I’m finally tackling my neglected backyard and hit a snag. I cleared out a weedy patch along the fence line, and now I’m staring at this long, bare strip of dirt wondering what to do with it. I like the idea of something low-maintenance that fills in, but I’m worried about choosing plants that will just get overwhelmed by the morning glories trying to come back.
That bare strip in the backyard has potential not trouble. Think in layers a low ground cover near the soil a mid layer of something a bit taller toward the fence and a simple edge to keep things in place. It should slow the morning glories just enough while giving you room to decide what you like.
Morning glories show up like clockwork and they can feel bossy. The trick is not to fight them with a single plant but to choose companions that can stand up to the pressure and fill space so they lose their room to roam.
Try a practical mix along the strip drought tolerant ground covers with some creeping thyme and a couple of hardy perennials for color. A mulch layer helps hide bare soil and keeps weeds down without a lot of fuss.
Do you want the patch to feel wild and shifting or tidy and calm?
Here is a concept to try the meadow style idea where a thin structure exists to hold soil and most of the space is living mulch. It keeps the yard dynamic without heavy maintenance.
A quick thought from a rushed gardener skip vines that seed all over and go with hardy native groundcovers that keep the soil quiet.