For deep or light shade, there are evergreen vines such as the Baltic ivy and pachysandra, periwinkle with its blue-and-white spring flowers, and plumbago which has brilliant blue flowers in the fall. English ivy is good for the shady north side of buildings. For soil too sandy for shrubs there is Scotch broom, which bears yellow blooms. Other covers include hay-scented fern, sandwort, lily of the valley, maiden pink, wintercreeper thyme and phlox.

Suggestions are often made for cover which can take the place of grass for lawn, but such covers are usually much more difficult to maintain than grass, even though it is claimed they do not require mowing. Among them are chamomile, a flowering perennial used in medieval times for turf, and while fragrant and soft, untidy and weak; sandwort, which has rather fleshy leaves with a smooth surface. Sandwort grows 1 inch long and must be kept mowed to remove the seed stalks. Pearlwort, which has to be watered freely, is only practical in a hot, humid climate; it is a haven for grubs, moths, beetles and sow bugs. Dicondra, a low-creeping herb used on the West Coast for cover, is considered a weed by many, and while easy to grow, does not stand up well against abuse.

Sowing Grass Seed

Every authority states unequi-vocably that fall is the best time to seed, preferably in September after the months of hottest weather and when there is a good moisture condition. If you seed in the fall the grass will thrive, but, nevertheless, the heaviest sales of seed are in the spring. If you do seed in spring, start as early as the weather permits so that there will be good root growth started before hot weather sets in.

May plantings usually suffer from competition with crab grass and other summer weeds as well as from heat and inadequate moisture. Usually it is best to make a temporary lawn of rye grass where seedings are necessary in late May or during the summer, and then turn this cover under for permanent seeding in early fall.