Best Low Maintenance Ground Cover Plants to Spice Up Your Garden 2022

Best Low Maintenance Ground Cover Plants to Spice Up Your Garden

30 magnificent ground cover plants to enrich your garden

Ground cover plants can add visual interest to often neglected garden areas, but make no mistake; they are more than just a pretty face. They also help reduce maintenance by suppressing weeds and eliminating mowing when you use them to replace grass. Low-growing plants also enrich and help the soil retain moisture.

To top it off, many varieties are attractive to pollinators, benefiting your entire garden. Some are even edible or have medicinal properties. Bonus: most ground covers don’t require a lot of maintenance.

So what exactly is a ground cover plant? They are plants that grow low and spread along the ground. They can be perennial, annual, evergreen, sun-loving, shade-loving, and anything in between. They can range from a few inches in height to up to a foot or more. Some have vibrant blooms, while others offer stunning green.

Different types of ground covers can be used in areas where regular grass does not thrive, such as in very shady or extremely hot locations, or they can prevent erosion on slopes. Ground cover plants are an ideal addition to any garden when it comes down to it.

The trick is to find the perfect choice for your space and needs. Here are some of our favourites and where they will thrive.

Types of ground cover plants

The best ground cover plants require little maintenance and are not invasive. There are several types that you can turn depending on your needs.

Perennials return each year to provide visual interest, weed cover, and moisture retention. Perfect for a low maintenance garden.

Evergreen plants provide year-round coverage without the need for a lot of maintenance. Useful for maintaining an attractive winter garden.

Annual ground cover plants are perfect for the indecisive gardener or those who don’t want to commit to a specific plant for too long. They often feature bright flowers at some point in their life. The downside is that they have to be replanted every year, although some are prolific self-seeders (we’re looking at you, alyssum).

Herbs like peppermint or thyme are great ground cover options and provide food, colour, medicine, and fragrance.

Cautions ground cover plants

Before settling into a ground cover plant of your choice, do your research. What works in one area of ​​the garden may not be suitable for another. Don’t waste your hard-earned money planting the wrong species for your climate or soil type.

Some ground cover plants, for example, are a poor choice for high-traffic areas. If you want to replace your lawn, you will need to find a plant that doesn’t mind being trampled.

Be aware that some ground covers can become invasive. Certain creeping plants that spread incredibly fast and quickly grow out of control.

It is fine if you plan to relegate your groundcover to a rock garden or well-outlined container, but otherwise, know if the canopy you choose caN is easily controlled.

Also, be prepared to be patient. If you are in a rush to cover an area, you may end up bringing home a species with a tendency to get out of control.

Lastly, manage your expectations. Plants won’t cover an area overnight, and if they do, they are likely to be troublesome or require special care to prevent invasion of the rest of your garden or property.

Land cover plants ground cover plants

Moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora)

Moss rose is an ideal groundcover for those who want an attractive alternative to grass in warm, sunny areas.

Likes: This groundcover plant prefers dry heat.

Dislikes: Does not like too much humidity.

Other Features: It’s an annual, but it self-seeds handsomely, so you’re likely to find it popping up again the following year.

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

With a sturdy ground cover, this plant looks wonderful used as part of a sloping landscape. It grows in waterfalls that tumble down rocks and slopes like running water. Creeping thyme blooms in summer and is a beacon for bees and butterflies.

Likes: This grassy ground cover prefers full sun.

Acknowledgements: Do not use this plant to replace grass because it does not like foot traffic very much.

Other Features: Grows well in containers, and you don’t worry about deer or rabbits chewing on this ground cover.

Dwarf bush grass (Ophiopogon japonica) ground cover plants

Dwarf mondo grass grows in cute little clumps and is native to parts of Asia. It can be evergreen in some areas.

Likes: Perfect for shady places.

Acknowledgements: Grow this annually in places where the weather cools down.

Other characteristics: The maximum spread of the mondo beds depends on the variety, but it may be necessary to buy additional plants to fill the empty spaces

Black grass (Epimedium) ground cover plants

An incredibly hardy groundcover plant, mugwort is also known as a bishop’s hat. The evergreen plant is easy to control and is drought tolerant once established.

Likes: Although it can withstand a bit of drought, mugwort prefers moist soil conditions.

Dislikes: This leafy plant will wilt in extreme heat.

Other characteristics: Barrenwort has medicinal properties and is an excellent ground cover plant.

Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia Aurea)

A Creeping Gold Lime Green Cover Jenny is an evergreen plant and also looks great in hanging baskets or balcony rail pots.

Likes: Creeping Jenny prefers full sun, although she can survive in some shade.

Dislikes: Don’t let this cute little plant get too dry.

