Ground covers are great ways to minimize weeds and add carpets of color to your yard or garden. Here are a few top pro and con groundcovers for Kitsap County, Pierce County, King County and outlying regions.
- Golden creeping jenny creeps to about 2 feet. But, it roots at each leaf node, making for a headache a few years in. Use sparingly.
- Impatiens omeiana, a hardy impatien, grows 12 to 18 inches high. It boasts a pewter midrib, red stems and apricot flowers in the summer. Not as aggressive as the creeping jenny and very pretty.
- Creeping bramble fills spaces with bristly stems and thick evergreen leaves. A non-invasive cover.
- The inside-out flower is a forest floor favorite. Although it dies back in the winter, its fresh, delicate leaves are worth the winter wait.
- Beach strawberry grows fairly flat on the ground, with shiny green leaves and red stems year round. Plant in sun or shade where lots of bare ground is available.
- The wire vine is a pretty ground cover, growing in mounds of wiry, glossy leaves. It can strangle neighboring plants so use with discretion.
- Kinnikinnik loves dry, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It produces trailing branches covered with oval leaves that remain green all year. Great for steep banks.
- Bishop’s weed is a highly aggressive ground cover best contained with sturdy concrete curbs or pathways.
- The piggyback plant, a well-known houseplant, flourishes in partial to full shade outside. It stays about 6 to 8 inches tall.
- The foamflower, a relative of the piggyback plant, grows best in the shade. It produces an abundance of flowers and spreads easily under shrubs and trees.
