The Soft And Bouncy Ground Cover That'll Look Beautiful In Your Yard

Ground cover is one of many clever alternatives to grass for a no-mow garden that works really well on slopes, in gaps in rock gardens or flower beds, or to fill in shady spots in the yard. One beautiful ground cover that adds a soft, springy green carpet to your garden is baby's tears (Soleirolia soleirolii). Baby's tears is a relatively easy-to-grow perennial that thrives in warmer climates under indirect light, and creates a dense layer of small, tightly packed leaves. 

Other names for this lovely ground cover include mind-your-own-business, angel's tears, Japanese moss, Corsican carpet, and peace-in-the-home. This buoyant ground cover, that resembles moss from a distance, can spread up 6 feet. It's a great choice for areas you are looking to fill in, especially where there is a lot of shade — the leaves can burn under direct sunlight. Though this evergreen perennial seeks shade, it still wants warmth, thriving in USDA Hardiness zone 10 or above. In zone 9 it will die off in the winter but return in the spring.

The density of its fine branches and small leaves isn't simply visually appealing. Baby's tears is the perfect ground cover to consider for areas where you want to suppress weeds and can be used in flower beds instead of mulch, around trees, and between stepping stones along a pathway.

Baby's tears plants are beautiful, but they do require maintenance to continues to look great and mature into a dense ground cover. While it's not technically classified as invasive, it does grow aggressively. If left unattended, baby's tears can spread quickly, overgrowing its borders. If you stay on top of growth, cutting it back as needed, you won't have problems. 

Baby's tears do best in partial to full shade areas with well-draining, loamy soil. Morning sun should be fine, but plant so it avoids afternoon sun, especially in warm climates. For the best results, keep your baby's tear beds moist, but avoid watering so much they get soggy or waterlogged, which can cause root rot. Watering once a week during the growing season should be plenty; you can cut back on watering a bit during the winter. Fertilize baby's tears every two weeks throughout the spring and summer and cut the plant back during fall and winter.