Two Evergreen Ground Covers
Dwarf Mondo Grass and Pachysandra

Broad leaf evergreen shrubs and trees and evergreen conifers give the garden color at eye level and above. Ground covers can blanket the earth underfoot.
Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana') has dark green mounds of grass-like leaves. The leaves are three to five inches tall and a quarter inch wide. It spreads indefinitely by underground stolons and tuberous roots. The light lilac flowers are hidden by the leaves as are the metallic blue berries that they produce. This plant prefers partial shade to shade and moist soil, but it will tolerate full sun and dry conditions. It likes organic soil and is pH adaptable. Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) is often confused with Liriope (Liriope muscari), because it has fifteen inch tall grass-like leaves. However, its leaves are much narrower at a quarter inch and the flowers and fruits are buried in the foliage. Another species of Mondo Grass is Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'). Its leaves are about six inches tall and are dark purple to almost black. Dwarf Mondo Grass works well in Japanese gardens.
Its a great edging plant and ground cover and keeps its dark green color all winter.
Ours surrounds the stepping stones in the shade garden.

Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) is a low-growing, dense evergreen ground cover with erect stems and alternate leaves that are one and a half to two and a half inches long and one inch wide. The olive green leaves are grouped in whorls at the tops of the stems. This plant grows six to ten inches tall and spreads indefinitely by rhizomes. The creamy white flowers in the spring are held above the foliage and are attractive. This plant likes shade and prefers well-drained organic soil. It does well under trees.

A number of pests and diseases, such as stem rot, scale, mites, and nematodes, attack
Pachysandra. Our bed of Pachysandra is along the brick sidewalk to the overlook garden.
These are two evergreen ground covers that do well here.  One looks like grass and one is bushier. Neither one likes to be walked on. Both look good in the winter by maintaining good color and form.