Other Features: This fast-growing perennial turns a brighter yellow the more sun it gets.

6. Sweet grumpy (Galium odoratum) ground cover plants

Sweet weed is also a medicinal and edible herb that gives off a fresh aroma and a flavour reminiscent of vanilla.

Like: The sweet weed thrives in shady places.

Dislikes: Prefers moist soil but can tolerate some droughts.

Other Features: It spreads quickly, so decide to plant carefully. Consider adding a deep border to contain the fast-growing plant. It is also very easy to transplant. I have taken a massif and dropped it in a new place without even preparing the soil, only to spread it dramatically in a few months.

Phlox (Phlox) ground cover plants

Notable for its carpet of purple flowers, creeping phlox makes a magnificent ground cover for those looking to add colour to their landscape, and it attracts pollinators.

Likes: Phlox likes full sun.

Dislikes: Does not grow well in soggy soil.

Other Features: This pretty ground cover plant grows close to the ground and will not exceed six cm in height.

Sedum (Sedum) ground cover plants

My favourite ground cover plant. Sedum is available in many varieties and has attractive leaves and flowers.

Likes: Sedum does well in full sun.

Dislikes: Does not like poorly drained soil.

Other Features: This type of ground cover is low maintenance and is perfect for inhospitable locations. I planted sedum in the rock-filled beds next to my front porch because it’s hard to grow much more there. It is ideal for controlling soil erosion.

Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) ground cover plants

Like other mint plants, the Corsican variety can also be invasive, but it makes a good ground cover to fill gaps between stones or other low-traffic areas.

Likes: This mint prefers full sun.

Disgraceful: Doesn’t do well in drought conditions.

Other Features: Corsican mint can survive a light frost, but it self-seeds and spreads easily even in harsh climates.

Calgary Carpet Juniper (Juniperus sabina Monna) ground cover plants

A deep green ground cover forms a thick carpet and is extremely cold resistant.

Likes: Planting this ground cover in full sun for best yield.

Dislikes: Avoid flooded soil.

Other features: The perfect ground cover for those who live in colder areas is also shade tolerant.

Irish pearl moss (Sagina subulata) – ground cover plants

A ground cover like moss dotted with small white flowers. It stays low to the ground.

Likes: If you plant this in full sun, you will get the maximum flowers.

Dislikes: Avoid intense heat.

Other Features: This moss is not moss, but it is so named because it looks so much like it.

Bugleweed (Ajuga) – ground cover plants

This plant is an attractive vine with indigo coloured flowers. When not in flower, the dark green leaves are equally

• Factors to consider when selecting a ground cover plant. 
• Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata)
• Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) 
• Creeping thyme (Thymus Serpyllum Coccineus)
• Sweet dandruff (Galium odoratum)
• English ivy (Hedera helix)

Ads by optAd360 – ground cover plants

1. What is the best low maintenance ground cover?
2. What are the best low maintenance outdoor plants?
3. What is the fastest-growing groundcover plant?
4. What can I plant in a low maintenance garden?
5. What can I use instead of grass in my backyard?
6. What ground cover drowns out weeds?
7. What are the easiest outdoor plants?
8. What plants look good all year round?
9. What are the best low maintenance shrubs?
10. What is the strongest ground cover?
11. What is the best ground cover in bloom?
12. What is the best ground cover for the full sun?

What is the best low maintenance ground cover?

The Best Low Maintenance Ground Covers for Your Garden

• Heuchera. 1/11. An evergreen perennial, the heuchera is known for its vibrant foliage, ranging from silver to green to brown. 
• Honeysuckle. 2/11. 
• Brass buttons. 3/11.
• Creeping phlox. 11/4.
• Jenny is crawling. 5/11. 
• Stonecrop. 11/6. 
• Vinca Minor. 11/7. 
• Lamium. 11/8.

What are the best low maintenance outdoor plants?

Top 10 Low Maintenance Perennials

1. Shasta Daisy. Shasta daisies are easy to grow. 
2. Echinacea Coneflower is a mid-summer bloomer that is a great cut flower. 
3. Hardy hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus loves the full sun and attracts both hummingbirds and butterflies.
4. Perennial geranium. The perennial geranium is a great border plant.
5. Hosta. 
6. Ferns 
7. Catmint. 
8. Coreopsis.

What is the fastest-growing groundcover plant?

Fast-growing and flowering

Ground cover plants The most attractive fast-growing flowering ground covers for full sun are phlox, creeping thyme, or rockcress. What can I plant in a low maintenance garden?

Bright, low-maintenance plants for beautiful gardens

• Artistic pruning.
• Lavender.
• Hydrangeas
• Asters and symphytricom.
• Ornamental herbs.
• Geums.
• Geraniums
• Dahlias (why don’t I dig them up for the winter!)

