Christmas Rose (Helleborus Niger) - Christmas Rose seeds can be started to grow this unique ornamental that blooms in the winter. Helleborus Niger Christmas Rose has a rugged, coarse-textured, leathery, shiny green foliage that remains attractive year-round. The plant is stemless, herbaceous and can be used as a ground cover that reaches 12 - 18 inches tall and spreads about the same across.

Christmas rose seed |

How to grow

How To Grow Christmas Rose From Seed: If sowing the Christmas Rose seeds directly outdoors, sow the ground cover seeds in the fall. The flower seeds require a cold treatment to germinate. You can either sow them on the ground where you will be growing them permanently or sow the seeds in pots, and then bring the pots in after a month or so of freezing weather. The freezing will encourage them to germinate more easily.

If you choose to sow the Christmas Rose flower seeds indoors, freeze the seeds for 3 - 6 weeks to break dormancy, then plant the flower seeds in starting medium. When the plant is around 2 inches tall, transplant to the permanent place. Helleborus Niger plants can take up to 3 years to flower when grown by seeds. Christmas Rose is a poisonous plant.

• Sowing Rate: 5 seeds per plant
• Average Germ Time: 28 - 56 days
• Keep moist until germination
• Attracts bumblebees
• Depth: 1/16 inch

Flower Specifications

Christmas Rose flowers bloom in early winter to early spring with white flowers that might be tinged with pink. Christmas Rose plants are a perfect addition to give a garden some winter color. Foot traffic is not recommended.

• Height: 12 - 18 inches
• USDA Zones: 4 - 8
• Season: Perennial
• Deer Resistant: Yes

Arenaria (Arenaria Montana) - Establish this evergreen, low-growing, vigorous perennial with Arenaria Montana seeds. Arenaria Montana is a treasured alpine or xeriscape rock garden plant.

Arenaria seed | montana

How to grow

How To Grow Arenaria From Seed: Sow Arenaria Montana seeds indoors 4 - 6 weeks before last frost. Transplant seedlings when danger of frost as passed. Arenaria ground cover plants are fairly drought tolerant once established.

Sometimes Arenaria is used as a lawn substitute. Grow in moist, but well-drained, sandy, poor soil in full sun to partial shade. A. tetraquetra requires very sharp drainage. A. Balearica thrives in partial shade.

• Sowing Rate: 2 seeds per cell or approximately 1000 seeds covers 20 square feet
• Average Germ Time: 14 - 28 days
• Keep moist until germination
• Attracts butterflies

Flower Specifications

Arenaria montana forms a low-growing evergreen cushion of dark green leaves, and it produces many white flowers during springtime. In sandy soils, this will root and spread slowly to form a patch. Arenaria plants prefer well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Divide these ground cover plants in spring or early fall.

• Height: 4 inches
• USDA Zones: 3 - 8
• Season: Perennial
• Deer Resistant: Yes
• Drought Tolerant: Yes

Garden Gnome (Anacyclus depressus) - If you are looking for a unique, beautiful, mat forming ground cover then look no further then Garden Gnome ground cover plants only growing 4 - 6 inches tall. Also known as Mt. Atlas Daisy, Carpet Daisy, and Spanish Chamomile. Finely cut, green, fern-like leaves provide attractive folaige after the spring bloom of these daisy-like white blooms with petals often tipped crimson. Garden gnome will bloom all summer and best of all they hardly require any water as they are drought tolerant plants suitable for xeriscaping. 

The flowers close at dusk and reopen in the morning on this mat-like ground cover from the mountainous northwestern corner of Africa. The green feathery fern-like foliage is beautiful in unto to itself and is a perfect backdrop to the closed flowerheads showing the red side of their petals. This rock garden plant prefers light to medium soils with good drainage. It dislikes excessive humidity. Let the seeds drop for even more plants next year or divide plant in Spring and split with a sharp spade. No pruning or fall care required for this low maintenace ground cover plant.

Corsican Mini Ornamental Mint (Mentha requienii) - Corsican mint is a spreading, ground-hugging plant only growing 1 - 2 inches high with petite, round leaves that emit a powerful, minty aroma. Also known as creeping mint, it spreads up to 1 foot wide by narrow stems that take root as they grow. Corsican mint can be somewhat finicky, especially when it comes to irrigation. These plants don’t tolerate drought, which means the soil should be kept consistently moist but not soggy.

It has moderate shade tolerance, but high drought tolerance. Crown vetch is one of the easiest, fastest, economical and beautiful ways to cover bare ground. You will often see it blooming along the side or center divider of highways, particularly on steep banks or slopes. A superb way to prevent soil erosion, choke out weeds, and beautify the landscape with minimal effort or cost.

Crown vetch quickly spreads by sending out shoots above and below ground getting roots up to 12 inches deep in to time soil permitting. Plants produce billowy, green foliage growing around 20 inches tall with masses of white to pink blooms from June until frost. Dense flowers clustered atop the green foliage makes it an attractive display. Even though each bloom is only 1/2 inch wide, even a small planting creates nearly a solid carpet of pink all summer long!

Monkey Grass (Liriope muscari) - If you need a decorative border or edging plant, start Monkey Grass seeds, and enjoy this popular ornamental grass plant. Also known as Lily Turf, this ornamental grass has evergreen foliage and violet blue flower spikes during the summer. Monkey Grass is an excellent ground cover for xeriscape landscapes, and it works nicely for container use as well.

How To Grow Monkey Grass From Ornamental Grass Seeds: Start Lily Turf seeds indoors in the early spring. Use small pots filled with seed starting mix. Place the ornamental grass seeds onto the soil and cover 1/4 inch with sand or soil and keep the seeds moist. place the seeds in the pots in your refrigerator until germination occurs Transplant outdoors once soil temperatures have warmed and frost danger has passed. Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. For a neat appearance, remove old foliage from Liriope muscari before new leaves emerge. Divide Monkey Grass clumps every 2 to 3 years in early spring. Mow in early spring to remove old foliage. Lilyturf will tolerate drier conditions once established.

Green Carpet (Herniaria Glabra) - This low growing drought tolerant ground cover only reaches about 3 inches in height and forms a matforming green carpet for carpet-bedding, a lawn alternative, low growing container gardening, etc. Herniaria glabra, also known as Rupturewort or Green Carpet, is a soft to walk on, evergreen grass substitute for many people or the perfect ground cover. It can take quite a bit of foot traffic as it is almost as wear tolerant as grass. Its small, vibrant green glabrous foliage will get inconspicuous lime-green to white flowers on it, but they are barely visible and do not attract bees. Many people report never seeing Herniaria Glabra flower at all which makes it nice as there is no flower clean up.