Ground Covers

GROUND COVERS

Ground covers are meant for gardeners who have quite a bit of land space. This is because, as implied by the name, such plants are meant to cover up the bare ground, serve to link, set off larger landscape elements and to hold the soil during the heavy rains that are characteristic of Singapore. For certain species of ground covers, such as the carpet grass, one can even play golf upon it too!

Carpet grass

Cost: $1.20 per square feet Note: This is the type of grass that one can find in golf courses. Short and soft to the touch, this is quite ideal for gardens whereby children are around.

Pearl grass

Cost: $1.30 per square feet

Note: This is one type of grass that can survive underneath the shade of trees as it does not need sunlight at all. By means of pearl, it is referring to the pearl like sheen on the blade of grass.

Tradescantia spathacea (Rhpep spatjacea) (R. Discolor)

Better known as: Boat Lily, Moses in a Boat

Botanical family: Commelinaceae

Orginating in Central America, this attractice plant is now used everywhere in the tropics as a ground cover or to edge pathways. It has a short stem and a spiky rosette of leaves that are reddish-purple below and greenish-purple on top. White flowers appear between boat shaped bracts in the axils of the leaves, giving rise to the popular names. Given well-drained soil and full or lightly filtered sunlight, Rhoeo needs little care and spreads quickly. A very economical saving plant.