When my wife and I first pulled up to what was then a sectioned-off patch of heavily wooded land, I said, “This is it!” She looked at me and said, “Huh? It looks like an overgrown forest.” “Exactly,” I said, and the more I looked at the lot, located on a steep hill overlooking a creek, the more I dreamed. I envisioned strolling down paths that wound around trees, rocks, and water. I wanted a lush garden that would transport us far from day-to-day demands. I quickly realized I wouldn’t be able to have a traditional lawn beneath this thick canopy, but one day, as I was clearing the last bits of brush by hand, I realized I was overlooking an appealing option right under my feet—moss. Already growing throughout the site, it was free and barefoot-friendly to boot.

I’ve since discovered that moss offers other rewards. It stays mostly green, even during Missouri’s cold and dreary winters. And it requires minimal maintenance—a little watering during dry spells and weeding now and then by hand or with a string trimmer.

Moss ties it all together

I encouraged moss to grow on the bare soil of my newly carved hills and valleys by transplanting it there. Taking moss from places where it was abundant, I used a flat spatula to scoop up sections just below the root line. Then I tore off small pieces about the size of a nickel and patted them firmly onto their new home, placing the patches about an inch apart. Within weeks, the bare areas between patches filled in with moss. Keeping the moss moist while it was getting established was helpful.

Since I had trouble finding books that dealt with the practical care of moss, I gained most of my knowledge about moss gardening through trial and error, and I do mean error. For example, I first thought the ultimate setup would be an automatic sprinkler to mist the moss for five minutes every hour, around the clock. It didn’t take long before I was browning out large areas of moss. That’s because moss naturally tends to fold up its foliage during the day when it’s dry and sunny to protect its fragile leaves, which are only one cell thick. When moss is wet, it opens its leaves to absorb the moisture, so if the sun is out the leaves can dry out and burn. I found it’s best to water moss in the evening and only if it hasn’t rained for several days.

I’ve learned that the best way to promote moss growth is through grooming. Getting rid of grass, weeds, and fallen twigs and leaves makes it easier for the moss to hold its own. I don’t use any chemicals, because I don’t know what long-term effects they might have on the moss. Weather permitting, I enjoy spending a quiet 15 or 20 minutes in the morning “detailing” a small section of the garden. Weeds are most likely to offer competition in areas where the moss is new and thin. If weeds get especially heavy, as they sometimes do in spring before the leafy canopy fills in, I turn the string trimmer on and let it idle, allowing the cord to lightly skim across the moss, cutting off the weeds but leaving the moss unharmed. In the fall, I use an electric blower to remove fallen leaves.