Maintaining a Moss Garden

New Interest in an Old Form

Moss gardening seems to be growing in popularity. Or perhaps more accurately there is a resurgence of interest in a garden form that has been around for centuries, most notably in Japan. Now people all over the world are using moss in their gardens, converting grass lawns into moss lawns, or even creating true moss gardens for themselves. Gardeners at Bloedel Reserve have been caring for the one-acre Moss Garden since 1982. In fact, the Bloedel Reserve Moss Garden is one of the few true public moss gardens on display in the nation.

Like any garden, a moss garden requires maintenance. This might seem daunting, but that’s only because of misconceptions about moss. Basic moss care is very easy. It doesn’t require any specialized knowledge. Just keep a few things in mind, and you will be well on your way to a pristine moss garden.

Rule Number One: Keep It Clean

For a moss garden to thrive, you need to clean leaves, debris, and weeds from your moss. This is really 95% of moss garden maintenance. Expansive moss-covered habitats are actually uncommon in nature. All the debris and competition from other plants discourages mosses from dominating the habitat in the way that you see mosses spreading through the Moss Garden at Bloedel Reserve. Even though a moss garden looks “natural,” it really isn’t. Removing all the debris that would normally choke out mosses is key to success.

Rule Number Two: Some Water, But Not Too Much

Don’t panic about watering. While we usually associate moss with lots of rain and moist habitats, moss is actually one of the most drought-tolerant groups of plants in the world. Yes, they even beat out cacti! Most moss species (though admittedly not all) become dormant when they dry out, but begin to grow again within mere minutes of being rehydrated by rain or sprinklers.

If you are trying to establish a new moss garden, do water periodically through dry spells to maintain new growth. But if your moss garden is already a nice green carpet, just water “every now and then” to maintain that lush appearance. And if you need to go away on that month-long cruise, don’t worry about your moss. It will be green and alive when you get back, waiting for you to give it a light spritz.

When you do water, remember that moss doesn’t need much. Moss doesn’t produce true roots, but rather structures called “rhizoids” (from the ancient Greek meaning “root-like”). The rhizoids simply anchor moss in place. They are not at all deep, like true roots. Amazingly, the entire body of moss — stems, leaves, and all — can absorb water from its environment. Unlike for other plants, deep watering is not necessary for mosses, although it won’t hurt either.

Rule Number Three: Tread Lightly

It’s true that moss is a little delicate. You don’t see football fields covered in moss instead of grass. That said, walking on moss a little bit is good. So don’t feel bad if you have to walk on your moss to take care of it. Tiny leaf fragments break off from the moss with each step. With repeated wear, this causes bare spots to form. But these tiny fragments can also grow into new moss plants to help keep the moss garden lush. As long as you only walk on the moss for maintenance purposes and avoid walking in regular routes, the moss will be fine. It may in fact be a bit more lush in the long run.

Go ahead and create your own moss garden. Of course, it doesn’t need to be as large as Bloedel’s Moss Garden. Even moss in a pot counts as a moss garden! Just make sure it is a size that you can easily manage with the time you have available. And be sure to visit the Moss Garden at Bloedel Reserve to see how the many varieties of moss add texture and color to the landscape.