Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Rock ' N Low ™ ' Boogie Woogie ' ( Sedumhybrid ) Photo by : Proven Winners .
Ground concealment are the ultimate trouble shooter : they overwhelm weeds , fill up in unembellished spots under trees , mastery wearing away on slopes , and hide evanesce leaf of spring bulbs . Some also boom in unfavorable conditions where nothing else will spring up , such as rocky grime or cryptic nuance . Even in comparatively trouble - barren garden , nothing gravel these tight - raise spreaders for quickly blanket open space with a dull plenty of beautiful foliage . As a incentive , many also put on a seasonal display of spectacular flowers .
Whether you require a ground cover for sun , shade , or somewhere in between , there are many options to choose from . Here are some of our top picks , all of which require niggling attending once established .
On this Sir Frederick Handley Page : Ground cover for Shade|Ground screen for Sun
GROUND COVERS FOR SHADE
crimson Epimedium grandiflorum . pic by : mizy / Shutterstock
BISHOP ’S HAT(Epimediumhybrids )
Also called bishop’s hat , this surpassing earth covert combines beautiful foliage and blossom . warmheartedness - mold leaves that are smart lime green with violent accents , issue in spring . In summer , the leaves become darker immature , and turn bronzy carmine in twilight . Clusters of small bloom bloom early - to - mid spring .
Zones:5 - 9Height / Spread:6 to 12 inches magniloquent , open up to 2 feetSpecial dimension : Drought tolerant ; no serious pest or disease problems ; evergreen plant in milder climates . Where to use : Woodland garden ; shady sites with moist soil ; under gravid trees . Plants to strain : flushed barrenwort ( crimson and clean flower ) , ‘ Pink Champagne ’ ( pinkish flush with bird nitty-gritty ) , ' Sulphureum ' ( light yellow flowers , lustrous red shank )
Photo by : Peter Turner Photography / Shutterstock
BLUE LILYTURF(Liriope muscari )
With minute , curve folio and tidy thumping - spring habit , lilyturf could well travel by for an ornamental grass ; but in midsummer , it broadcast up gaudy spikes of white , lavender , or pinkish flowers . The grasslike foliage — dark green or variegated — grow almost anywhere , from full tone to full sun .
Zones:6 - 10Height / spread:10 to 15 inches magniloquent , spreads 12 to 18 inchesSpecial attribute : drouth tolerant ; grows in most soil types . Where to use : Woodland gardens ; wearing away mastery on slopes ; under tree diagram and bush ; as down in the mouth edging . Plants to try:‘Monroe White ’ ( dark light-green leave-taking , white prime ) , ' Variegata ' ( white and green variegated leaves , lavender efflorescence ) , ‘ Gold - band ’ ( wider leaves with aureate borders , lilac flush )
‘ Burgundy Glow ’ bugleweed . pic by : Walters Gardens
BUGLEWEED(Ajuga reptans )
This springy perennial industrial plant spread quickly and blanket the basis with foliage in tone range from mint green to burgundy , often splosh with pinkish or white . Showy flower spike ( sour gloomy , pink , or blanched ) blossom in later spring through early summer . Cut back to the primer after blossom fade to promote fresh leaf . show more on how to growbugleweed .
Zones:3 - 9Height / spread:3 to 6 inches tall , overspread 2 foot or moreSpecial attributes : Heat- and drouth - large-minded ; withstands unclouded human foot traffic ; evergreen plant in milder mood . Where to use : Adapts to a wide range of soil precondition and light layer , from rich nuance to full Dominicus . For the best foliation color , grow in a spot that receives some sun exposure . Plants to try:‘Burgundy Glow ’ ( motley unripe , pink , and snowy foliage ; picture ) , ‘ Chocolate Truffles ’ ( nearly bootleg foliage ) , ‘ Pink Lightning ’ ( variegated mint - green and lily-white foliage )
Photo by : LifeisticAC / Shutterstock .
JAPANESE PACHYSANDRA(Pachysandra terminalis )
A lavish ground masking for subtlety , spreads slowly by rootstalk to work a carpet of glossy , emerald - gullible leaf . Oval leave of absence are top by short spike of livid prime in early spring . Although sweet scented efflorescence are short - lived , evergreen plant foliage remains attractive year - round . Also try Allegheny spurge ( Pachysandra procumbens ) , a aboriginal American species with blue - green leaves that turn bronze in fall .
Zones:5 - 9Height / spread:6 to 12 inch tall , diffuse 1 to 1 - 1/2 feetSpecial attribute : drouth tolerant once established ; deer and rabbit insubordinate . Where to use : Under shade Tree ; in woodland gardens ; on north - facing slopes . nullify sunny locations . plant to try:‘Green Carpet ’ , ‘ Green Sheen ’ ( calendered mysterious - green foliage ) , ' Silver Edge ' ( dingy - gullible leave of absence with silver margin )
Proven Accents ® Pink Chablis ® dead nettle . picture by Proven Winners .
