Weed-Smoothering Floral Tapestries

Sound intriguing? Easy-peasy. Simply imagine a jaw-dropping, dazzling quilt or tapestry and then envision it sweeping over a section of your landscape. Maybe it is a hard to mow area, a slope, or a lawn alternative. For the most low-maintenance, high-impact designs, select perennials, woody plants, bulbs and annuals that are drought resistant and don’t require high soil fertility. Ideal choices are lean, mean, hard-working machines! I have listed a few of my favorite perennials below. (photo courtesy of diynetwork.com)

 
To give all of these the best jump-start, be sure to loosen soil to a depth of 2”-3” and work in a little organic matter if your soil is very poor. You can also add some slow release organic fertilizer (Espoma Plant-tone) to the planting area. Remember, even though these plants are drought tolerant (some more than others), they all will need more consistent moisture their first year as they develop a healthy root system. (photo Sedum ‘Lime Zinger. Bluestone Perennials)
Sun/Part Sun

Creeping Sedums (many! ‘Dragon’s Blood’, ‘Angelina’)
Creeping Thymes (many!)
Creeping Veronica (‘Gerogia Blue’, ‘Tidal Pool’, ‘Asztec Gold’)
Lambsear (‘Helen Von Stein’ has little or no flowers)
Creeping Yellow Jenny (Lysimicahia aurea)
Mazus reptans (Cupflower) can handle part shade
Achillea lewisii ‘King Edward’ (dwarf yarrow-pictured. photo Bluestone Perennials)
Cerastium tomentosum (Snow in Summer)
Laurentia fluviatilis (Blue Star Creeper)
Part Shade/Shade
Sweet Woodruff (Asperula oderata)
Tiarellas (stoloniferous varieties) ‘Running Tapestry’, ‘Happy Trails’)
Lamium (‘Pink Pewter’, ‘Beedham’s White’, ‘Orchid Frost’, ‘Aureum’)
Bugleweed (Ajuga) I love ‘Black Scallop’, ‘Silver Beauty’, Burgundy Glow’
Leptinella
Chrysogonum virginianum (Golden Star) Can handle sun to shade. Photo below. Bluestone Perennials
Sagina subulata (moss-like foliage)
Arenaria verna ‘Aurea’ (Golden Moss)
Look for these plants at your local garden center. If they are not available there, then you may want to try Broken Arrow Nursery or Bluestone Perennials