Moss Gardens

Moss is a great addition to the shade garden, woodland garden, or rock garden.  It can give the garden a lush look and feel.  Moss is a low maintenance plant; it requires no mowing or fertilizer, once established it requires no watering. It grows in thick massings, making it difficult for weeds to take hold, as a result there’s little need for weeding.
 
Shady areas of the garden are most suitable for moss. Moss obtains it’s nutrients from the air so at the time of planting it requires no fertilizer or additional soil amendments such as peat moss or compost. Peat moss will actually rob the soil moisture from the moss. Clay soil is preferred as is hold moisture well. Soil that is somewhat acidic is also preferable. Most newly planted moss plants don’t like to dry out, so water frequently after planting.  After they're established, however, some species of moss can tolerate drought conditions.
 
In many moist, shady environments moss will grow naturally, particularly on the north side of trees and rocks.
 
A few moss varieties available for gardens include:
 
Fern Moss - fast growing & low growing. Very versatile.
 
Rock Cap Moss - Perfect for growing on rock outcropping and garden walls as well as garden soil.
 
Haircap Moss - Tolerates some sun if watered regularly.

Related Articles: Garden Preparation, Shade Gardens, Shade Perennials