How, why and where to use groundcovers, with author Kathy Jentz
Hi, guys!
Over the years, we’ve discussed replacing or shrinking the lawn quite a bit in this space. But, aside from using clover, my focus has been primarily on replacing turf grasses with an ever-expanding perennial bed, preferably one packed with native plants. I’ve only barely touched on other groundcovers.
That’s why I’ve brought Kathy Jentz here with me today.
Kathy is editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine, host of the popular GardenDC podcast (on which I was fortunate to be a guest twice, here and here) and winner of too many awards to detail. She’s also author of “Groundcover Revolution,” an excellent book about how, why and where to use groundcovers in the home garden.
Read my Q&A with Kathy, then enter below for a chance to receive a copy of “Groundcover Revolution.”
JESSICA: You’ve covered many topics in your books, magazine and on your podcast over the years. What sparked your interest in groundcovers?
KATHY: I’ve always been a fan of gardening smarter, not harder, so groundcovers are a natural interest for me on many levels. They are great for those of us with little time to weed and do constant maintenance. They are also more environmentally friendly than most turfgrass lawns because they do not require weekly mowing, fertilizing, watering, etc.
JESSICA: What sorts of benefits can groundcovers lend to a garden (and to a gardener)?
KATHY: Groundcovers have many benefits, from protecting trees and their roots from mower/trimmer damage to providing wildlife coverage from predators to holding in a slope from erosion. There are also quite a few groundcovers that are flowering ones, so that is great for pollinators and lends beauty to the garden.
JESSICA: Do you have a personal favorite (and why)?
KATHY: I love epimediums -- the common ones like Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’ are tough plants that are great groundcovers for dry shade conditions. They are also deer-resistant and rabbit-resistant -- something I’m grateful for since my garden has been lately invaded by a bumper crop of baby bunnies.
JESSICA: I read (and loved) Groundcover Revolution, especially the helpful charts, plant profiles and straightforward explanations. The photos are gorgeous, too! I see you like mixing different groundcovers together in what you call a “tapestry lawn.” What are your favorite groundcover combinations?
KATHY: Different low-growing sedums are great to combine in a tapestry lawn -- a nice duet is Sedum ‘Acre’ and Sedum album’ Coral Carpet’ -- in a shady area, a patchwork of different mosses is also quite attractive.
JESSICA: What garden situations/locations are best suited for growing groundcovers — and which, if any, are worst?
KATHY: The great thing about groundcovers is there is at least one plant choice for every possible planting situation. The charts in my book can assist in making those choices, but first you need to evaluate what the challenges are from deep shade to a steep slope. The toughest situations are where there is virtually no sunlight and water access -- plants need a bit of both to grow! -- this is the situation where I recommend putting those usually rampant growers like Lily of the Valley as they will be kept in check under these stressful conditions.
JESSICA: Do you have any advice for discouraging/handling weeds while newly planted groundcovers fill in?
KATHY: Weeds are opportunistic and will take hold of any uncovered ground, so while waiting for your groundcovers to fill in thickly enough to suppress them, you will need to mulch any bare surfaces and check on the areas weekly [or]] monthly to grab the weeds when they are still small and before they go to seed and become a big headache at that point.
JESSICA: I understand you’ve had your own “personal groundcover journey.” How did that go?
KATHY: After living in a condo and gardening up a storm on my patio and into the common area, I purchased a small house on a corner lot and started immediately reducing the turfgrass lawn by creating large planting beds with trees and shrubs as their focal points and perennials below. I quickly discovered that certain types of perennials worked best for this purpose and began experimenting with them. I tried out many kinds and, after a year, had no lawn remaining but lots of ongoing experiments. The book is a compilation of those years of experimentation in my own garden and observations in others’ gardens.
JESSICA: Tell me a bit about your new Reduce the Lawn campaign.
KATHY: I started Reduce Your Lawn Day (May 20th every year) as a way to get the word out [about] lawn alternatives. I partnered with American Meadows Inc., and we held our first annual Reduce Your Lawn Day this year. We had people pledge over 10 million square feet of turfgrass lawn to be converted to other uses, from food gardens to mini meadows to groundcovers.
We’ll make this super fair and really simple: Just type “I’d like a copy of Groundcover Revolution by Kathy Jentz” in the comments field below by 11:59 p.m. on July 5. I’ll enter every commenter’s name into The Wheel of Names, which will randomly select a winner.
I’ll alert the winner via email, get their mailing address and pass it along to Kathy and the book’s publisher, Cool Springs Press, for shipment.
Good luck!
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THIS WEEK: How to identify and safely remove poison ivy
LAST WEEK: You don’t have to live in the tropics to grow peanuts
BEFORE THAT: Do you really have to eliminate your entire lawn to be a good environmental steward? No. Just care for it sustainably.
ONE MORE: Yes, you can have a tidy, manicured native garden. Here’s how.
You can read all my AP gardening columns here.
🍸 I’m not much of a drinker, but I do occasionally enjoy one (emphasis on one) cocktail or glass of red wine — if and when all the stars align. And they did align last week while having dinner at a cousin’s house.
I’d had a Negroni in the past but could take it or leave it since I like my drinks a little sweeter and also prefer a mixer, like seltzer or juice, to dilute the alcohol. But Walt was making WHITE Negronis, which were new to me (equal parts Lillet, gin and Cocchi Apertivo Americano, with a couple of lemon wedges), so I figured I’d give them a whirl. Yes, they’re strong, but guys, they are yummy!
📺 I started rewatching “Yellowjackets” on Showtime with my daughter Julia, who had never seen it. She’s hooked, and for me, it’s just as good the second time around.
🥳 We celebrated my daughter Justine’s 32nd birthday this week, followed by my #$% birthday three days later. I ate too much cake and a lot of other things that weren’t good for me, and it was glorious!
I welcome your comments and suggestions, so please send them along — as well as any topics you’d like to see covered and questions you’d like answered in the Ask Jessica section.
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