"paghat" wrote in message
news
Easier than Zoysia to get a complete carpeting groundcover out of is a
little forb called Prunella vulgaris, which is already naturalized
throughout the world, being more adaptable than zoysia, looking fine in
part shade to full sun, varying degrees of moisture, & changing soil
conditions over a large area. Zoysia will look different in differing
conditions & might not thrive at all along patches that are shaded. Both
Zoysia & Prunella require watering just about as regularly as a grass lawn
(maybe SLIGHTLY less) so for a lawn that was a bit easier on resources
Lawn Chamomile might do the trick.

Here's the Plants for a Future list of plants that can be used as lawns:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_...p?K%5B%5D=Lawn
though this list incudes plants that make a taller lawn or which make a
lawn only in spring (bulbs) or stuff that dries out in summer, & it
doesn't include ALL potential options (Dichondra micrantha repens aka
"dewdrop lawn" is missing from the list) but it's a nice page with
something to say about many of the plants people use as lawn substitutes.

-paghat the ratgirl

Strange that you mentioned prunella. I planted prunella grandiflora
'Loveliness' a few years ago with high hopes, but it languished and then
died. I think it was in an area that is too dry. It is a trouble area for
me at the edge of a woodland with clay soil and on a slope. I haven't had
much luck with plants in that location. At best, things just survive. I
have planted hydrangea macrophilia, hydrangea p. tardiva, viburnum
carlcephalum, viburnum t. Shasta, common daylilies, tradescantia, hostas,
spirea, to name a few with no real success. The Shasta viburnum really
wilts in the summer and watering is very difficult in the area.