Covering Ground (ISBN 1580176658)

Covering Ground:
This book is a wonderful picture book full of information on any plant or plant combination you might use to cover an area of your garden. From borders to large expanse open areas. I was happy to find that it was not just the standard 'ground cover' plants that were discussed. Instead, it covered beautiful plant combinations that could be used to fill-in bare spots and trouble spots in the garden. It's the perfect book for garden planning and dreaming during the dreary winter.

A top pick for any public lending library's home and garden reference collection.:
There are many possibilities for covering ground, and many of them are covered here; from replacing grass on slopes and carpeting patches between stepping stones without overgrowing them to edging walkways or using plants as an alternative to traditional lawn-type ground covers. COVERING GROUND; UNEXPECTED IDEAS FOR LANDSCAPING WITH COLORFUL, LOW-MAINTENANCE GROUND COVERS addresses all issues revolving around yard and ground covers and is a top pick for any public lending library's home and garden reference collection. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Informative, helpful:
Nice variety of plants discussed, most easy to find at local nurseries, Lowes, Home Depot. Excellent photos. Plants are well-grouped, ie dry shade, wet soil, shrubs for sun and shade, acid soil, alkaline soil, etc. Discusses how ground covers work, but provides little info on invasives. Overall creativity factor is low to medium (nothing too new or innovative is presented). Best used as a sourcebook, it will get you out to the stores in search of what fits your landscape.

A Great Help:
My landscape problem area is a steep, rocky hillside bordering our driveway. Two landscapers have offered me ideas, but neither of them were suitable to my desire for a natural, but colorful, look. With the beautiful pictures and informative information in Covering Ground, I can now visualize this project. It is time to call that landscaper again, now that I'm better focused and informed.

The best landscaping book I've read:
This is hands-down the most useful landscaping book I've ever read. After finding it at the library, I wanted my own copy. I have a large ravine next to my house that I'm slowly trying to convert from a weed-filled ditch to a vision of beauty and this book is my guide. It includes a vast catalog of groundcovers complete with needs for sun, soil type, climate zone, and photos. It goes beyond the usual assortment, including shrubs, grasses, and combination of hardscape and groundcovers. There is also a lot of information on native plants and invasive ones (many of which can be useful in the right place!) I salute Barbara Ellis for this masterful work. If I could only have one gardening book, this would be it.