Groundcover plants are super helpful in gardens. They have lots of benefits and can be used in many ways to make your yard look better. Even though most people focus on tall, flashy plants, groundcover plants quietly do their job without much attention. They fill in empty spaces, grow well in tough spots, help keep the soil in place, and make your yard look more put together.
How To Choose Groundcover Plants
- Choose plants based on the amount of sunlight your garden receives. Some of them thrive in full sun, while others prefer partial shade or full shade.
- The same goes for soil type. Some groundcovers do well in sandy soil, while others need richer, loamy soil. Check the plant’s preferences before planting.
- Some plants are drought-tolerant, while others require more moisture. Consider these things too.
- Check out plant’s growth habits. Some of them are fast-spreading and quickly occupies space. For more controlled growth, select clumping plants. These stay in defined areas and are easier to manage.
- Think about functional needs. If you need a plant that can handle light foot traffic, select resilient groundcovers. For slopes, choose plants with strong root systems to prevent soil errosion.
- Consider plant’s aesthetics. Select plants based on flower color to match your garden design. Consider the texture of the foliage. Choose plants that offer visual interest in different seasons.
What Are Groundcover Plant Advantages?
Year-Round Interest
Many groundcover plants are evergreen, which means they stay green all year. Pick ones with shiny or colorful leaves for extra beauty.
Ajuga is a great groundcover for shady areas. In the spring, it has flower spikes that can be blue, pink, lavender, or white. These flowers grow on rosettes made from scallop-shaped leaves.
Baby Tears spreads quickly and forms a soft, green, moss-like cushion. Just make sure to keep foot traffic on it light to avoid damage.
Basket-of-gold loves to grow between paving stones, at the edges of gravel paths, in rocky outcroppings, and between the stacked stones of a retaining wall.
This pretty little ground cover develops masses of pale blue, star-shaped flowers in spring and early summer. It's called Blue Star Creeper.
Brass buttons form dense mats of finely textured, feathery foliage in shades of bronze-black to purple-gray.
Bunchberry is a native groundcover that does well in shade. It features cute little white flowers in spring, followed by bright red fruits in fall.
Corsican mint forms thick mats of aromatic foliage. In late summer, it produces tiny lilac flowers that are easy to overlook.
Low-Maintenance Beauty
These plants are great if you want a garden that’s easy to take care of. Once they are established, they don’t need much work. They look nice around paths, walls, patios, or decks made of brick, stone, or wood. Groundcover plants can soften the look of new paths and make your garden feel more welcoming. Some, like aromatic herbs, release a nice smell when you walk by.
Creeping Phlox is easy-care groundcover puts on an eye-catching show in spring, covering itself in pink, white, purple, red, and bicolor flowers. It's perfect for edging sidewalks and walkways.
Crested Iris can be found in various forms and patterns in blue and white. Once established, they are carefree, cheery groundcovers perfect for a shady woodland garden.
Dampiera Diversifolia features the brightest blue to purple-blue flowers in spring and summer, with contrasting pale centers.
Dianthus features bold flowers that have a pleasant clove-like fragrance.
Dichondra produces a dense mat of green or silver foliage along with dainty white flowers.
European ginger is prized for its glossy, heart-shaped leaves and vigorous growth.
Blocking Out Weeds
Groundcover plants spread out and cover the soil, making it hard for weeds to grow. They block sunlight from reaching the soil, so weeds can’t sprout. You still need to pull weeds before the groundcover plants spread, but once they’re established, you’ll have less weeding to do.
Evening Primrose will reward you in midsummer with cuplike pink flowers that open in the evening or on cloudy days.
Golden moneywort is a fast-growing groundcover that forms mats of tiny chartreuse leaves along thin, sprawling stems.
Golden star plant is a low-maintenance groundcover with a combination of attractive green foliage and star-shaped yellow blooms.
Hardy ice plant forms a low mat of succulent foliage that spreads about 2 feet wide. It is a good plant to use on slopes to prevent erosion.
Heartleaf brunnera is a low-growing perennial admired for its attractive heart-shaped, silvery-gray or variegated green and white leaves. In spring, it blooms with tiny sky-blue flowers.
Hellebore is a winter-hardy perennial that blooms for weeks starting in late winter. Its flowers come in shades of white, pink, yellow, or maroon.
Hens-and-Chicks is a tough succulent that makes a terrific groundcover for tight spaces. It's an excellent option for planting between paving stones or in a trough garden.
Improving The Soil
Groundcover plants cover large areas, which helps keep the soil cool and moist by blocking the sun and wind. Their roots hold the soil in place, which is especially useful if your yard has slopes or thin soil that washes away easily.
Irish Moss is a fast-growing evergreen that forms a dense carpet of foliage between your paving, creating a soft cushioned effect. Its tiny, star-shaped flowers add a pop of white to the greenery, making for a stunning contrast.
Japanese Forest Grass comes in glowing shades of gold and chartreuse, forming flowing mounds that hug the ground.
Lady’s mantle blooms in late spring to early summer, producing clusters of tiny chartreuse flowers.
In summer, tiny blooms in white, pink, purple, violet, or red appear, but you can cut them off to let the silvery-green leaves continue to be the stars of the show.
Brighten up a shady corner with the silvery or sometimes golden foliage of lamium. In spring, it produces small clusters of purple flowers.
It works well as an edging for borders, sidewalks, or driveways and is a traditional groundcover in Japanese-style gardens.
Showcasing Statement Plants
Big, showy plants like canna lilies, dahlias, and climbing roses get a lot of attention, but groundcover plants help make them look even better. When planning your garden, use groundcover plants to fill in spaces around taller plants. Different colors and shapes of groundcover plants can make your backyard look amazing and highlight your favorite tall plants.
It forms tidy mats of green leaves that will spread to fill a large area like a slope over time.
Pennsylvania sedge serves as an excellent groundcover in dry, shady areas. It spreads quickly to form large, dense mats of foliage.
Portulaca has bright green, needle-like foliage that pops back into place if you happen to step on it. It also shows off crepe paper-like blooms in various colors, including yellow, white, salmon, red, orange, and bicolors. Additionally, Portulaca is drought-tolerant and thrives in sunny spots.
Its pretty blue spring flowers create a dazzling contrast to the greenery and will add a flourishing touch to your garden.
This golden moss bounces right back if someone steps on it. In spring, Scotch moss is frosted with a pretty layer of tiny white flowers.
This small, low-growing succulent spreads across the ground and comes in various colors. Sedum's small, star-shaped flowers add a hint of color to any garden.
This plant is known for its vigor and ease of care, thriving best in full sun to partial shade and requiring moderate watering.
Snow-in-summer has silvery evergreen foliage and crystalline white flowers in spring. This drought-tolerant groundcover plant makes a stunning accent to a stone wall, patio, or rock garden.
Soapwort makes a pretty, mat-forming groundcover with so many starry pink flowers in summer that the green foliage is almost completely covered.
Flourishing even in deep shade, sweet woodruff works well under trees and shrubs where its tiny white spring flowers will bloom.
This aromatic groundcover excels in beds, borders, and containers. It features tiny, fragrant leaves and flowers that can be used fresh or dried.