Synthetic ground cover

Abstract

A ground cover element, comprising an elongated support member, at least one anchoring member, and a plurality of lateral extensions supported by the elongated support member. Each of the lateral extensions has a wood chip, mulch, leaf, lava rock, peastone gravel, pebble, tree bark chip, wood stick, marble chip, rock, grass, or stone appearance. Placing a number of the invented objects around the base of a building or other structure creates a ground cover that prevents erosion, retards fire, and suppresses the growth of unwanted vegetation. The size of the invention allows for arrangement of the ground cover around structures of varying shape.

1 . A synthetic ground cover element comprising: 
 an elongated support member;    a plurality of irregularly shaped lateral extensions extending from said elongated support member; and    at least one anchoring member attached to said elongated support member and/or one or more of said irregularly shaped lateral extensions.    
   
   
       2 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 1 , wherein said lateral extensions have one or more surface characteristics selected from grooves, ridges, striations, depressions, and dimples.  
   
   
       3 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said lateral extensions comprises a plurality of interconnected irregularly shaped chips.  
   
   
       4 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of interconnected irregularly shaped chips have a staggered arrangement with respect to one another.  
   
   
       5 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of interconnected irregularly shaped chips have a random arrangement with respect to one another.  
   
   
       6 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 3 , wherein each of said plurality of chips have one or more surface characteristics selected from grooves, ridges, striations, depressions, and dimples.  
   
   
       7 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of chips resembles one or more selected from the group consisting of lava rocks, peastone gravel, pebbles, tree bark chips, wood sticks, marble chips, stones, grass, and rocks.  
   
   
       8 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of chips have a mulch appearance.  
   
   
       9 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 3 , wherein each of said plurality of chips have a leaf appearance.  
   
   
       10 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 3 , wherein each of said plurality of chips have a wood chip appearance.  
   
   
       11 . A synthetic ground cover comprising: 
 a plurality of ground cover elements, each ground cover element comprising:    an elongated support member;    a plurality of irregularly shaped lateral extensions extending from said elongated support member; and    at least one anchoring member attached to said elongated support member and/or one or more of said irregularly shaped lateral extensions.    
   
   
       12 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 11 , wherein said lateral extensions have one or more surface characteristics selected from grooves, ridges, striations, depressions, and dimples.  
   
   
       13 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of lateral extensions has the appearance of one or more selected from the group consisting of lava rocks, peastone gravel, pebbles, tree bark chips, wood sticks, marble chips, stones, grass, and rocks.  
   
   
       14 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 11 , wherein each of said lateral extensions comprises a plurality of interconnected irregularly shaped chips.  
   
   
       15 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of interconnected chips have a staggered arrangement with respect to one another.  
   
   
       16 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of interconnected chips have a random arrangement with respect to one another.  
   
   
       17 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 14 , wherein each of said plurality of chips have one or more surface characteristics selected from grooves, ridges, striations, depressions, and dimples.  
   
   
       18 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 14 , wherein each of said plurality of chips have a leaf appearance.  
   
   
       19 . The synthetic ground cover element according to  claim 14 , wherein each of said plurality of chips have a wood chip appearance.  
   
   
       20 . The synthetic ground cover according to  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of ground cover elements overlap and/or abut one another.