Marianne's Response
Tips for mossy lawns
We have decided to have a moss lawn and are wondering how to eliminate the remaining blades of grass. The area is surrounded by rhodies, firs, a shade garden area of astilbe, bleeding heart, hostas, a big bed of ajuga, and a lot of heart-leaf montia. I would like to reduce the total area of moss and add swathes of feathery grasses or other ground covers. Any ideas? Your help and advice are greatly appreciated.
Posted by Alanna Hartzell on April 16, 2015
Marianne's Response
Welcome to not fighting Mother Nature. In order to enjoy a more mossy lawn just keep mowing when the grass blades peek above the moss layer and don't try to eliminate the grasses just let them mix in with the moss. This way you will have a grass roots cushion for the moss to grow. Moss like acid soil, poor drainage and shade so if you live in Western Washington a moss lawn is a natural. As for other groundcovers I love the plants you are already growing but add some lamiums, herucheras, pulmonarias and brunneras for even more color. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti
Search the Ask the Gardening Expert library
Looking for a quick resolution to your problem? Marianne has answered thousands of gardening questions. One may be similar to yours. Try searching our library to get the answer you need — fast!