Place the camera on the ground! Not!
Arrange a small plank with a border of your choice of some type of material that will form a "nest" for your camera to rest in while you move the board to the desired spot. Or just use a small plastic dish. but don't take a chance of getting some dirt anywhere near the camera, it could end up getting into the lensing works. You don't know what despair is until your camera flashes "Lens Error" on the blank monitor screen.
Timer will do fine, but even better is if your camera has a data link that would allow you to use a remote switch to fire the shot.

Addendum. My "ground" is the garage floor and I routinely use the leaf blower to keep the floor clean.

I like all of your ideas.