What can I use instead of grass in my backyard?

• Herb garden. A herb garden is an attractive lawn alternative that adds colour and texture to your garden. 
• Rubber mulch. 
• Artificial grass. 
• Wood or composite deck
• Kiosk. 
• Firepit. 
• Creeping ivy.
• Creeping thyme.

What ground cover drowns out weeds?

Dragon’s Blood Sedum or Schorbuser Blut is considered the most versatile and hardy ground cover to smother weeds. Similar to the creeping jenny, this type of groundcover also has stems that root easily, so it proliferates quickly.

What are the easiest outdoor plants?

20 can’t-kill flowers for beginners

• Zinnia. Look for zinnias in almost every colour except blue; they are also available in various heights. 
• Marigolds Cheery marigolds are easy to grow in sunny locations, lighting up your garden with hues of yellow, red, and gold as they bloom all summer long. 
• Thoughts. 
• Impatiens. 
• Begonias. 
• Dragons 
• Daffodils 
• Cosmos.

What plants look good all year round?

Plants that look good all year round

• Heart-shaped purple redbud leaves.
• Masses of fiery coloured ‘Red Sentinel’ crab apples
• White star-shaped flowers of snowy Mespilus
• Small white flowers and blood-red berries of the viburnum ‘Dart’s Red Robin.’
• Bell-shaped white flowers on a blueberry bush
• White hydrangea flowers.

What are the best low maintenance shrubs?

17 low maintenance plants and dwarf shrubs

• Butterfly bush. Prune these plants in late August, so the plants have time to harden before frost hits. 
• Fringed tree. 
• Coral bells. 
• Margaret of Denver. 
• Ninebark. 
• Cotoneaster.
• Purple Pixie.
• Agapanthus.

What is the strongest ground cover?

Liriope. Also known as monkey grass, liriope is a hardy evergreen that makes an excellent plant for roadsides and driveways. Extremely drought-resistant, it blooms in summer with spikes of purple or white flowers. What is the best ground cover in bloom?

Our Favorite Flower Ground Covers

1. Wolf grass (Ajuga reptans) …
2. Canadian anemone (Anemone Canadensis) 
3. Caramel (Iberis sempervirens) 
4. Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) 
5. Creeping thyme (Thymus superphylum) 
6. Dead nettle (Lamium maculatum) 
7. Hosta (Hosta sieboldiana)
8. Horned Violet (Viola cornuta)

What is the best ground cover for the full sun?

• Ten best ground covers for full sun01 of 10 Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis) 
• 02 of 10. Catmint ‘giant of the six hills’ (Nepeta x faassenii 
• 03 of 10. Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantine) 
• 04 of 10. Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
• 05 of 10. Yellow Alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis
• 06 of 10. Silver-mound Artemisia (Artemisia schmidtiana)
• 07 of 10. 
• 08 of 10.

20 Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants to Prevent Weeds From Taking Over

• Lily of the Valley. Johner ImagesGetty Images. …
• Creeping Thyme. hsvrsGetty Images. …
• Creeping Juniper. Galina ChetvertinaGetty Images. …
• Dead Nettle. PavloBaliukhGetty Images. …
• Ajuga. Christi CarterGetty Images. …
• Aronia. Mark Turner. …
• Sedum. …
• Lavender.

What is the best low-maintenance ground cover?

The Best Low-Maintenance Ground Covers for Your Garden

• Heuchera. 1/11. An evergreen perennial, heuchera is known for its vibrant foliage, which ranges in color from silver to green to brown. …
• Honeysuckle. 2/11. …
• Brass Buttons. 3/11. …
• Creeping Phlox. 4/11. …
• Creeping Jenny. 5/11. …
• Stonecrop. 6/11. …
• Vinca Minor. 7/11. …
• Lamium. 8/11.

What ground cover plants prevent weeds?

6 Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants to Prevent Weeds

• 6 Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants. …
• Golden Creeping Jenny. …
• Mazus. …
• Phlox Stolonifera. …
• Phlox Subulata. …
• Red Creeping Thyme. …
• Dragon’s Blood Sedum.

What ground cover comes back every year?

Vinca. Commonly known as periwinkle, this popular perennial groundcover has shiny, evergreen leaves and lavender-blue flowers on trailing stems. It spreads by creeping on the ground, putting out roots as it goes. Vinca grows very quickly and can be aggressive.

What ground cover plant blooms all summer?

Lamium. Also known as deadnettle, lamium is a reliable, easy-care groundcover for shade. Most types bloom through the summer, producing clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers. Even when not in bloom, lamium has eye-catching, silver-marked green foliage that brightens up shady corners.Jun

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