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Nice Weeds for Raleigh Lawns

posted Sep 9, 2014, 12:35 PM by Elliot Poger   [ updated Sep 9, 2014, 1:00 PM ]

I have succeeded in killing half the fescue in my lawn.  So it's time for me to experiment with some different forms of ground cover.

My neighbors here in central Raleigh have some very nice-looking Low-Maintenance Ground Cover (some would call them "weeds") in their yards.  I collected a few samples, and went over to Logan's, where a friendly, knowledgeable fellow named Jim told me what they were:

 
Violets

Jim said "oh, that's a violet, you'll probably want to save it and plant it back in your yard."  Well, my esteemed neighbors aren't getting it back.

http://landscaping.about.com/od/not-bad-weeds/p/wild-violets.htm
 
Creeping Charlie, a.k.a. Ground Ivy

likes damp and shade

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glechoma_hederacea
 
Spotted Spurge

Jim said that this likes sun, and is drought-tolerant.  I told him that I liked how it looked, and asked him, why not just grow lots of it in my yard?  He said that it might appear patchy at certain times of year.  (But it would look a lot better than my grass does right now!)

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/spotted-spurge-control.htm
 
yet another variety of Spotted Spurge (apparently there are many)

 
Jim instantly recognized this plant but said he didn't know what it was.  Apparently he's seen a fair amount of it around Raleigh but hasn't yet been able to figure out what it is.


I ended up leaving Logan's with a pound of clover seed to spread around my back yard, but I'll be on the lookout for ways to help the Spotted Spurge colonize the bare patches of my lawn...

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