Organic Gardening will upgrade its login and registration system on
December 11. The new system is needed to support some of the major site
enhancements that we are currently developing. The new system is shared with
other Rodale sites, including Prevention, Men's Health, Runner's World and Women's Health.
Click here for answers to the most frequently
asked questions related to the new system.
I am making preparations to "redo" my flower bed in front of my house. It is connected to my front porch and lies between the porch and my sidewalk. It measures 5'-7" X 14'-9". I am placing landscaping stone around it as an edger. I will be laying down one full sheet of "Weed Guard", brand name, weed barrier. So far, I will be planting several gardenias (LOVE their wonderful fragrance) possibly several mums and or daisy's, some inpatients and maybe a few others. I plan on the focal point being a small bird-bath fountain right in the center and possible some small landscaping lights, not the cheesy looking ones.
The soil there is WONDERFUL!! TONS and TONS of wigglers. There used to be shrubs, not sure what the name was, but they began to die so I had to remove them. Root exposure, I think is what did them in.
Anyhow, my question for you wonderful people is, what type of ground covering would you recommend putting down once all is finished. We used to have lava rock but I don't think it would fit the new theme. I don't particularly want tree mulch since termites have been known to munch on them and it's too close to the house. I wondered about Pine straw but I'd REALLY like to use something green. I'm not sure what this might be though. I want something that wouldn't be invasive to the other plants there and choke them out. I'm not sure how stone or other gravel products might affect the soil there. I'd like something that I can continue feeding the earth there with my new compost pile but I don't want just bare dirt.
