I'm aiming to kill all the grass and grassy weeds and grow a groundcover lawn instead (it's a steep hill and it sucks to mow it every week). To this end, I purchased several packets of fancy viola seeds and I plan to replace my grassy/weedy lawn with them (and some other groundcovers). I chose violas because they are doing well in other lawns in this area (and most people consider them weeds so I have access to digging up more varieties from other people's lawns). When and how is the best way to start viola seeds to maximize their potential? Should I start them in a seed flat and then transplant them after they have gotten started, or can they be successfully directly sown in the lawn? I'm in Southern Vermont (5A).
Will they do better with less competition, or will they choke out the grass and other weeds on their own? Should I resist the urge to Round-up the entire lawn? Maybe there is a HERBICIDE THAT ONLY KILLS GRASS and not broadleafs/wildflowers (if so, please tell me what it's called, I found articles saying this stuff exists but no brands/links, and most do the opposite, killing the stuff I want and saving the grass)? I am on a slope so can't do major tilling or the soil will erode away if it rains. The ground is hard packed but well drained, most likely fairly poor (although I was able to grow a semi-successful garden in it, so not awful), and full of stone (mostly schist and slate but some smaller glacial till as well). Digging holes that do more than skim the surface involves a pickax rather than a shovel, I've found it's nearly impossible to dig a hole more than 3-4" deep without a pickax because I hit stones every time. Most of the stones that turn up when breaking up the soil are fist to forearm sized, some are serving plate to 12 pack of cans size, most are 3-5" deep (meaning in most places there is a 2-4" layer of soil over the bulk of the rock that makes up the ground here). About half the rocks you see in the pic below were pulled out of the soil in this area when making the terraces. I'm not going to buy topsoil, but am not opposed to pulling out any big rocks and adding some dirt from another spot to bring it back up to level as needed when I plant the groundcover. I would prefer not to do this to the whole lawn so groundcovers that will grow on top of gravel/stone in a thin layer of topsoil would be great. I don't mind watering it daily.
What else would do well planted with/between the violas to fill in between them? From what I have seen in other lawns, violas like to grow in bunches. I'm thinking I need another short groundcover that can tolerate the blazing afternoon/evening to fill in between the violas. It's too much sun for ajuga and mazus (tried them both, not working, yellowing/browning and dying in sun/heat despite daily watering). It needs to stay short (ideally shorter than or same height as the violas) or grow slower than the violas and be mowable (and look decent when mowed). I don't want any grass of any kind. I do not want sedum or other succulents of any kind (I hate the way it feels when you walk on it). I don't want periwinkle/vinca which is very invasive here. Whatever it is needs to be something that doesn't have woody stems, thorns, spikey leaves, or other foot-stabbers. The yard gets filtered morning sun, then is shaded by the house from 10AM-1:30PM, then it gets full late afternoon/evening sun, and it's a steep west-facing hill, so it's direct sun even late in the day. Several part sun groundcovers I have tried have not fared well in the heat/sun despite it having half a day of shade, so I think I need full sun capable suggestions that will fill in between the violas and be walkable (bonus if the foliage is deep or vivid green and any flowers are blue, purple, lavender). Will creeping thyme play nicely with violas? How about rockcress? Would veronica (tidal pool, liwanensis, or blue reflection, which are prone varieties that stay under 5") be able to compete with the violas to fill in between them, or should I try a higher prone veronica like georgia blue (6-8") between the violas? Maybe I just picked a bad variety of ajuja (burgundy glow) and others do better in sun? Maybe a short clover? Getting ready to place a fall order to get stuff that needs to be planted in the fall. Open to suggestions.
It's to replace the junk grass/weeds in the foreground of this photo (it continues down the hill to the driveway/parking area):
Looking to replace the "lawn" shown in background here (behind the garden fence):
Will they do better with less competition, or will they choke out the grass and other weeds on their own? Should I resist the urge to Round-up the entire lawn? Maybe there is a HERBICIDE THAT ONLY KILLS GRASS and not broadleafs/wildflowers (if so, please tell me what it's called, I found articles saying this stuff exists but no brands/links, and most do the opposite, killing the stuff I want and saving the grass)? I am on a slope so can't do major tilling or the soil will erode away if it rains. The ground is hard packed but well drained, most likely fairly poor (although I was able to grow a semi-successful garden in it, so not awful), and full of stone (mostly schist and slate but some smaller glacial till as well). Digging holes that do more than skim the surface involves a pickax rather than a shovel, I've found it's nearly impossible to dig a hole more than 3-4" deep without a pickax because I hit stones every time. Most of the stones that turn up when breaking up the soil are fist to forearm sized, some are serving plate to 12 pack of cans size, most are 3-5" deep (meaning in most places there is a 2-4" layer of soil over the bulk of the rock that makes up the ground here). About half the rocks you see in the pic below were pulled out of the soil in this area when making the terraces. I'm not going to buy topsoil, but am not opposed to pulling out any big rocks and adding some dirt from another spot to bring it back up to level as needed when I plant the groundcover. I would prefer not to do this to the whole lawn so groundcovers that will grow on top of gravel/stone in a thin layer of topsoil would be great. I don't mind watering it daily.
What else would do well planted with/between the violas to fill in between them? From what I have seen in other lawns, violas like to grow in bunches. I'm thinking I need another short groundcover that can tolerate the blazing afternoon/evening to fill in between the violas. It's too much sun for ajuga and mazus (tried them both, not working, yellowing/browning and dying in sun/heat despite daily watering). It needs to stay short (ideally shorter than or same height as the violas) or grow slower than the violas and be mowable (and look decent when mowed). I don't want any grass of any kind. I do not want sedum or other succulents of any kind (I hate the way it feels when you walk on it). I don't want periwinkle/vinca which is very invasive here. Whatever it is needs to be something that doesn't have woody stems, thorns, spikey leaves, or other foot-stabbers. The yard gets filtered morning sun, then is shaded by the house from 10AM-1:30PM, then it gets full late afternoon/evening sun, and it's a steep west-facing hill, so it's direct sun even late in the day. Several part sun groundcovers I have tried have not fared well in the heat/sun despite it having half a day of shade, so I think I need full sun capable suggestions that will fill in between the violas and be walkable (bonus if the foliage is deep or vivid green and any flowers are blue, purple, lavender). Will creeping thyme play nicely with violas? How about rockcress? Would veronica (tidal pool, liwanensis, or blue reflection, which are prone varieties that stay under 5") be able to compete with the violas to fill in between them, or should I try a higher prone veronica like georgia blue (6-8") between the violas? Maybe I just picked a bad variety of ajuja (burgundy glow) and others do better in sun? Maybe a short clover? Getting ready to place a fall order to get stuff that needs to be planted in the fall. Open to suggestions.
It's to replace the junk grass/weeds in the foreground of this photo (it continues down the hill to the driveway/parking area):
Looking to replace the "lawn" shown in background here (behind the garden fence):
