Moss in the Landscape: Garden Design Series
A lot of people have a love-hate relationship with moss. We love it in some places, and hate it in other places…such as on the roof. But should you find yourself tackling moss where it’s really not a problem, why not just leave it alone?
Many gardening articles are about how to get rid of moss. But here, we’re taking a very different approach. This one is about how to use moss and learn to appreciate it for its natural beauty in the landscape.
Most homeowners encounter moss as their trees grow and their yard becomes more shady over the years. They may have purchased a home that is largely shady and thus has a lot of moss taking over the lawn.
We’ve been taught that moss is “bad” for so long, that it’s only in recent years that some gardening corners are beginning to re-think the value of moss in the landscape. These new ideas are part of a growing movement towards Natural Landscaping.
In fact, moss is being promoted as an alternative ground cover. It’s right-at-home in the shade garden among the ferns and the hostas giving it that lush, forest-like appeal.
Why moss in the landscape?
But it’s more than just the shade. Moss also favors soils with a low pH (acidic) and compacted ground void of “aeration”. In other words, not a lot of air, water or nutrients are getting down into the soil. Even so, a soft, moist carpet of moss is a bare-footed treat.
It’s nothing to be alarmed about because moss will not invade a healthy lawn. It just can’t thrive in such conditions. That means it’s possible to embrace both the mossy area on the side of the house, and your plush lawn in the sunny front yard.
Rather than fight the moss, you could choose to “go with the flow”. What nature is providing you is a diversity of eco-systems as well as the type of vegetation that comes with it. If you love gardening, this allows you to experiment with a different combination of plantings, too.
Is there anything good about moss?
Moss acts as a purifier, absorbing toxins like a sponge. It’s effective at reducing soil erosion because moss has long rhizoids (hair-like roots) that hold soil particles together.
From a maintenance standpoint, nothing can be easier than moss. It can go quite a long time without needing water. It doesn’t require fertilizer and it prevents weeds. You don’t have to mow it. And raking leaves is almost effortless. In fact, you could probably use a leaf blower!
There are many different varieties of moss that produce a nice even emerald green groundcover. If you like your shady landscape and don’t want to remove trees or trim branches, moss is a good solution.
If you’ve got areas where grass just isn’t going to grow no matter what you try, maybe it’s time to work with moss, rather than against it. Bring in some boulders, some flowering shade loving perennials and ferns and watch a brand new landscape unfold!
SEE this incredible resource for moss from tn nursery
Note: (provided as a service to my readers. I am not an affiliate nor do I receive any benefit from acknowledging this resource)
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Resources for using moss in the landscape
Here’s a couple of very good articles from the folks over at The Spruce.com
How to create a low-maintenance moss lawn
Moss doesn’t have to be a problem, it can also be a solution. I’m not suggesting that anyone get rid of their lawn. That’s not what we’re about. But for those who would like to create more of a natural setting in their yard, and have the right conditions, you may wish to experiment with moss in the landscape.
As mentioned above, the two can co-exist quite nicely. You can have that great lawn out in front that makes your neighbors jealous. But elsewhere, you can relax a bit and have a more natural setting in an environment that’s cool and moist and refreshing.
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