A colourful carpet of ground cover plants may be a creative, low maintenance alternative to a lawn. Alternatively a pattern of coloured stone or chippings with feature plants in containers may be your preference.
Collection of Low Growing Plants
- A mix of flowers and shrubs can include conifers like Golden Juniper Juniperus x media ‘Golden Sovereign’, Juniperus horizontalis, Juniper squamata ‘Holger’ and Picea pungens ‘Glauca Prostrata’ all around one foot tall with varying spreads.
- For colour in summer you can’t beat some Petunia multiflora and vibrant Busy Lizzie Impatiens. Try the ‘accent’ series from Thompson Morgan
- Bulbs of Dutch Iris, Cyclamen, Crocus and Muscari can provide spring and autumn colour.
- Fillers and good doers include Bugle Ajuga reopens, Pinks Dianthus Indian hybrids, Geranium, Sedum and Vinca.
Design Features
- Wide flat rocks can break up the verdant space and give the gardener a place to stand and weed.
- Think in terms of 8-12″ as the average height with accent plants if required.
- Create a backing or edging with taller uniform plants. Roses box or taller Conifers may suit.
- Plant in bold blocks of colour with annuals close together for maximum effect.
Patterns of Gravel
- Ground cover of pebbles, chippings or gravel can add colour. I like plum coloured slate chippings.
- The covering can be used to stand elegant containers perhaps containing trailing plants like lobelia or geraniums.
- Make sure you have a weed barrier under the gravel.
- Gravel should be comparatively low maintenance but keep it spruce and moss free.
Similar rule apply when planting ground cover that grows taller. Select a height 18-24″ in this case and plant appropriate plants in the designated area. Tree ferns have been used as accent plants in this design.
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