11 Edible Ground Cover Plants for Backyards and Gardens
28.06.2023 - 11:48
/ treehugger.com
A sprawling, green lawn might be a suburban landscaping classic, but there are other ways to landscape your yard. Phase out a grass lawn by adopting ground cover plants instead, and you can conserve water, spend less time behind a mower, and attract vital pollinators to your backyard. Plus, many of these hardy low-lying plants are edible, native species that will spruce up not just your backyard but your kitchen as well.
From creeping herbs to wild berries, here are 11 edible ground cover plants that can revitalize your backyard.
Some of the plants on this list are toxic to pets. For more information about the safety of specific plants, consult the ASPCA's searchable database.
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Spearmint is a hardy, fast-growing perennial herb that reaches one to three feet in height. The leaves are tender and fragrant, with a strong mint flavor that can be used to flavor foods and brew herbal teas. It's a great choice for shady and damp areas of your yard, since it tolerates shade and prefers damp soil. It grows easily, propagates quickly, and likes to spread out, so it's best to grow mint in areas that are hemmed in by pavement or other borders. It can be grown from seed and propagated by cutting or dividing the plants you already have in the ground.
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Creeping thyme is a perennial species of thyme that grows horizontally rather than vertically, and forms a matlike ground cover two to three inches tall and up to 24 inches across. Although the thyme that's grown commercially as an herb is a different species, creeping thyme is also aromatic and edible. It's a hardy plant that can stand some foot traffic,making it an excellent choice near pathways and between rock steps. Thyme can be