Landscapes are Built from the Ground Up

Well, that is a disingenuous statement, because of course, very often the large (and even instant) trees or other specialty items in a landscape go in first, and a strong argument can be made that landscapes are actually built from the canopy down. The point is, however, that ground cover plants give a landscape that tailored, professional finish, making for an aesthetic statement that indeed flows from the ground up, if only visually.

If you have a drab or even bare area to rejuvenate, and you are looking to buy ground covers to transform a small or large area, it is crucial that you narrow down choices based on some broad determinants. Sun or shade, for example? You can avoid the frustration of watching all of your hard work languishing in the hot sun by buying ground covers that are suited to the prevailing or available light conditions. Sun-loving plants will similarly appear sickly and weak in a heavily shaded area, so delineating between shade and sun is the first crucial consideration.

 

Buy Ground Covers that are Fit for the Role

The second essential consideration is water – are you planning on irrigating or will the plants get an occasional bit of love but otherwise be left to just get on with it? Some plants are far hardier than others when it comes to drought tolerance. Do not be disappointed and suppose that tough plants are by nature unattractive though. The beautiful Clivias that are indigenous to South Africa and produce such beautiful umbels of dark orange flowers every August, wonderfully offset against their dark green, glossy leaves, are in fact tough as nails! Adapted for competing fiercely with tree roots (as those are the prevailing conditions when you are looking for shade in the wild, as a plant) the species shows remarkable fortitude for one so beautiful.

If you are about to buy ground covers and transform your neck of the woods, you are in good company. Savvy gardeners understand that ground covers retain soil, visually complete the landscape, and are essential to generate the holistic feedback arena that a productive garden can be. Moreover, because they are usually present in numbers, they provide a fantastic opportunity to inject seasonal or perennial colour into the garden.

 

Buy Ground Covers in a Way that Makes Sense

Here is something you might not know about ground covers－they are often one of the biggest costs in any commercial landscape. That might seem unbelievable when looking at the costs of instant trees or speciality plants like mature palms and cycads, but it is because you need so many of them that the cost adds up. Ground covers have an ideal planting ratio per square metre, and coupled with the fact that you are usually going to need many of them, it makes sense to buy ground covers as cost-effectively as you can.

At Windy Willows, we supply ground covers in small bags as well as plug form. A “plant plug” is a small plant grown in either a polystyrene or plastic compartmentalised tray. As professional growers dedicated to your gardening success, offering ground covers in this way means we can keep the price way down－you will pay a fraction of what you would for an established plant in a bag, for a plug – and we can supply in numbers!

Call on us and come over, and we will walk you through all of the available options. To buy ground covers at Windy Willows is to ensure that you will still have plenty in the budget for other later fiddles. We have a diverse range and, between the plugs and bags, we will supply you with the ideal species, in an ideal form, at a mighty nice price too.