Picking ground covers for Marin gardens

I recently did a gardening project with ground covers. Need help finding the right ones for your garden?

“Sunset Western Garden Book” has a whole section on ground covers. It includes more than 80 species from 3 inches to 30 inches. Information about sun/shade and climate zones is given.

Calscape’s website at calscape.com has a filter system that allows you to find ground covers that are California natives. But how can a person choose from 133 plants?

UC Marin Master Gardeners also has a list of ground covers. The list only contains 28 plants (some California natives) that are suited to Marin gardens. Go to ucanr.edu/site/uc-marin-master-gardeners/groundcovers. This is a manageable list from which you can find the plant with the size, color, sun and water requirements you need. Two of the lowest-growing ones are Aptenia cordifolia and Dymondia margaretae. Two California natives are Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis.

— katie martin, UC Marin Master Gardeners