5 seasonal & ground covers to uplift your garden

Landscaping your backyard can be much of a task, but if you are truly passionate about gardening and ready to take up the task, it can be fun, stress relieving & rewarding. You will truly experience a Zen feeling redesigning your landscape.

While grass is the most common way to fill out empty space, sometimes low-growing plants are a much better and prettier option. Ground cover plants are all-around problem-solvers; They retain moisture, control erosion, and provide habitat for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

To make sure your ground covers are looking their finest to deck up your landscape you must make sure they get the essentials; they need about six hours of direct sunlight per day, partial sunlight for about three to six hours of partial or indirect sunlight. Although ground cover plants are extremely tolerant, they still need to be watered during dry spells for the first year or two until their root systems are well-established.

Here are some of plants that will remodel and uplift your backyard.

1.     Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums are a member of the Compositae family and are available in a wide range of brilliant colors, shapes, and sizes. They were first cultivated in China over 600 years ago. The chrysanthemum flowers range from dazzling whites to deep bronzes, and the hardy plants are highlighted with full, dark green leaves.

2.   Asparagus Fern

Growing asparagus fern is easy. The frilly, feathery asparagus fern plant appears soft and fuzzy, but when taking care of asparagus ferns, you may be surprised to find they have thorny spurs. Asparagus fern can provide small flowers and berries when it is happy in its location. When you grow asparagus ferns outside in summer, asparagus fern care involves watering, fertilizing to encourage growth, and occasionally pruning out dead stems.

3.     Rhoeo Discolor

Rhoeo, is a plant of various names. Depending on where you live, you may call this plant Moses-in-the-cradle, Moses-in-a-basket, or boat lily. But whatever you call it, Rhoeo makes an excellent and fast-growing groundcover in the garden. Rhoeos also enjoy partial shade to full shade. Rhoeos are normally grown since they are very drought tolerant. This plant will be happier if they are more on the dry side.

4.     Coleus

Coleus is probably one of the easiest plants to grow and propagate. In fact, the plants root so easily that you can even start cuttings in a glass of water. Coleus can be added to beds and borders for interest or grown in containers. They need fertile, well-draining soil and usually perform best in areas with partial shade, though many varieties can also tolerate sun. These beauties can grow rapidly & make fantastic ground covers.
 

5.     Hypoestes

Hypoestes is widely known as the pink polka dot plant or the flamingo plant. Its brightly spotted foliage stands out among others. This little beauty is native to South Africa, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia. It prefers indirect light; this will keep the colors vibrant! Too much light and the color will fade, too little and they’ll completely disappear. The polka dot plant prefers constantly moist but not soggy soil. It also likes it quite humid so misting occasionally will help you get the most out of your Hypoestes.