Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes
Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes
Table of contents for Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes
A wildlife-friendly tapestry - text from Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes
Ground Cover Guilds from Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes
Foamflower and Green-and-Gold flowers from Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes
Heal-All and Heart-Leaved Alexanders from Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes

Native Ground Covers for Northeast Landscapes: A Wild Seed Project Guide

$ 18.00

  • 64 pages, 6" x 9" booklet
  • For wholesale orders, please complete this form.

Native ground covers are the workhorses of vibrant, multi-layered landscapes, offering a rich alternative to monoculture lawns. These low-growing plants form a vital living mulch that protects and enriches soil, and their beautiful tapestry of foliage, blooms and berries offers a long season of interest to people and pollinators.

This guide demonstrates how to incorporate ground covers into biodiversity efforts in urban green spaces, around residential settings and along roadsides. Learn about individual species and inspiring combinations that can make landscapes more attractive, climate-resilient and beneficial to wildlife.

What’s Inside:

  • Profiles of 48 native ground cover species that add color and texture to landscapes while building soil health and fostering wildlife habitat
  • Six illustrated guilds of ground cover combinations designed for different conditions
  • An overview of the many ecological benefits native ground covers can provide
  • Recommended reading and resources

Each seed package carries a specific germination code along with the plant description. These codes indicate specific sowing instructions.

  • A Seeds can be sown outdoors in fall or early spring.
  • B Seeds need a winter or cold period to germinate. Sow outdoors in fall or winter.
  • C Seeds need light to germinate; sow on soil surface and leave uncovered.
  • D Seeds need alternating cycles of warm-to-cold-to-warm to germinate. They can be sown either outdoors in spring or summer and will germinate the following year or in a flat in a warm place for 3 months, then moved to a refrigerator for 2 months, then moved outside in the early summer warmth.
  • E Seeds can not be allowed to dry out. Sow immediately.
  • F Seeds take two years to germinate. Sow outside in the fall or winter and look for germination in the second spring. A shady location prevents the flats from rapid drying and reduces weeding
  • G Large seeds should be soaked overnight in water.
  • FERN: Sow spores in a warm bright location in a sealed container and keep moist. Directions enclosed with package. Challenging.

If you have specific questions about seeds and germination guidelines please contact us at info@wildseedproject.net.

All seeds can be sown and placed outdoors in fall or winter bypassing the need for an artificial indoor cold stratification (refrigerator) required for some species when planted in spring. This is the simplest method. See How to Grow Natives From Seed for detailed instructions.