Best ground covering for a yard in Florida?

Question

We are going to pull out all the shrubs and bushes from the front of our house. We would like to put a low lying ground cover down instead....maybe with some little flowers. The area gets direct sun in the early-mid afternoon and none in the morning. Any suggestions? (I also like low-maintenance!)

Answer 1

Roman chamomoile makes a good lawn cover, and you can make tea from the flowers! It blooms in June and July, little white and/or yellow flowers. Smells a bit like apples. It can get fairly big (tall) if you don't roll it a few times a year. You can walk on it all you want, too.
It can thrive in almost any soil, it just needs watering, weeding and the occasional rolling.
You don't have to start it from seed, you can get pre-started ones. Plant them about 6-12 inches apart from each other and watch them fill up the spaces.

To avoid weeding:
-You could get that mesh screen stuff from your local garden supply that people use for gardens - don't use plastic!
-Rake (all over your dirt yard) down about one or two inches and pile it off to the side.
-Cut holes in the mesh every 6-12 inches and lay it down.
You can plant first or lay the mesh first, depending on how big the plants are.
-Plant your plants in the holes and cover all of the mesh with your pile of dirt and tamp it down.
-You can put mulch on top of the dirt to make it look nice, but you might have to remove it once the plants really start spreading.
Using the mesh allows the soil to breathe, water to get through and weeds can't root.

If this is too much maintenance, make a zen garden! Tres chic.

Answer 2

Ice plant - it has hot pink flowers. It spreads nicely.

Answer 3

crushed gravel - no maintenance at all!