SPOTTED DEADNETTLE(Lamium maculatum )
A various ground extend adaptable to a wide mountain range of produce conditions , most territory types , and tolerates part shade to full sunshine . Scalloped parting fare in a miscellany of color variations and remain attractive all season . Colorful flush spike blossom from belated spring through early summertime in ashen , pink , lift , or reddish blue .
Zones:3 - 8Height / spread:6 to 8 inches tall , spreads up to 2 feetSpecial attributes : Deer and rabbit immune ; foresightful bloom full stop ; foliage is evergreen plant in milder mood . Where to use : Transition areas between shade and sunlight ; beneath Tree or shrub ; or brighten umbrageous area . Can become invasive * in certain arena , see where . Plants to try : Proven Accents ® Pink Chablis ® (silver and fleeceable foliage , sluttish pinkish flowers ; pictured ) , ‘ White Nancy ’ ( green and flatware leaves , white flowers ) , ‘ Anne Greenaway ’ ( dark / light green , chartreuse , and silver foliation ; purple blossom )
exposure by : Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH / Shutterstock
SWEET WOODRUFF(Galium odoratum )
A best-loved in woodland garden , this enchanting priming coat back bears clusters of tiny white flowers in spring . It loves heavy spectre and rich , loamy soil , where it will spread far and wide by trailing roots . When crush or rubbed , the foliation has the sweet aroma of new cut down hay . The flower are also lightly fragrant .
Zones:4 - 8Height / spread:6 to 12 column inch improbable , spreads 12 to 18 inchesSpecial property : Deer and rabbit resistant ; fragrant flowers and foliage . Where to use : idealistic for woodland gardens and naturalizing . Can become invading * if given the right conditions . Plant where you’re able to ascertain it easy . See where this plant may become encroaching .
exposure by : Tim Ludwig / Millette Photomedia .
MONDO GRASS(Ophiopogon japonicusandOphiopogon planiscapus )
Often confused with genus Liriope , but leaves are narrower and flowers smaller . The evergreen plant , grasslike foliage comes in a variety of colors as well as variegated . works produce in tight clumps , with the leaves emerging from rootstock just below the surface . Prefers shade , but also does well in sunny locating .
Zones:6 - 11Height / spread:2 to 12 inches tall , spread depends on the varietySpecial property : Nearly durable . stand toughened billet , including impermanent standing water as well as drouth . Where to use : Rock garden ; slopes ; along nerve pathway ; pond edge ; as sod replace under trees . Plants to try:‘Gyoku - Ryu ' ( only 2 inches grandiloquent ) , ' Variegatus ' ( gullible and silver foliage),O. planiscapis‘Nigrescens ’ ( obscure purple , nigh shameful parting )
GROUND COVERS FOR SUN
pic by : HHelene / Shutterstock
CREEPING THYME(Thymusspp )
This low - grow redolent herb is highly resilient to foot dealings and a great makeweight between stepping stones and pathways . Fragrance is released when farewell are crushed or stepped on . Many also produce tiny flower that entirely cover the works in spring . Unlike the culinary herb ( Thymus vulgaris ) , creeping thyme is chiefly ornamental . Read more on how to growcreeping thyme .
Zones:4 - 10Height / spread:1 to 4 inches tall , spreads up to a foundation or moreSpecial attributes : Heat and drought tolerant ; attracts butterflies ; fragrant leafage . Where to use : Rock gardens ; herb gardens ; along garden way ; as a lawn substitute . plant to try:‘Coccineus ’ ( dark green leave-taking , Battle of Magenta flowers ) , ‘ pinkish Chintz ’ ( foggy gray - green leave-taking , salmon - pinkish flowers ) , ‘ Purple Carpet ’ ( dark light-green leaves , brilliant lavender - empurpled bloom )
photograph by : speakingtomato / Shutterstock
CREEPING PHLOX(Phlox subulata )
Few ground covers can match the beauty of creeping phlox when it blooms in leaping . Unlike tallergarden phlox , it grows to a height of only 6 inches , cover the land with a carpeting of colourful flowers in shade of lavender , pinkish , come up , and purple . flush last for week — often through early June — pass on behind evergreen , needle - like leafage .
Zones:3 - 9Height / spread:3 to 6 inches magniloquent , distribute 18 to 24 inchesSpecial attributes : Heat and drought resistant ; attracts butterfly . Where to use : Rock gardens ; slopes ; cascading over keep on bulwark ; along garden path . Plants to try : Mountainside ™ ‘ Crater Lake ' , ( indigo - blue bloom ) ‘ Candy Stripe ’ ( clean flowers with pink streak ) , ‘ Drummond ’s garden pink ’ ( bright pinkish flowers with deep pinkish heart )
Photo by Proven Winners .
methamphetamine hydrochloride PLANT(Delospermaspp . )
This gorgeous flowering succulent is unfazed by summertime heat . The vulgar name is inspired by the atomic number 20 crystals that form on the leaves of some varieties . Narrow , acerate leaf - corresponding foliage is cover most of the summertime with vibrantly colored flowers . Well - drained soil and bright lighter is all this comfortable - upkeep solid ground cover motivation . Read more on how to growice plant .
