Lawn maintenance can be boring, so put something colorful in its place.
The most widely planted ground cover in the world isto no one’s surprisethe lawn.
But there are very good reasons why you might want something other than grass to carpet the ground.
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Maybe you hate mowing and fertilizing or you have a bigshady area where grass won’t grow.
Here are 25 suitable candidates for you that grow in full sun or shade.
What Is Ground Cover?
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These plants have a horizontal spread, and new growth initiates from the base or roots.
Ground covers play an essential role in our ecosystem, providing diversity in many environments.
Adding a ground cover withseasonal bloomsor an interesting texture can separate the area from typical grass.
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It can also be used between stepping stones to add a lush quality to your yard.
They also have the unique ability to prevent weed growth from underground.
The horizontal spreading and deep roots can occupy enough space that weeds cannot sprout.
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It grows about a foot high and can spread as much as 12 feet.
It will climb if it encounters an obstacle, so keep an eye on that.
You’ll also have to edge the planting occasionally to keep it in bounds.
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Plus, deer don’t like it.
Moss Pink (Creeping Phlox)
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Do you want color for spring?
Spectacular blue, red, pink, or white blooms smother moss pink’s needle-like foliage in spring.
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Plants form spreading, evergreen, or semi-evergreen mats up to 6 inches high and 3 feet wide.
They look greatedging flower beds, spilling over low retaining walls, or filling rock gardens.
Cut them back by half after flowering.
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Good drainage is a must.
Catmintgrows in clumps but spreads, making it suitable for edging beds or spilling over walls.
Shorter selections include ‘Junior Walker’ and ‘Purrsian Blue,’ growing to about 14 inches.
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Also, it is attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies so you might enjoy some new visitors in your garden.
Creeping Juniper
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The creeping juniper spreads as a low-to-the-ground shrub up to 18 inches high.
Creeping juniper is a favorite for planting on slopes.
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Plants can be pruned or trimmed when disease occurs to prevent it from spreading.
It cangrow in poor soil, making it a good alternative for areas where other plants won’t grow.
Use the 2-inch-tall plants to fill gaps between stepping stones, line borders, or sprawl over rock walls.
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Give it well-draining soil and full sun.
And it has weed control, sending out chemicals that inhibit their growth.
Sounds perfect, except that plumbago can spread aggressivelycut it out with a spade if it oversteps its borders.
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Give it full sun and well-drained soil for it to thrive.
Prune in early spring to encourage new growth and many blooms.
Siberian Cypress
This feathery foliage is ideal as anevergreen, low-growing shrub.
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In autumn, the lush greenery turns a coppery bronze, making this the perfect year-round landscaping feature.
Plus, this ground cover is cold-hardy.
Prune to maintain shape.
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Considered an invasive plant in some regions, sweet alyssum will coat your landscape with beautiful, honey-smelling flowers.
Water this plant sparingly and double-check to let it dry out between waterings.
Grow in containers or as flower bed borders where blooms will spill over the edges.
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This easy-to-grow plant, which doesn’t require deadheading flowers or fertilizer, blooms in the spring and summer.
Provide moderate water and full sun for good results.
Creeping speedwell adds interest to the garden year-round.
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Plantalong pathways, between pavers, or to cover large areas in full sun and moist, well-draining soil.
It spreads to 1.5 to 2 feet, with pink flowers during summer and a carpet of red-tinged leaves.
Use on slopes, in natural areas, or to edge patios and paths.
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Blue-green, grass-like foliage mounds as it grows 6 inches to 2 feet tall.
Small pink, purple, and red flowers with ruffled petals bloom from May through August.
Deadhead to promote flower production, and divide the plant every few years.
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Frost-free areas willenjoy the blooms during winter.
Dianthus is mildly toxic to humans if ingested, and toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.
Lamb’s Ear
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Lamb’s Ear is a fast-growing and widespread ground cover.
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This perennial plant is known for having silvery foliage, appearing thick and softly textured.
The flowers can bloom from spring to fall in pink, purple, red, and white varieties.
Wet leaves can lead to disease.
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Mondo grass spreads by underground rhizomes.
Sapphire-blue berries appear among the leaves in fall.
It tolerates salt, and deer don’t eat it.
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Carpet Bugle (Bugleweed)
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Is it a weed?
We don’t think so, but it does form a fast-spreading carpet about 6 inches tall.
Spring sees lovely spikes of blue, lavender, or white flowers sitting atop the foliage.
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It’s easy to multiply the plants once starting to grow.
Carpet bugleweed does best in fertile, well-drained soil with good air circulationwet soil leads to rot.
Leaves cluster at the ends of stems that stand 6 to 12 inches tall.
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Spikes of white flowers appear atop the foliage in summer.
It’s an excellent choice for planting under trees.
Like carpet bugleweed, Japanese pachysandra prefers fertile, well-drained soil.
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Avoid wetting the foliage with sprinklers, as this promotes disease.
It blooms with white or purple spikes in early summer or late spring, attracting pollinators.
It can tolerate full shade but does well with dappled sun.
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Deer do like to snack on the leaves.
Lady’s mantle can thrive in partial sunlight but also succeeds primarily in the shade.
As a perennial ground cover, it spreads quickly, so pruning it near walkways or walls is necessary.
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Plant lily of the valley in partial shade for best results, but some morning sun is also acceptable.
Keep the soil moist, and don’t let it dry out.
It is also relatively easy to maintain and isresistant to animals such as deerand rabbits.
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It prefers mild temperatures and moist, acidic soil but can adapt to other soils.
This plant blooms in late spring and bears delicate, white flower clusters.
It emits a vanilla aroma and attracts pollinators.
This perennial plant has feathery, fan-shaped, green foliage and is cold-hardy.
This fern typically grows 1 to 3 feet and spreads around 2 feet but is considered slow-growing.
Keep the soil consistently moist and not soggy, and provide bright, indirect light.
Maidenhair fern likes humidity and warm temperatures.
When in bloom, it displays a carpet of pink, white, or purple flowers.
It grows well under trees and can tolerate dry soil, preferring that to too much moisture.
It thrives in loamy, acidic soil.
Green And Gold
This semi-evergreen ground cover adds color to ashade garden.
Small yellow blooms appear throughout summer.
Use it in woodland or natural areas, in rock gardens, or as a border along a path.
Grow in dappled shade in moist, rich, acidic soil.
It can tolerate more sun with consistent moisture.
It spreads by rhizomes to 18 inches wide and 1-2 inches tall and is easily controlled.
Star-shaped white or blue flowers appear in spring and summer.
It spreads 1 to 2 feet and grows to 3 inches tall.
They are also low-maintenance, making them great choices.
There are several options for ground covers that will bloom all summer and provide color into fall.
For a heat-tolerant ground cover that grows in full sun, opt for stonecrop.
It can withstand heat, foot traffic, sun, and even drought.
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