Get ready to be amazed by these 14 stunning perennials I’ve handpicked just for you! They’ll totally brighten up your garden and turn it into a beautiful masterpiece.
These mesmerizing ground covers offer a kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and shapes, adding depth and interest to your outdoor oasis.
Whether you’re seeking a lush carpet of greenery or a burst of seasonal blooms, this guide will lead you to the perfect choices for your garden.
Coral bells
Coral bells, also known as Heuchera, are a colorful choice for ground cover. Their foliage comes in a wide range of hues, from vibrant reds and oranges to soft greens and purples.
Coral bells thrive in shady areas and can tolerate a variety of soil conditions, making them a versatile option for many gardens.
In addition to their foliage, coral bells produce delicate flowers that bloom in the summer. While the flowers are not particularly showy, they add a touch of charm to the overall plant.
Ajuga
Have you heard of Ajuga? It’s also known as bugleweed. It’s a really cool plant that stays low to the ground and creates a thick blanket of leaves. It loves shady spots with lots of moisture, making it a favorite for filling in bare spots in gardens.
Ajuga plants usually have green or variegated leaves and really pretty purple or blue flowers that pop up in the spring. Isn’t it beautiful to see the flowers bloom?
The plant is easy to care for and will quickly spread to create a lush carpet of color.
Creeping Jenny
Have you heard of Creeping Jenny? It’s this beautiful plant with vibrant golden leaves that can add a pop of color to your garden.
The way its stems creep and cascade over slopes, rockeries, and even containers is just so elegant. Plus, it’s great at keeping weeds at bay and preventing erosion. It’s definitely a must-have for any garden!
Reaching a height of 6 to 12 inches, Creeping Jenny thrives in moist, well-drained soil and partial shade to full sun, making it an adaptable choice for a variety of landscapes.
Its foliage transforms into a breathtaking golden hue in the fall, providing year-round interest.
Lamium
Lamium, commonly known as deadnettle, is a charming ground cover that adds a vibrant splash of color to your garden.
With its heart-shaped leaves and clusters of hooded flowers in hues of pink, purple, and white, Lamium creates a visually stunning groundcover that’s sure to turn heads.
Easy to care for and tolerant of various soil conditions, Lamium is a versatile choice for gardeners of all skill levels.
Sedum
Stonecrop, commonly known as Sedum, is a genus of plants that make excellent groundcovers.
These versatile perennials come in many varieties, offering a range of colors and textures to brighten up your garden.
Have you heard about Sedums? They’re awesome because they’re super tough and don’t need a lot of attention.
This makes them perfect for those of us who are always on the go and don’t have a ton of time to spend in the garden. How cool is that?
They tolerate drought and poor soil conditions, making them suitable for various landscapes.
Are you in search of some plants that will hang low and cover the ground, or maybe some taller ones that stand up straight? Sedums have got something for everyone in the garden!
Carpet bugleweed
Carpet bugleweed is a low-growing perennial that forms a dense mat of foliage. Its leaves are a deep green color and have a slightly serrated edge.
In the spring, carpet bugleweed produces small, blue flowers that bloom in clusters.
This plant is a good choice for ground cover in shady areas, and it can also be used as a border plant. Carpet bugleweed is easy to care for and requires little maintenance.
It is a drought-tolerant plant that does not require frequent watering.
Snow-in-summer
Have you ever seen snow-in-summer? It’s a gorgeous perennial with big, round leaves that have a lovely mix of white and green colors. It spreads out nicely on the ground and looks so pretty in both sunny and shady spots.
It adds a touch of elegance to any garden, creating a soft, carpet-like effect.
Snow-in-summer is also a low-maintenance plant that is drought-tolerant and disease-resistant.
Creeping phlox
Creeping phlox is a low-maintenance perennial that creates stunning carpets of vibrant blooms in shades of pink, purple, white, and blue. These star-shaped flowers bloom profusely in spring, covering the ground with a burst of color.
Creeping phlox is a versatile groundcover that thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it ideal for a variety of landscapes.
Wild ginger
Wild ginger is an ideal ground cover for shady areas, reaching a height of just 6 inches with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
Its attractive, heart-shaped leaves are a vibrant green in the spring and summer, transforming into a stunning shade of yellow in the fall.
This plant is great because it spreads gradually, so you won’t have to worry about it taking over. It loves to grow in soil that is moist and well-drained, which makes it happy and healthy.
Its versatility extends to various uses, including edging, woodland gardens, and even containers.
Creeping thyme
Creeping thyme is an evergreen perennial that forms a dense mat of aromatic foliage. It is a versatile groundcover that can be planted in full sun or partial shade.
Creeping thyme produces clusters of tiny purple flowers in the summer.
This plant is super tough and can totally handle a little neglect – perfect for those of us who always forget to water or don’t have a lot of time to spend in the garden.
Vinca
With its glossy leaves and vibrant flowers, Vinca is a ground cover that adds beauty and vitality to any garden. This low-maintenance perennial thrives in both sun and shade, making it a versatile choice for a variety of landscapes.
Its trailing stems spread quickly, creating a lush carpet that helps suppress weeds and retain moisture in the soil.
Vinca blooms profusely throughout the spring and summer months, producing an abundance of small, star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, lavender, pink, or white.
Dianthus
Dianthus, commonly known as pinks or carnations, are striking perennials that form dense, compact mounds of foliage.
They produce a profusion of frilly, fragrant flowers in shades of pink, red, white, and purple.
Dianthus blooms prolifically throughout the summer, adding a vibrant touch to borders, rock gardens, and containers.
These plants are pretty tough! They can handle USDA zones 3-9 and they love soil that drains well. They enjoy soaking up the sun, but they’re also cool with a bit of shade here and there. Plus, they’re low-maintenance, so they won’t need too much attention from you.
Their compact habit and drought tolerance make them ideal for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
Geranium
Geraniums, also known as cranesbill, are a versatile group of plants that make excellent ground cover. They are hardy and easy to grow, and they come in a wide range of colors and sizes.
Geraniums prefer well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.
They are also drought-tolerant, making them a low-maintenance option. With their showy blooms and attractive foliage, geraniums add beauty and interest to any garden.
They can be used to create a lush carpet of color, or they can be planted as accents around other plants.
Geraniums are also a great choice for containers and hanging baskets.
Veronica
Veronica is like a beautiful rainbow in your garden, with its rich blues and vibrant pinks. It’s perfect for covering the ground with its lush, low-growing leaves.
Plus, it’s so versatile – it can handle both full sun and partial shade, so you can plant it anywhere in your garden and watch it thrive.
Its adaptability to different soil types, including well-drained and moist conditions, further enhances its practicality.
During the summer and fall seasons, Veronica flowers bloom beautifully and attract pollinators, bringing a little touch of magic from nature to your garden.