Zones:5 - 9Height / spread:3 to 6 inch tall , go around 12 to 24 inchesSpecial attributes : drouth and rut tolerant ; long blooming . Where to use : Rock gardens ; xeriscapes . Plants to try : Fire Spinner ® (orange , red , and lavender rosiness ; pictured ) , ‘ Cooper ’s Hardy Ice Plant ’ ( Battle of Magenta - pink flowers ) , ' Jewel of the Desert Moonstone ' ( C. P. Snow - white with chicken centre )
Photo by : Proven Winners .
CREEPING SEDUM(Sedumspp . )
These lowly - spring up succulent come in a potpourri of foliage form and colors , include shades of blue , plum , red , purplish , silver , gray - green , chartreuse , and gold . Many also put on a showy display of tiny flower in summer . For an instant succulent garden , search for sedum “ tile " , ready - to - plant mats of selected varieties .
Zones:3 - 9Height / spread:2 to 6 inches marvellous , spreads up to 24 inchesSpecial attribute : Evergreen in warmer climate ; drought tolerant ; seldom trouble by pests . Where to use : Rock gardens ; slopes ; rocky or sandlike dirt . Plants to hear : Rock ' n humiliated ™ ' boogie-woogie Woogie’(green and cream leave , icteric flowers ) , ‘ Angelina ’ ( chartreuse leaf , yellow flowers ) , ‘ Dragon ’s pedigree ’ ( green leaves edged with ruddy , dark violent bloom )
pic by : zzz555zzz / Shutterstock
CARPET ROSES(Rosaspp . )
If you love mounting and shrub rose wine , you ’ll pass out over carpet roses , which are lower grow plants and nonesuch for purpose as a inflorescence background cover charge . They bloom nonstop from spring through fall , producing thousands of blooms on one industrial plant in a season . Colors range from white and indulgent pastel to bold bolshie and pinks .
Zones:4 - 10Height / spread:2 to 3 foot tall , pass around 3 to 4 feetSpecial attribute : Disease resistive ; self - cleaning ; drouth tolerant once established . Where to employ : bungalow gardens ; perennial borders ; en masse shot for drift of colour ; as a low - growing hedge . plant life to try on : Flower Carpet ® Pink Supreme , Flower Carpet ® Scarlet , Flower Carpet ® Coral
Photo by : photowind / Shutterstock
CREEPING JUNIPER(Juniperus horizontalis )
These solid ground - hug coniferous tree are prized for their feathery needle , which range in colour from juicy - green to gold , depending on the cultivar . In wintertime , color often intensify , providing year - round interest . Sturdy , adaptable , and thrives in tough surroundings including coastal climates , rocky soils , and teetotal conditions .
Zones:3 - 9Height / spread:3 to 6 column inch improbable , spread 8 to 10 feetSpecial dimension : Tolerates table salt exposure , drought , and alkaline soils . Deer resistive . Where to habituate : track over ledge or retaining wall ; on slopes . Plants to try:‘Bar Harbor ’ ( blue - green foliation that twist plum tree - discolor in wintertime ) ‘ Blue Rug ’ ( very low grow with silvern juicy leafage ) , ‘ Mother Lode ’ ( Au foliage that changes to bronze )
Photo by : Nita Corfe / Shutterstock
LAMB ’S EARS(Stachys byzantina )
cushy oblong parting make this plant so irresistible . Their muzzy grain and silver overtones contrast beautifully with many other garden perennials . good straw of pink or purple flowers in former summertime add together to the overall top , but you’re able to recover cultivars that bloom rarely or not at all .
Zones:4 - 9Height / spread:3 to 10 inches ( taller when in flower ) , spreads up to 2 feetSpecial attributes : Not bothered by pests or disease ; coordinates well with almost everything . Where to habituate : cheery spots where you require a slow , weed - oppress footing book binding . Plants to try:‘Big ear ' ( large leaves up to 8 inch long ) , ' Silky Fleece ' ( a dwarf variety with tiny 1 - inch leaves ) , ‘ Silver Carpet ’ ( silvern blue leafage , nonflowering )
See more:16 Favorite Ground Cover prime
*INVASIVE VS. AGGRESSIVE GROWERS
When learning about plants , it ’s crucial to understand what it means for a works to be invasive . From the USDA internet site : " An invasive metal money is non - native to the ecosystem under consideration , and whose instauration causes or is probable to do economic or environmental damage or harm to human wellness . "
Keep in mind that a flora may be encroaching in one surround , but okay to grow in another . So , although some of the plants above are noted as being invasivein certain region , they are fine to grow in others .
It ’s also important to mark that there is a difference between a plant being reckon invasive and one that grows aggressively . The Universiy of Illinios Extension Service defines aggressive flora as those that have the ability to " spread fast enough within the garden as to cause issues to other garden areas where the works is not want or is intend to be growing . " This is not the same as being identified as being invasive .
Resources for determining if a vine or plant is trespassing in your area :
More : Invasive Plants & What to Grow Instead
