Offering versatility and beauty, ground covers will go where no plant will. Growing lush between plants, stepping stones and walks, they create carpets of low-maintenance greenery. Best of all, they come in a large variety of texture, color and sun tolerance, making it easy to find the ideal ground cover for your garden.
Searching for a little color? Look no further than ‘Daybreak Bronze’ Gazania. A sun-lover and drought-tolerant once established, this evergreen perennial forms foliage mounds up to 8 inches tall. Gazania will bloom all summer long and is great to fill in space when looking for a little height.
From left to right, Golden Lemon Thyme, 'Platt's Black' Brass Buttons and Baby's Tears.
We love the duality of Golden Lemon Thyme; gold dappled foliage is great for edging and the lemon candy-like fragrance adds zest to salads, poultry and fish. Forming a mounding mat 6 to 12 inches high, plant in sun or light shade with well-draining soil. Small, pale purple blossoms decorate the herb spring through summer. Thyme responds well to clipping, so freely enjoy its zest and prolific growth!
‘Platt’s Black’ Brass Buttons is ideal for small-area ground cover, filling the space with a feathery mat of foliage. Growing one to two inches high and 12 inches wide, plant this evergreen perennial in sun or light shade and keep soil moist. Studded with tiny white daisies in winter among the almost purple-black fern-like leaves, this ground cover fills in quickly, keeping weeds out.
A classic ground cover, Baby’s Tears’ emerald-green leaves create a dense undulating carpet that looks both cool and soft. Plant as a bulb cover, in a terrarium or in fairy garden for its whimsical appeal. Spreading quickly and growing up to four to five inches high, plant in morning sun with part shade and in moisture-rich soil.
From left to right: ‘Pink Pewter’ Creeping Lamium, Mondo Grass and Veronica repens ‘Creeping Speedwell.’
Planting in a shady spot? The silvery variegated ‘Pink Pewter’ Creeping Lamium is one of the best choices for a tough, yet showy ground cover. Small clusters of soft salmon-pink flowers bloom spring through fall. It is fairly drought-tolerant once established and deer-resistant.
Traditionally planted in Japanese gardens at the base of pagoda lights and stone basins, Mondo Grass' stemless dark green leaves add elegance to a low border. Grass-like foliage grows 12 to 15 inches tall, adding texture and boasting tiny spikes of lilac flowers in summer. Plant in partial to full sun and keep soil moist.
Looking for a lawn substitute or just a lush green carpet? ‘Creeping Speedwell’ Veronica repens will do the job and can take the traffic! A hardy perennial growing two to six inches high and spreading, it’s best in front of a border or rock garden. Adorned with tiny lavender to white flowers in spring and early summer, plant in sun or light shade, keeping soil moist for best growth.
With so many choices, you can’t go wrong with a lush ground cover that will keep the weeds at bay and offer additional foliage texture and color to your garden!