What area do you live in?

Mulch makes a great ground cover for underneath trees.

Wild red columbine
Yellow columbine
Wild blue aster
Fall obedient plant
Reullias
Scarlet sage
Cedar sage
Chile pequin
Crossvine
Virginia creeper
Passion flower
Creeping barberry
*Horseherb
*Turk's Cap
Wood fern
Golden groundsel

*favorites

Hi Sea Leopard,

You might find these sites helpful as well. Think about natives.

http://stepables.com/
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/
http://www.txsmartscape.com/search_main.asp

Hope this helps,
Newt

Here's another web site that groups ground cover species by their intended application that might be further help as well.

Ground Cover Guide

~Dave

Dave, great site!

Kentobrew, I was curious why your signature says to do the opposite of what Neil Sperry recommends so I went to his site. Is it because he recommends using pesticides and herbicides? With todays growing knowledge of what that stuff can do to a person, I was surprised at what he had to say. If so, good for you!!!

Newt

You are correct.

Around here, Mr. Sperry has been the "go to" guy for garden advice for years and years. I used to listen myself and followed his suggestions until I finally came to the realization, via Mr. Garrett, that this lock-step approach to chemical and sythetic gardening was insane. And let me tell you, once you see the light, you never go back.

If you listen to Howard enough, you will notice gentle (and not so gentle) jabs at Mr. Sperry, the leader of the "Organiphobes" on the other end of the dial. With all due respect to Mr. Sperry, he is just plain wrong and much of what he recommends is doing a tremendous amount of harm. On the Dirtdoctor.com home page you will see an ad for Howard's new book with a line that says, "Compost your old "complete" gardening guide." This is a jab at Mr. Sperry. He has given the same, tired advice for so long, I think it would be very difficult for him to change his ways.

Kent

Kent, thanks for your answers. I live in Maryland and don't think I can get Howard's program here. I'm not a radio person, but I am organic and have been for quite some time. I'm chemically sensitive and have been VERY ill from this, so I always try and get people to see what that stuff can do to you.

I post alot at DIY and there's one guy that constantly recommends stuff like Diazonon and RoundUp. Makes me sick when I read it. I have found several sites that explain what that does to us and the environment, and lots of folks seem to appreciate it. One site that I refer folks to for organic solutions is this one I'm sooo happy I found this site. It's a great source of information.

Regards,
Newt

Kent, thanks for your answers. I live in Maryland and don't think I can get Howard's program here. I'm not a radio person, but I am organic and have been for quite some time. I'm chemically sensitive and have been VERY ill from this, so I always try and get people to see what that stuff can do to you.

I post alot at DIY and there's one guy that constantly recommends stuff like Diazonon and RoundUp. Makes me sick when I read it. I have found several sites that explain what that does to us and the environment, and lots of folks seem to appreciate it. One site that I refer folks to for organic solutions is this one I'm sooo happy I found this site. It's a great source of information.

Regards,
Newt

Newt,

I always have a dilemma at work when the guy comes around to spray for roaches. I asked him to skip my office the last time. He probably thinks I'm nuts. But, you try and avoid the stuff at home and unfortunately we spend most of our time at work. I don't want that stuff around me.

If you did want to catch the Dirt Doctor on radio, you could always go to www.wbap.com and listen on the Internet. Saturdays 11am to noon CST and Sundays 8am to noon.

Boy, we've come along way from what types of groundcovers to plant. Sorry about that.

Kent

Kent,
Thank you so very much for the info. I've bookmarked the site.

So sorry to hear about the spraying in the office. That stuff puts me in bed for a week! I get ill when the neighbors have their lawn sprayed - on both sides of me!

Sorry we've hijacked this thread! Please forgive.

Newt

Hey Newt,
You can listen to the Dirt Doctor on the internet on Saturday mornings from 12:00 to 1:00, your time and Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 1:00, your time again, on [url]WBAP.com[/url]. Click on the 'Listen Live' button on the top of the page. Also on [url]WFAA.com[/url], under 'Garrett's Garden' there is more organic information from the Dirt Doctor. Give it a look see and let us know what you think about it.

Now why didn't I think of that?