Home Garden Ground Covers that are Perfect for Dinner Too

Remembering that some of the ground covers found in a simple home garden also works best for making dinner can help ease up meal preparation if it is proving to be a herculean task.

Derek Markham, a green living writer for Treehugger, listed the best alternative ground covers that can also be used for preparing even the biggest feast. Markham advocates adopting ground cover vegetation as opposed to grass lawns as a replacement.

He claims that by doing this, more water is saved, less time is spent mowing, and even some important pollinators might be called into the garden. Here are some of the ground covers in home gardens that Markham via Treehugger says are perfect for making dinner:

Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

FLAVORING and TEA. The perennial herb spearmint grows quickly and hardily, reaching heights of one to three feet. The leaves can be used for food flavoring and to make herbal teas because they are delicate, fragrant, and have a strong mint flavor. Given that it tolerates shade and prefers moist soil, it's a great option for damp and shady yard areas. It spreads out well, grows quickly, and is easy to grow. It can be cultivated from seed and multiplied by cutting or dividing the existing plants.

Virginia Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

FRUITS IN CREAM or SLICED FRUIT. Eastern North America is the natural habitat of the perennial wild strawberry, known as the Virginia strawberry. It typically blooms with white flowers in April or May, followed by tiny, sweet fruit in June. Treehugger says can be planted from seeds, grows from six inches to one foot tall, spreads readily by runners, and reproduces on its own all through the growing season. Consider planting it along the border around other garden areas since it doesn't tolerate foot traffic.

Creeping Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus 'prostratus')

SEASONING. Creeping rosemary is a perennial, evergreen herb of the rosemary species that grows horizontally. If unchecked, it can spread to a height of up to eight feet and a width of two inches to a foot. Creeping rosemary grows better in dry climates and is drought-tolerant because of its Mediterranean ancestry.

It won't survive in winter if temperatures regularly drop below 20 degrees, making it a poor choice for colder climates. It blooms in the summer with pale blue flowers, and it is best pruned to promote dense growth after the bloom has faded.

According to Greenwood Nursery, creeping rosemary goes well with baked potatoes.

Acorn Squash (Cucurbita pepo var. turbinata)

ROASTED SIDE DISH. The acorn squash is a type of perennial winter squash that spreads out and can take up a lot of space. Winter squash, despite its name, is a warm-weather plant; it can be differentiated from summer squash by its hard skin, which shields the fruit and enables storage over the winter. Delish says that acorn squash is best halved and roasted.

American Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

SALADS, COOKED DESSERTS, or JAMS. Wintergreen, also referred to as eastern teaberry or sometimes known as boxberry, is a perennial ground cover plant that thrives in shade. Its edible red berries are frequently cooked in desserts or jams or added raw to salads. It has a minty, spicy flavor that some people compare to wintergreen. The plant also produces small, white flowers in the summer, Treehugger reports.