In nature the floor is covered with food. You only need to recognize it. There many edible plants that you can use as ground cover in your garden. They make the garden lively and protect the garden from unwanted plants. The list that I made are species that easily grow without much help. If it grows to fast you can always plant it in a old bath or bucket.
List of ground cover
- Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
- Ground-ivy (Glechoma hederacea)
- Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
- Wild garlic (Allium ursinum)
- Mint (Mentha)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus lavandulaceus 'Capri')
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
- Pumpkin (Cucurbita)
Ground cover is handy and is often used as a herb, vegetable or in tea. You only need to harvest but be aware mint and ground-ivy can spread rapidly.
The wild strawberry is the original form of the strawberry plant that we all know. It grows with little effort on almost every type of soil. The leave and the fruit can be eaten. The fruit is smaller than the modern strawberry, but they are richer in flavor.
Most people have seen it but never recognized it. Ground-ivy with its pretty little purple flowers grows in early summer. It's easy to grow and the antidote for nettle rash. Great for in tea or to add flavor in vegetables or beer.
This plant species slowly becomes rare. The purple flowers are great for bees and butterflies! The thyme can be used in salads, tea, potatoes and stews.
Wild garlic becomes rare in the Benelux but I've seen them in big fields in Germany. The plant taste like a mix of onion and garlic. It's incredibly tasty but be sure you've got the right plant. This plants looks very similar to the VERY poisonous plant lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis )
Mint is a great plant there so many types of it that everyone likes mint. It's useful for in candy, tea, toothpaste, salads, juice, mouth refresher. Also the cattle likes to eat it. You can never have enough mint!
This hardy plant is great for in stews or potatoe. They are not only handy for in food but they are also great for pest control. The plant will grow on well drained soil in the full sun.
Oregano is famous for its use on the pizza! It normally grows around the Mediterranean sea so in the colder climates you need to surround them with big stones that hold the heat in the full sun. Against the house or under glass is also a good option. Oregano grows great on poor dry soil.
Pumpkin grows great on most types of soil but the more fertile the ground the bigger the pumpkins. You can create a big winter supply with this crop. Pumpkin stay good for multiple months as long as they are kept cool. Don't forget the seeds they are also edible!
