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Ground Cover and Wild Flowers #929582

Asked April 25, 2026, 10:24 AM EDT

Hi, I am currently building a house in cook county. The lot is wooded, but we'll have a bit of a clearing around the house. We are hoping to not have to mow any lawn. Do you have recommendations for anything we can plant intentionally for ground cover near the house? We are hoping for something that is natural to the area, doesn't require maintenance, and will stay low to the ground. Also, as we get further from the house and over the mound septic, we are interested in planting wild flowers. Do you have recommendations for local species that we might be able to plant that will come back year after year. Thanks, Mike

Cook County Minnesota

Expert Response

Cook county is well out of my area of expertise. No mow grass is probably the most reliable option and seed mixes are available although zone 2-3 will be a challenge.
https://www.prairienursery.com/no-mow-lawn-seed-mix.html
This link describes native grasses for lawns but they get very tall.
https://cultivatingflora.com/types-of-native-grasses-and-groundcovers-suited-to-minnesota-outdoor-living/

https://www.upnativeplants.com/event-details-registration/grand-marais-native-plant-sale
Your local plant nursery is probably a good source. My strategy is to look at every house and see what does well. I   suggest looking at gardens  in Grand Marais for plants that spread. 
I found this video interesting. The ground covers listed for zone 5 grow well in the Twin Cities, as a comment. I think the choices for zone 1 -2 are accurate. 

I hope some of the info I have included is useful. 
Evelyn Locke, MN Master Gardener, Tree Care Advisor, Volunteer Replied April 25, 2026, 7:23 PM EDT
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFALUyTe1pswIAPstXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=<personal data hidden>/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fconservancy.umn.edu%2fbitstreams%2fbf81d09d-cd16-43d1-879e-e9ed92ddf489%2fdownload/RK=2/RS=T1xeMPR1eUe8K3QnEcRe6vU6ifE-

Almost forgot the septic mound  part of your inquiry.
Evelyn Locke, MN Master Gardener, Tree Care Advisor, Volunteer Replied April 25, 2026, 7:26 PM EDT

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