Ground Cover Plants that Choke Out Weeds

I absolutely adore living in the beautiful Lakes Area of northwest Oakland County, Michigan, where we are surrounded by the Huron River, the Clinton River, and hundreds of small to medium-sized inland lakes.

Wherever I turn, there is an inland lake to play and explore in. In fact, we have more than 1,400 lakes and numerous streams stemming from its six major watersheds! While this is a beautiful place to live, unfortunately, a perfectly manicured lawn is not the reality for most of us because our soil is extremely sandy.

Furthermore, since we have all of these waterways, a multitude of trees as well as forests nearby, as you might imagine, we also have an abundance of wildlife, including the following:

  • Moles (lots of them wreaking havoc on our lawns!)
  • Eagles (two that I know of who live on Oxbow Lake)
  • Squirrels by the hundreds (more than what you see in the city)
  • Birds upon birds upon birds! At least a thousand live in my backyard wall of arborvitae
  • Turtles (we once rescued a baby from being eaten by our dogs and brought it indoors to a special tank tailored for turtle life)
  • Deer
  • Coyotes
  • Foxes
  • Turkeys
  • Raccoons
  • Possums
  • Beavers
  • River Otters (they are so cute!)

My ex-husband, a professional landscape designer, planned to bring in a truckload of fill dirt and lay fresh sod down so we could have a better lawn similar to the lawns we grew up with when we lived in suburban/city-type neighborhoods. However, playing on the boat became more exciting than a perfect lawn!

As a single mom and homeowner today, that type of project is out of my budget. Instead, I will explore types of ground cover to plant that will choke out the weeds naturally and for less money.

According to Martha Stewart, she recommends the following plants in an article about, “12 Plants That Will Keep Weeds Out of Your Garden Once and for All:

Creeping mazus

(Mazus reptans) is the ultimate weed-suppressing ground cover plant.

  • Zones: 5 to 8
  • Size: 1 inch tall x 6 to 12 inches wide
  • Care requirements: Part sun to full shade; well-draining soil

Sweet woodruff

(Galium odoratum) is another low-growing plant that can choke out weeds.

  • Zones: 4 to 8
  • Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 9 to 18 inches wide
  • Care requirements: Full shade; loamy to rich, well-draining soil

Carex

Often referred to as sedge, carex encompasses a vast genus of more than 2,000 species of plants that are successful weed suppressors.

  • Zones: 5 to 9
  • Size: 2 to 18 inches tall x 2 to 18 inches wide
  • Care requirements: Part shade; moist, well-draining soil

Green-and-Gold

A shade-loving perennial that’s easy to maintain, green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) emerges in early spring with bright green leaves quickly followed by yellow-orange, daisy-like blossoms.

  • Zones: 5 to 9
  • Size: 6 to 12 inches tall 36 to 48 inches wide
  • Care requirements: Partial to full shade; average, moist soil,”.

I did not list all twelve, only the above four plants, as they are most suitable for my yard, given the numerous trees, which means I have mostly shade. Therefore, I should focus on partial sun and shade options to help choke out the weeds.

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Okay, now I need to figure out how to keep those stupid weeds out of my flower beds to protect my cherished plants that have been passed down from my grandmother (Nana) and have survived extreme soil changes throughout the last forty-five years.

My Nana and Mom always had the most beautiful gardening beds filled with lush hastas, lilies, rose bushes, and lilacs. Not only did it smell wonderful, but the peace you felt while sitting in their yards was immeasurable. Historically, we have used cedar chip mulch and hardwood brown mulch. Then there is my ex-husband’s favorite: the free mulch he accumulated from putting a multitude of trees in a chipper after tree-trimming jobs.

Many years ago, before I was married, my Mom and I moved from our townhome in the middle of February, which meant we couldn’t transplant our beautiful heirloom garden. Don’t fret, we figured it out.

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In the early spring, I visited the new residents of our old townhome, shared the history of the plants and my Nana’s passing, and asked if we could collect them once it got warmer. They happily agreed, and as a surprise, I took my Mom there on Mother’s Day to dig up our garden full of plants.

Of course, it was pouring rain that day, and removing the rose bush gave us a heck of a time, as well as many scratches from the thorns; however, we got it done and transplanted the plants to our new place.

After I got married and my Mom moved to North Carolina to help her sister, we ended up moving from there in the middle of winter. Once again, in the spring, I went to the new residents, told the story, and asked if I could remove our luscious garden. They said yes, and the plants traveled with us to our rental house!

Can you guess what happened next? My then-husband and I bought our house and moved. We didn’t move until the end of April, so our landlord said we could come back in a few weeks to get our plants. Shortly after I bought my home, my Mom moved back to Michigan. And guess what? We split up the plants and transplanted half of them to my Mom’s new place.

About seven years later, sadly, my Mom passed away suddenly on December 10th in the middle of a humongous snowstorm. I can tell you that my faith in the good of people strengthened that following spring when I again went to the new residents, told them the story of the moving plants, and asked if we could take them back to my home. I bet you can guess what they said. Yes, they said yes.

Today, those same plants are doing wonderfully in the grounds of my home, and one day, when I move, you can bet I will be taking them with me!

Ground cover plants that choke out weeds

In conclusion, ground cover plants are an effective and eco-friendly solution for weed control, which can enhance a garden’s beauty while reducing maintenance efforts. Advice from a landscape contractor can be helpful when choosing the right plants to enjoy a lush, weed-free landscape.