Agenda

IntroductionDefinition, Why use GroundcoversGround covers for sun and shade References and ResourcesQ & A

Introduction

My experience– Started in the Master Gardener Program in 1984– 9 years in Howard County MD, the rest in Fairfax County

Experience with Ground Covers– I have a woodland garden– Slow to discover the nuances of shade– Experimented with several ground covers

Experience of Gardeners attending– What is your experience with ground covers?– Years gardening?– Style and preferences?

Definition

What are ground covers?– Ground cover is any plant used for the purpose of growing over

an area of ground to hide it or to protect it from erosion or drought. In an ecosystem, the ground cover is the layer of vegetation below the shrub layer.

Dust Bowl Years– Inappropriate farming techniques compounded by years of

draught– Lack of organic content in the soil– Since then we always keep the ground covered with a cover crop,

grass, mulch or ground covers

Ground Cover Habitat

Three layers of plants in the woods– Tree Canopy layer of tall trees

– Middle-storey layer of Shrubs and small trees

– Lower layer of ground covers and perennials

Duff – layer of plant debris– Nothing is wasted

– Leaves and twigs form a layer on the forest floor

– The soil is usually covered and is moist

Types of Shade

Partial Shade – Areas that are sunny for a part of the day most mornings or late

afternoons, but shaded the rest of the day. Dappled or Light Shade

– Brightest type of shade produced by branched trees such as honey locusts, willow oaks, etc.

– Tiny patches of sunlight flicker across the ground, but the plants are not exposed to direct sunlight.

High Shade – Nirvana in the shade garden, a place where old shade trees such as oaks,

tulip poplars and hickories provide a high canopy. The light reaching the ground is filtered but very bright.

Full Shade (Heavy shade) – This is the toughest garden shade – unremitting darkness, caused by

vegetation or buildings or both.

Ground Covers for shade and sun

Essential component in the garden designStructural Elements

– Paths, Sculptures, ponds, water features

Commonly used plantsNot so common ground coversGround covers with different form and

textures

References

The Washington Post Garden Book – Adrian Higgins

New York/Mid Atlantic Gardener’s Book of Lists – Bonnie Lee Appleton and Lois Trigg Chaplin

Down-to-earth Gardener – Suzy BalesShade Gardens – Warren Schultz

http://www.fairfaxmastergardeners.com