There are plenty of shade ground cover plants that can be used in place of standard grass. These perennial ground covers will naturally spread over time to create a lush carpet under trees ...

If you can't "learn to live with them," Neil Sperry suggests a ground cover that makes mowing around them unnecessary ...

Q: Our neighbor has a large magnolia tree that casts very heavy shade into our yard ... to grow either turfgrass or hostas there. What ground cover would have the best chance of succeeding?