Have a spot in your yard that you’ve been wanting to cover-up? or A rock wall that needs a little love or just an accent? or maybe you want to add a border to your existing flowerbed….or for the ones that don’t have a yard to speak of and would just like to fill a planter for your patio.
Whatever it may be, the options are endless…… and I have two words for you….Ground Covers!
And what’s even better, is that these guys come back year after year for you and to top that off…some are Evergreen.
So, below is a list of perennial ground covers for you to look through and hopefully find a few that will fit right in with your needs.
1.) Money Wort (Lysimechia nummularia)
Money Wort..aka Creeping Jenny is a member of the Primrose family (Primulaceae) and great for both ground and planter.
This plant has personally always been my “go-to” for container gardening.
The lime green color it brings is an exciting addition to any bed or pot. I gave my mom some a few years back and it has welcomely taken over in two different areas…growing around and underneath her Japanese maple trees. The lime green tone it adds to a purple maple is stunning.
Now, where to plant…in my experience moneywort does best in the shade. It is also said to perform well in wet, boggy areas (I have not grown any myself in a wet area…so I cannot attest to that). When I have used it in planters it seems to handle the sun better but when I’ve planted it in the ground it did not take well to too much sun (it wasn’t planted in a wet area – that probably would have made the difference) – so I guess a good takeaway would be if you decide to plant it in the sun plant it somewhere wet.
As for spread…well, this little ground-hugging perennial just keeps setting out little roots along its leaf nodes, so if you allow it earth to root in it will just keep going.
In my zone 7…It doesn’t hold on too well through the winter but does come back in the spring.
- Zone: 3 – 10
- Size: 2″ – 4″ H
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Moisture: Medium to wet
- Soil: Average to rich loamy, well-drained soil
- Blooms: June
- Toxicity: None reported
2.) Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
As a member of the mint family, Ajuga…(aka bugleweed, common bugle, carpetweed…just to name a few) is a fast grower and a great choice if you’re needing an area blanketed in texture, color, and little spikes of pretty purple flowers.
I have seen this plant grow in sun and shade, but keep in mind that it does like moist soil. I personally think it performs better and looks better in part sun – shade.
When looking for the right spot to plant, keep in mind….that Ajuga is very vigorous and will easily take over and smother other plants in your garden ( I just pulled up some Heuchera from my mom’s garden that the ajuga had completely overtaken).
It is very easy to pull up and also easy to transplant (just be sure and keep it watered well for a while).
It is tolerant of dry shady locations…once established, but not dry and sunny (in my experience.)
There are several different cultivars to choose from…the colors to choose from range from light purple to dark purple (almost black), light green to dark green, pink, magenta, white, and some chocolate tones.
I almost forgot…it’s an Evergreen!…and will make a great accent plant for Fall & Winter. Check out this Post for more cold weather plants.
- Zone: 3 – 10
- Size: 2″ – 8″ (flower spikes may add more height)
- Light: Full sun to full shade
- Moisture: Medium to moist
- Soil: average, well-drained soil (prefers humusy soil)
- Bloom: May to June
- Toxicity: None reported
4.) Phlox subulata
Phlox subulata…commonly referred to as moss pink, creeping phlox or mountain phlox is a wonderful evergreen to add to your landscape
This particular ground cover has been one of my favorites since I was a kid. Simply because my mom was always planting it (back then it was commonly referred to as thrift).
If you have an unsightly ditch or embankment you are wanting to cover up…this perennial will do it. Plant as many as you can with the right amount of spacing (about 1′ – 2′ apart), give it a year or two to fill in and you will not be disappointed. Come Spring your bank will be blanketed in the color you choose.
It also works great planted atop rockwalls!
Phlox prefers full sun and grows best when planted in rich, loamy, well-drained soil. But it will also perform in average to sandy or rocky soil that is well-drained.
As far as maintenance goes, the only thing I’ve ever really do is pull the weeds out….so in the care department…not much to worry about. As it ages it will become a little woody….You just cut it back.
