Have you heard of ground covers? They've become increasingly common in commercial landscapes. Whether you're designing a landscape for a business, a commercial shopping center, an apartment complex or a recreational area, you may want to use them. Ground covers aren't physical objects. Rather, they are living plants that can enhance your commercial landscape in more ways than one.

What Are Ground Covers?
Ground covers are low-hanging, creeping plants that live up to their namesake by covering the ground on which they ground. Most of them are perennials. Regardless, ground covers are simply plants that have creeping growth properties while staying close to the ground.

Benefits of Using Ground Covers in a Commercial Landscape
With ground covers, your commercial landscape will be better protection against erosion. Rainwater can wreak havoc on your commercial landscape. As rainwater travels across your commercial landscape, it will wash away some of the soil. Ground covers protect against erosion in several ways. First, they create a root system in the soil that holds it together. Second, they disrupt the flow of rainwater.

You don't have to worry about a cold snap killing the ground covers in your commercial landscape. Like all perennials, they are hardy plants that can withstand cold snaps. They'll typically go dormant during the fall, and ground covers will emerge back to life during the following spring. Ground covers will cycle through these phases - all while requiring minimal maintenance.

There are aesthetic benefits associated with the use of ground covers as well. They'll introduce new colors that create a more energetic and lively appearance. At the same time, ground covers offer a uniform appearance by discouraging the growth of weeds.

Tips on Using Ground Covers in a Commercial Landscape
Not all ground covers are the same. There are dozens of different varieties of low-hanging and creeping plants that qualify as ground covers. If you're going to use them in your commercial landscape, you should choose the right variety. Fortunately, a commercial landscaping company can help you select, as well as integrate, the right ground covers in your commercial landscape.

While ground covers will discourage weeds from growing in your commercial landscape, you may want to surround them with mulch. Adding mulch around your ground covers will prevent weeds from taking them over. It will also retain the ground covers so that they don't spread outside of your commercial landscape.

This article was brought to you by Palmetto Coastal. For more articles, tips and news for your commercial landscaping and maintenance needs, please visit us at our website.