Kristyn Greenfield likes to plant two or three kinds of groundcovers, mixing colors and textures, and plant other perennials between them so the groundcovers don’t end up eventually growing together.

Try some of these robust, low-growing plants to fill in dry or shady places, or wherever you need year-round coverage. When you feel like tossing a big rug over your yard and calling it a day, you ...

Southern shield fern This deciduous native fern is tall -- it grows up to 4 feet with 1-foot wide fronds. This fern will tolerate more sun than most ferns, if moisture levels are adequate. Cut it back ...

Shade presents a challenge for many gardeners. Such a situation can also provide an opportunity to grow a new plant. Groundcovers for a shady area create a surface cover that will keep down weeds but ...

(Photo by Leonora Enking, shared under a Creative Commons license, CC BY-SA 2.0) Vinca, or periwinkle, is a popular, shade-tolerant groundcover plant. Many landscapes have problem spots where nothing ...

Which grass makes the best turf for the shade? This is without question the most common question for me and others in my profession. The answer is simple: There are no good choices. Most grasses hate ...

There probably never will be a grass that grows well in shade. Alternatives that are effective and much less frustrating include hard-surface materials such as decomposed granite, flagstone, lava ...

When a grass lawn is not suitable or preferable for your garden, a groundcover is often a good choice. Groundcovers protect the soil, prevent erosion on a slope, and discourage weeds from taking hold ...

Many landscapes have problem spots where nothing grows well or looks attractive, such as the area below a large tree with a dense leaf canopy. The area beneath a tree receives relatively little light.