Base of a large tree with exposed roots. - Babariba/Shutterstock Do you have an area in your yard with trees that's difficult to grow in? The struggle to find a plant that can thrive in these dry, ...

The most widely planted ground cover in the world is – surprise – lawn. But there are very good reasons why you might want something other than lawn to carpet the ground. Maybe you hate mowing and ...

Red creeping thyme needs at least six hours of direct sun, so choose your location accordingly. Clear the planting area of ...

Grass lawns aren't just one of the most popular ground covers; they're also one of the highest-maintenance plants in our yards. From frequent mowing and watering to fertilizing and reseeding, grass ...

A: Years ago on a Galveston visit, I was introduced to wedelia, a lush, dark-green ground cover heavily sprinkled with cheery yellow, daisylike blooms. Since that time, I have seen the perennial ...

I spend a lot of time thinking about dirt. Mostly, as I look around my yard, I often don't see the shrubs and trees and flowers as much as I see the dirt beneath them. Because exposed dirt means two ...

Ground covers serve several functions in the yard and garden — bare-spot coverage, weed suppression, erosion control — but it's a real bonus when a ground cover can substitute for turfgrass lawn by ...

How do you grow grass in heavy shade? Sorry, it can't be done. Trees and grass both need the sunlight. Trees win! There is a solution though: shade-loving ground ...

Ground cover: You can’t live with it. You can’t live without it. Some have described ground covers as “garden thugs” or even worse, since they can brutally bully plants in their vicinity, to the point ...

Haley Mast is a freelance writer, fact-checker, and small organic farmer in the Columbia River Gorge. She enjoys gardening, reporting on environmental topics, and spending her time outside ...

Keeping up with a traditional lawn can feel like a never-ending chore. If you’re looking for ways to cut down on yard work without sacrificing a lush, green look, ground covers might be just what you ...

Houttuynia is a pretty perennial ground cover that has yellow, rosy and red foliage in full sun. It needs to be contained, as it spreads aggressively. Howard Garrett / Special Contributor Ground cover ...