
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 3, 1994                   TAG: 9404200072
SECTION: GUIDE TO BETTER HOMWES AND LAWN & GARDEN                    PAGE: 20   EDITION: NEW RIVER 
SOURCE: JOANNE ANDERSON
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS BESIDES GRASS TO COVER YOUR GROUND

The perennial favorite ground cover is grass. And for good reason. It's easy to grow, easy to maintain and looks nice around a house. In summer, a lawn becomes an extension of the home, and in winter, grass provides a protective covering on the land.

Grass is basically a crop which is harvested by mowing. Some lawns have that refined golf course look, and others take on a more coarsely textured appearance. Whatever your preference, grass will only require occasional fertilizing, mowing and watering.

As with most landscaping projects, success with grass depends heavily on properly preparing the ground and nurturing in the early weeks of planting.

Seeding under a layer of straw, hydroseeding - spraying a mixture of seed, reclaimed paper and water - and laying sod are the most common methods of creating a lawn. Anne Carter, owner of T.L.C. Total Lawn Care with her husband, Kevin, said many people "are tricked into thinking they don't need to water sod."

It's an instant lawn, she explained, but the roots under the grass need to mesh with the soil it's laid on, and moisture is a dire requirement for the roots to take hold.

However, there are places where grass is not practical. And there are people who want something different or who wish to reduce the size of the lawn. Steep slopes, narrow strips, shady places and moderately inaccessible areas of the property are prime candidates for an interesting ground cover.

According to Richard Hunter of Laurel Creek Nursery, the three most popular ground covers in the New River Valley are periwinkle, pachysandra and ivy. Each one spreads well and will stabilize a bank.

Periwinkle is an evergreen with shiny oval leaves about two inches long. Its spring flowers are a lilac blue, but white and pink are available. Periwinkle spreads like a vine but, Hunter explained, it's not a true vine. The plant spreads underground by new shoots called stolens, then pops up a little ways from the host plant. Periwinkle does well in sun or shade.

Pachysandra is a handsome, shiny-leafed evergreen that grows well in shady areas. Young plants should be placed close together to encourage rapid coverage.

Ivy, a true vine, runs across the ground and sets its roots. Todd Walters, owner of Valley Landscaping, warns that ivy is a vigorous grower, climbing buildings and trees or anything in its path. "It can add a lot of maintenance to an area intended to be low maintenance," he stated.

Walters also recommends some of the ornamental grasses for ground covers. Monkey grass grows about 6 inches tall and gives a different look to an ordinary slope. The grass comes in green or variegated and bears white or purple flowers. Ornamental grasses can make dramatic points of interest in a landscape, and many can be used in dried arrangements.

"All perennials can be used as ground covers, too" stated Hunter, who cited phlox as a popular one in this area. He also mentioned a new creeping dogwood known as bunchberry.

"It's a northern plant, very cold tolerant that grows well in shady, well-drained soil." Bunchberry spreads underground via stolens.

For a fragrant and useful ground cover, consider an herb. Creeping thyme has tiny dark green leaves and clusters of red, pink, white or purple flowers in summer. Woolly thyme has gray foliage and fewer flowers, but creates an excellent low mat ground cover.

Chamomile is a fragrant, ferny foliage herb which can actually be mowed to form a tight carpet. The plant blooms with small daisy-like flowers in summer, survives drought and can be used for tea.

Ferns will fill in a damp site nicely with their light, airy foliage and cooling look. Ferns are hardy and provide an interesting texture contrast to other plants.

Coming in many textures and hues, the juniper family of low growing evergreens are good covers for banks and slopes. They are slow to grow, but they will deter traffic once established.

One of the common drawbacks to ground covers is removing leaves in the fall. Depending on where they are located, you may wish to clean them out or not. If the ground cover is well established and happy in its location, it's okay to rake it. If a few plants come out on a rake tine, new ones will fill back in fairly soon.

by CNB