Native groundcover for shaded, dry easment - Ask Extension
I am looking for groundcover and/or native plant options for the easement in front of my home. The area is very dry and is in full shade. It is in bet...
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Native groundcover for shaded, dry easment #874523
Asked June 24, 2024, 6:48 PM EDT
I am looking for groundcover and/or native plant options for the easement in front of my home. The area is very dry and is in full shade. It is in between two older trees, so we've had trouble growing grass (or much of anything). There is some ivy under one of the trees, but it doesn't seem to be spreading any further. We are open to just about anything, and I'd be willing to pull up the remaining lawn as well.
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
Ground covers tend to be invasive! But since you would be planting one in a confined area (surrounded by sidewalk and street), a good choice.
Understand that you will need to water any ground cover until it is well established...at least for the first year. Another consideration is that many ground covers go dormant in winter, which may or may not be a look you want. Considering much of our winters are covered in snow, maybe dormancy is not so bad. These generally green up quite early in spring.
Of all the ones I mention below, Vinca minor is the only one I can think of that stays green all winter. English Ivy, of course, would do likewise. Check out those listed in the link below, looking for shade and moisture requirements:
https://www.midwestliving.com/garden/ideas/15-easy-midwest-groundcovers/
Barrenwort (Epimenium) and Creeping Phlox tolerate arid conditions well.
Vinca minor or Periwinkle is an excellent choice for fast-spreading
plants that can add an incredible amount of purple color when they are in bloom...and they stay green all winter!
Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum), is a dainty, cute little flowering plant with very sweet-smelling blooms in spring. It is not terribly invasive but many are hesitant to plant it due to its spreading tendencies. It does to tend to show up in unexpected places, so keep it in check.
Foam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia) is a wonderful shade-loving plant that puts up lovely, dainty spears of blooms in the spring, but may need more moisture than you can provide.
European wild ginger has cute, round, shiny leaves and tolerates dry shade well.
Creeping thyme is quite hardy and its root system survives the winters, but the tops die or shed their leaves. It does well on the poorest soils and re-greens every spring.
Cranesbill (Geranium macrorrhizum), is a perennial favorite for under large trees. Scented foliage, evergreen presence and purple pink flowers make it a year-round favorite and incredibly useful. It spreads politely, forming colonies and is drought tolerant once established.
I particularly like Epimedium (Barrenwort) as it spreads nicely and is relatively care-free once established but does go dormant. Here is more info on this one:
https://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/perennial/barrenwort/#toc-where-to-plant-barrenwort
Good luck!
Understand that you will need to water any ground cover until it is well established...at least for the first year. Another consideration is that many ground covers go dormant in winter, which may or may not be a look you want. Considering much of our winters are covered in snow, maybe dormancy is not so bad. These generally green up quite early in spring.
Of all the ones I mention below, Vinca minor is the only one I can think of that stays green all winter. English Ivy, of course, would do likewise. Check out those listed in the link below, looking for shade and moisture requirements:
https://www.midwestliving.com/garden/ideas/15-easy-midwest-groundcovers/
Barrenwort (Epimenium) and Creeping Phlox tolerate arid conditions well.
Vinca minor or Periwinkle is an excellent choice for fast-spreading
plants that can add an incredible amount of purple color when they are in bloom...and they stay green all winter!
Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum), is a dainty, cute little flowering plant with very sweet-smelling blooms in spring. It is not terribly invasive but many are hesitant to plant it due to its spreading tendencies. It does to tend to show up in unexpected places, so keep it in check.
Foam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia) is a wonderful shade-loving plant that puts up lovely, dainty spears of blooms in the spring, but may need more moisture than you can provide.
European wild ginger has cute, round, shiny leaves and tolerates dry shade well.
Creeping thyme is quite hardy and its root system survives the winters, but the tops die or shed their leaves. It does well on the poorest soils and re-greens every spring.
Cranesbill (Geranium macrorrhizum), is a perennial favorite for under large trees. Scented foliage, evergreen presence and purple pink flowers make it a year-round favorite and incredibly useful. It spreads politely, forming colonies and is drought tolerant once established.
I particularly like Epimedium (Barrenwort) as it spreads nicely and is relatively care-free once established but does go dormant. Here is more info on this one:
https://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/perennial/barrenwort/#toc-where-to-plant-barrenwort
Good luck!
