Question
We just moved into our new home and the landscapers used pine straw for the mulch. We'll need to replace it soon and I'm wondering what is good for ground cover. I'm attempting to care for the lawn as safely as possible and I'm considering rocks/stones, but I'm not sure if that's the best choice and if it is which kind should I choose? I like the idea of not replacing it constantly and it does look nice. By the way, we live in North Carolina.
                                           Thank you
                                            Sylvia

Answer
Hi Sylvia;
That pine bark mulch is th sorriest thing they could have used.
Hardwood bark is much better, cedar is the best of all.
It takes 2 years to compost, so it only has to be replaces every two years, and it adds so uch to the soil.
Pine bark is a soft wood bark, and it moves, with water, wind, walking on it.
It isn't even very good to till in the loosen clay soil.
You have as many choices for covering as you have imagination.
Pavestones, flagstone, pea gravel, white marble gravel, or you could go with green groundcovers.
Asian Jasmine is a good one. It will take full sun to full shade. It will do well in total shade, but when it gets to where some sun hits it, it spreads like the dickens.
It is a small leaved ground cover.
I have it in the raised bed across about 2/3rd of my front lawn, with stone walks through it, and a seating area.
It is evergreen, so it is green in winter too.
There are a lot of shade and sun loving ground covers.
Some even have delicate little blooms. Some are evergreen. I like as much evergreen in my froint lawn as I can get, that way it looks nioce all year round.
Go to    http://www.garden.org/home
look up ground covers. You can also look up shade loving ground covers,
You can see p[ictures of what it looks like on a lawn.
Charlotte