I will be replacing most of my lawn with mulch. I have a shady backyard where the grass doesn't grow well. There is also a sunny slope that is difficult to cut. I can use five or six different plants to create an attractive pattern . What do you want to plant?
I moved home a few years ago and put ground cover and perennials on the front lawn. We also add dry flux. The first thing I did after removing the root ball was spread and work the bark 3 inches deep over the entire area. Over the years, it has made planting and transplanting much easier.
My favorite ground cover for morning shade or sun is lamium (Lamium maculatum). The silver green leafy varieties are very attractive. There are varieties with white, pink, lavender and crimson flowers available. Lamium stands 3 to 4 inches tall and blooms all summer long.
The carpet carp (Ajuga reptans) is an excellent choice for shady areas (it also does very well in sunny areas). The most common cultivars have bronze-colored leaves, although there are green and tricolor ones. Small, spike-shaped blue flowers appear in spring. Typical height is 3 to 5 inches, although broadleaf cultivars are taller and have larger flowers.
Two low-growing groundcovers widely used in commercial plantings due to their strength and reliability are periwinkle and cinnikini (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). While they are best suited for sunny areas, both are tolerant of partial shade.
Stonecrop (stonecrop) can be grown in the sun or in the shade. A variety of leaf and flower colors are available. They are popular for rock gardens and will grow in very poor soil. The golden carpet (Sedum akker) is the most shade tolerant. The golden yellow flowers open in June.
Stone cress (arabis and aubrieta) and golden alyssum (aurinia) are two plants that flower in early spring and are nearly perennial. Cherry blossoms in shades of pink, lavender and purple. Both fall over the edge of the stone walls. Local full-service nurseries and garden stores will have other planting options during this time.
Another idea I would recommend is to plant fall bulbs, such as daffodils, hyacinths and tulips, among your ground cover plants. They appear from start to finish and create an additional show in the same space.
While creating the model, you can also consider planting perennials in some areas. My two favorite perennials bloom from June to October. Geranium Rozanne has blue flowers and Coreopsis Moonbeam has lemon yellow flowers. Both grow to about 18 inches. Both are about 3 meters wide.
