Ground cover plants are one of the easiest ways to fill empty spaces in your garden while keeping maintenance to a minimum. Whether you have a dry, shady area beneath a tree or a hot, sunny border where other plants struggle, the right ground cover can help create a lush, attractive display.
As well as adding colour and texture, ground cover plants help suppress weeds, protect the soil, and provide valuable habitats for pollinators. Here are 10 of our favourite groundcover plants and where they will thrive best.
Ground Cover Plants for Shade and Dry Areas
Some parts of the garden can be difficult to plant, especially areas under trees where there is limited light and competition from roots. These hardy ground covers are perfect for creating a green carpet in challenging spots.
1. Geranium macrorrhizum (Hardy Geranium)
A reliable and easy-to-grow evergreen ground cover, Hardy Geranium produces fragrant leaves and pretty pink or white flowers in spring. The foliage often takes on beautiful red shades in autumn, adding interest throughout the year. It is particularly suited to dry, shady areas where many other plants struggle.
2. Vinca minor (Lesser Periwinkle)
Lesser Periwinkle is a low-growing evergreen that quickly forms an attractive carpet of green foliage. Its delicate purple flowers appear from spring into autumn, making it a great choice for adding colour to shady borders.
**Tip:** Give it a light trim in spring to keep it looking neat and encourage fresh growth.
3. Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Spurge)
A fantastic option for deeper shade, Japanese Spurge forms a dense mat of glossy green leaves that helps keep weeds under control. It is a dependable, low-maintenance plant that works particularly well beneath trees and shrubs.
4. Epimedium (Barrenwort)
With its attractive heart-shaped leaves and delicate spring flowers, Epimedium brings a woodland feel to the garden. It is tough, long-lived, and copes exceptionally well with dry shade.
**Tip:** Remove old foliage towards the end of winter to make way for fresh leaves and flowers in spring.
Ground Cover Plants for Sunny, Dry Spots
If you have a sunny border, gravel garden, rockery, or an area that dries out quickly, these drought-tolerant ground covers are ideal.
5. Thymus serpyllum (Creeping Thyme)
A beautiful low-growing evergreen with aromatic foliage and masses of tiny pink flowers. Creeping Thyme thrives in warm, sunny positions and is loved by bees and other pollinators.
6. Sedum cauticola (Stonecrop)
A hardy succulent that is perfect for dry gardens, Sedum produces attractive fleshy leaves and clusters of pink flowers in late summer. It is easy to grow and provides an excellent source of nectar for pollinating insects.
7. Campanula carpatica (Tussock Bellflower)
This compact perennial produces charming bell-shaped flowers in shades of violet and white throughout summer. It works well at the front of borders and looks especially good spilling over walls or containers.
**Tip:** Remove faded flowers regularly to encourage more blooms.
8. Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican Fleabane)
A real garden favourite, Mexican Fleabane produces a long-lasting display of small daisy-like flowers that change from white to pink as they mature. It is a versatile plant that works well in sunny borders, gravel gardens, and between paving.
**Tip:** Cut it back in spring to encourage fresh, bushy growth.
Hardy Ground covers That Work Almost Anywhere
These adaptable plants are easy to grow and can cope with a variety of garden conditions.
9. Euonymus ‘Emerald Gaiety’
This compact evergreen shrub has attractive green and cream variegated leaves, which often develop pink tones during colder months. It grows happily in sun or partial shade and needs very little maintenance beyond an occasional tidy-up.
10. Hebe pinguifolia ‘Pagei’
A spreading evergreen with attractive grey-green leaves and small white flower spikes. It is a great choice for sunny or partially shaded areas and handles exposed conditions, including coastal gardens, particularly well.
Find the Perfect Ground Cover Plants for Your Garden
From dry shade beneath trees to hot, sunny borders, there is a ground cover plant to suit almost every garden. These easy-care plants are a simple way to add colour, cover bare soil, and create a more attractive outdoor space with minimal effort.
Visit our garden centre in St. Albans to explore our range of ground cover plants. Our team will be happy to help you choose varieties that suit your garden’s conditions and growing needs.
