Kathy Jentz - Groundcover Revolution: How to use sustainable, low-maintenance, low-water groundcovers to replace your turf--40 alternative choices for:--No Mowing.--No fertilizing.--No pesticides.--No problem!

The small entrance path to a home is framed by dwarf mondo grass and black mondo grass in an elegant and low-maintenance design.

Many homeowners only ever step foot on their lawn to mow it. They mainly experience their yards by looking out over them from inside their house. They are likely only maintaining a turfgrass lawn because that is what was always there, and they havent considered easier options.

In this book, I will outline some easier, more attractive and Earth-friendly alternatives to the traditional turfgrass lawn. Before we delve deeper, I want to make it clear that I am not completely anti-lawn. There are times when turfgrass makes sense in a landscape such as for a play area for children or pets.

However, there is a pervasive overuse of turfgrass in home landscapes that is both illogical and unhealthy. History has proven that widespread use of a monoculture is almost always a tragedy waiting to happen. Once a disease or pest targets that plant, it can spread like wildfire. From the loss of American elms to the Irish Potato Famine, we have learned that diversity in landscapes and plant choices is the key to their health and survival.

Perhaps you like the look of a lawn? A landscape made of groundcover plants can create a similar green expanse but in a much more efficient and eco-wise way. Turfgrass may struggle to grow under a large shade tree, under heavy foot traffic, or in an excessively wet area. There are specific groundcovers that thrive in each of these conditions, and they can help fill those problem locations in your landscape.

Steep slopes and hills are another location where turfgrass is not the optimal choice. In fact, it is dangerous to mow these sites as a loss of traction and stability can risk injuring the operator. One could even safely say that groundcovers could save your life!

The Definition of a Groundcover

What is a groundcover? A narrow definition of a groundcover would be a plant that spreads across the ground and only grows a few inches high. Under these restrictions, only those creeping, mat-forming plants would qualify. The broader definition of a groundcover is any plant that sufficiently covers the soil in a fairly dense manner. Groundcovers are characteristically perennials, though there are a number of low-growing shrubs that qualify. Id expand that definition to also include self-sowing annuals, sprawling vines, and ornamental grasses.

The groundcovers discussed in this book are those selections that are viable substitutes for turfgrass lawns. They are low-maintenance, moderately fast spreaders, and dont require a lot of chemical applications to flourish.

A low border of Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) groundcover separates a turfgrass lawn from a perennial bed.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NO-MAINTENANCE

One extreme option some homeowners have taken when frustrated with their turfgrass is replacing it with artificial turf or even pouring concrete over their yards. While lower maintenance than a lawn, these substitutes are environmentally harmful. The chemicals used to create and apply them break down over time and enter the soil, and the impervious surfaces exacerbate the stormwater run-off problems in a landscape even further. Some local governments are even levying taxes on impervious hardscape surfaces to mitigate the communitys shared costs in dealing with their effects.

Placing nonbreathable hardscaping over tree roots and living soil in effect kills both. Further, they are not no maintenance. As a matter of fact, they may not even be low-maintenance. Hard surfaces accumulate litter and debris. They must be swept or blown clean regularly. Spilled materials show up embarrassingly on concrete like lipstick stains on a collar. A concrete driveway needs the occasional resealing/repair and snow needs to be shoveled off when it piles up.

The average lifespan of artificial grass is only 10 years, and the cost to install or replace it is not small. It requires regular raking to spruce up any matted down sections. It holds onto and traps in heat, pollution particles, and smells from pet waste. The underlayment material is often even more problematic than the plastic grass itself as it can contain byproducts and discards of industry.