It will also attract butterflies and other pollinating insects!
- Zone: 3 – 9
- Size: 6″tall to 2′ wide
- Light: Full sun (a little shade is ok)
- Moisture: Medium
- Soil: Rich well-drained soil (will also grow in sandy, gravelly soil)
- Bloom: Spring
- Toxicity: None reported
4.) Candytuft (Iberis simpervirens)
This perennial evergreen is part of the mustard family (Brassicaceae).
It prefers full sun and will bloom and perform best there, but will also tolerate a little shade.
Now, candytuft is one that I have always wanted to grow and plan on doing just that this year and will, of course, update you on how it performs in zone 7 of the southeast.
I have heard and do read that maintenance wise it should be cut back by 1/3 after its blooming period (this is to ensure its compact look and habit, prevent it from becoming too leggy or woody, and to stimulate new growth. Also, during winter it is recommended to cover with evergreen boughs to protect from desiccation, sun scorching, harsh winds and freezing temps.
I’ve also heard that the flowers produce a not-so-good smell….so if the fragrance is not appealing to you…. maybe plant it somewhere you don’t frequent (it may be one you end up adoring from afar).
This plant is beneficial, it attracts pollinators and we all know this is important. We need to be more conscious if we can about feeding our pollinators.
- Zone: 3 – 8
- Size: 6″ to 12″ high / 18″ – 24″ spread
- Light: Full sun (will tolerate light shade)
- Moisture: Medium
- Soil: Average to gravelly, well-drained soil
- Bloom: Spring & early summer
- Toxicity: Can cause skin irritation in people. No toxicity reported in dogs or cats.
5). Dianthus
The genus Dianthus belongs to the carnation family and is aka….. “cheddar pinks” and “sweet william”…just to name a few.
The first thing that comes to mind for me when I think of Dianthus pinks is the smell. They have such a strong sweet smell…it’s fabulous.
There are around 300 species of Dianthus, so quite a few to choose from. For the low-growing ones, the ones good for ground covers…..I’ll talk about Cheddar pinks (cultivars Bath’s Pink and Firewitch).
This very compact little plant sports a bluish/gray color, which I think goes almost anywhere and with anything.
And when it comes to planting I always like to plant them as close as possible, giving them just barely enough room to spread (I don’t like bare spaces in my garden).
Dianthus prefers at least 6 hours of sun a day. If your summers are particularly hot a little shade won’t hurt a bit….will most likely help. They do well in rock gardens and will also attract bees and butterflies for you.
As far as maintenance goes, you can deadhead if you choose…as this could result in a re-bloom later in the season.
- Zone: 3-9
- Size: 6″ to 8″ high
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Moisture: Average to dry
- Soil: Sand, loam, chalk – but must be well-drained
- Bloom: Mid to late spring (may rebloom in summer & fall if deadheaded)
- Toxicity: Yes. Mildly toxic to people and dogs & cats ( causing gastrointestinal upset with ingestion) and possible skin irritant in people when handling (wear your gloves).
Just a few tips before you go…..I have listed with each plant whether it is toxic or not.. to us or our furry friends.
So, it is always a good idea to wear your gloves while gardening, especially if you are handling a new plant, because you never know what plant is going to be an irritant for you, (for example, Lantana, which I love…where ever it has come in contact with my skin, makes me itch like crazy…but it also goes away relatively quickly).
Also, another thing to remember… Don’t try and keep your garden bug or pest-free…we need them…we need the good bugs to keep the bad ones in check. Try your best not to use chemicals as they will only knock everything off balance in your garden, not to mention being unhealthy for you as well.
And one more thing… when you are out and about looking to purchase some plants, make sure that they have not been grown in any chemicals….especially Neonicotinoids (as this systemic insecticide will kill your pollinators).
Happy planting!
Tagged:
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/
- https://www.gardenia.net/
- http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/