quickly outgrow a small space. It can be contained by a border, but will decline if its roots have nowhere to go. Occasional shearing will promote new growth and keep Pachysandra from getting leggy.

Euonymus fortunei ‘Kewensis’ (Wintercreeper) has tiny, deep green leaves along vining stems that comprise a dense, twiggy plant. Wintercreeper thrives in average or better garden soil in a part sun location with afternoon shade. It will tolerate more sun if it gets ample water. Once established, occasional shearing will keep it looking tidy and encourage a low, dense habit. If left untrimmed, sprays of its vine-like stems may develop into unusual looking upward sweeping pointed waves that are sure to be a conversation piece.

Prunus laurustinus ‘Mount Vernon’ (Mount Vernon Laurel) has bright green narrow foliage about 4″ long. It is ideal for large areas and its stiff, pointed foliage has a bold texture that can provide excellent contrast with surrounding plantings. Although it can be grown as a small shrub, regular pruning and thinning keeps Mount Vernon laurel healthy and encourages lush new growth and good lateral coverage that forms a mat of undulating foliage about 12″ high. Like other laurel, it is not picky about soil and needs only minimal supplemental water once established.

When planting ground cover (with few exceptions) avoid dry, rocky and compacted soil unless it is adequately amended. Soil always reverts to it original form, so select plants that will thrive in the native soil if you want the best results for the least amount of work. Before planting near existing trees and plants, make sure their root mass will not be damaged by digging and that there is enough loose soil available for the ground cover to grow a healthy root system.

MORE IDEAS

Planning garden upgrades this winter is a great way to prepare for spring!

If you’re looking for more ideas, please contact me for a design consultation to learn about landscape design or how to maximize the impact of plantings for any spot in your garden.

Big News For Small Gardens

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COYALIPINEGARDENGardening in small spaces?

Living with small outdoor spaces is becoming more and more common and designing for them is getting more and more attention from the landscaping industry. At the recent Northwest Green Conference small gardens were a hot topic.

Rest assured that even if your space is limited, a dynamic garden is still possible. In fact, small garden spaces offer great opportunities. (See my landscape design galleries for some examples.)

The keys to success for small gardens are creating visual spaciousness and engaging all the senses.

Here are just a few of the tricks I have learned after many years of designing small gardens:

  • Create balance and contrast. Select appropriate hard surfaces, then use lush plantings to add a sense of abundance.
  • Connect distinctive areas. Create a theme that connects the contrasting elements in your garden. This can be done with color, repetition or garden art. Carefully placed mirrors can add dimension and depth in dark shaded locations. A simple water feature will provide another sensory experience and create a feeling of relaxation.
  • Think big; free yourself from limitations. Lofty, transparent plants and open trelliswork and arbors increase vertical interest. Take advantage of different elevations: plants spilling over low walls or vines climbing up a backdrop add another dimension. Open areas keep the garden from feeling cramped
  • Create a small pathway. Use strategically placed stepping-stones, shiny pebbles or glass to represent an invitation for entry.
  • As you plan, keep in mind how you want to use your small garden. Is it a courtyard to pass through? Is it mostly viewed from indoors?  Or is it going to be an outdoor room large enough for a couple of comfortable chairs or a barbecue and a small table?
  • Choose plantings that won’t overwhelm the space. Use slow-growing plants and select plants with contrasting leave textures and colors. Choose plants that can be cut back and will come back the next season, fresh and lovely. To create a sense of softness, use low ground covers.
    DeVeraafter
  • Update and refine your design with annuals. Annuals are a great way to add color, keep things changing, and fill tiny spaces for an overflowing, abundant presentation.

We provide garden planning and landscape renovation for gardens of all sizes — from tiny urban gardens to new construction and established estate gardens.

Are you ready to remove the guesswork and increase your success rate with your plantings and garden features? Contact us to learn more about garden planning, landscape design, and gardens in small spaces.

We’d love to help!