Drought-Resistant Perennial Ground Covers for Sandy Cape Cod Soil: Bearberry and Black-Eyed Susan

Option 1: Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Evergreen, slow to establish. Critical: don't overwater first season, but keep alive. After establishment, thrives on rain alone.

Option 2: Goldstrum Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)

My favorite. Weed-smothering, spreads and self-seeds. Plant 18–24+ inches apart; fills in within years. Beautiful from spring emergence through summer bloom to winter seed heads. Cut down once a year in Jan/Feb with a weed whacker.

Soil Prep for Both

• Till to loosen, incorporate compost/composted leaves/loam.
• Mulch first 1–2 years to suppress weeds.
• Water deeply weekly if no rain.
• Light organic fertilizer in early spring only—don't overfertilize.