It's low-maintenance because this drought-tolerant perennial grows beautifully in a xeriscape or rock garden. . As it spreads, new clumps will form. Most perennial ground coverings fall into these categories. Few ground covers ever look as beautiful as creeping phlox in spring, when it produces an explosion of fragrant, star-shaped, pastel-colored flowers. Its fascinating to watch in the spring as its semi-evergreen foliage emerges bronze, then brightens to fresh green and covers up the previous years growth. If you are looking for something unusual, consider wall germander, a broadleaf woody-stemmed evergreen that is often massed or used as a low hedge along retaining walls or in knot gardens. high and can spread out 2 feet (61 cm.) Both their flowers and their foliage make an impact on the landscape. Some leaves may revert back to an all-green color (instead of being variegated); be sure to prune these out, so that the green color does not eventually take over the plant. English ivy is considered an evergreen perennial covering, period. Although it is most. Locate where the runners have rooted themselves into the ground. It even takes on the terribly invasive Garlic Mustard. These waterwise plants are perfect rock garden ground covers in zones 4 through 9 for the hardier yellow prairie zinnia and 6 through 10 for desert zinnia with its pretty white flowers. All that being said, ground covers are a terrific option for your situation. It even takes on the terribly invasive Garlic Mustard. It grows in little clumps, likes moist soil, and prefers full to part sun. Though its lush leaves dont scream drought tolerant, sedum boasts an ability to root and thrive in even the driest, rockiest settingsthus earning it the familiar name stonecrop. The secret? Need an easy evergreen carpet to plant where no grass dare grow? Once established, its drought tolerant. It's deer-resistant and can tolerate drought, heat, and cold. If you are looking for a tenacious ground cover that will stare in the face of drought while living in dry, sandy soil in a shady area, either shadara's violets or yellow archangel or bishop's weed should work. Prepare a bed on the sandy, well-drained soil under 6-12 inches depth and plant the seedlings 18 inches apart in the late afternoon. She is married to photographer John Everett and they have one son. Grow Canadian wild ginger in humus-rich, moist soil in light shade to deep shade conditions in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 through 8. This is a slow-growing and long-lasting ground cover that simply needs pruning every so often to prevent it from growing leggy. Excellent evergreen ground cover for shadeThe North American native speciesPachysandra procumbensis harder to find but a more graceful and less spready choiceGrows 6 to 10 inches 15-25 cm tall. A. This species of plumbago is cold hardy to USDA Zone 5, but will survive winter better if you cover it with a light mulch, or if theres snow cover. Use it to highlight other plants with darker foliage, such as boxwoods and conifers. If you live in USDA Zones 3 through 9 and have a low spot where grass struggles because its too wet, try planting golden groundsel there instead. Here's how: While they can self-seed themselves, spotted dead nettles do not do well if you try to grow them from seed. Its a good idea to add some mulch around the plant to help suppress weeds. White flowers pop up in spring. While lamium looks great, it's not the best at dealing with high amounts of traffic, so make sure it's somewhere with less foot traffic. The soft moss-like foliage of this plant forms a dense mat underfoot. In fact, this short, squat plant is often seen dotting hillsides or banks. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Creeping Phlox. Plant ivy in the spring and you won't need to maintain it at all. In either case, cut back shabby foliage after the first frost to make way for new growth in the spring. Spotted deadnettle ground cover is an easy-to-grow plant with a wide range of soil and condition tolerance.. Lamium is a fast-growing, perennial ground cover that deer and rabbits avoid. But in regions where spotted dead nettle is not invasive, it acts as an effective ground cover for deeply shaded areas. Planted along sloped pieces of land, it can neaten up the area while providing ground covering. RELATED: The 15 Best Plants for Rookie Gardeners. In fact it thrives on summer drought in dry shade. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. As with yellow alyssum, Angelina sedum can be regarded as a "Goldilocks" ground cover. . With a long bloom period and colorful foliage, most varieties are eye-catching plants throughout the year. Yellow archangel, also known as yellow Lamium, is very competitive and fast-growing in the forest habitats of western Washington and western British Columbia. Rock cotoneaster is considered a full-shun shrub but benefits from some afternoon shade. Some of these ground covers will grow in sun and others in shade; all will put on growth quickly. RELATED: 25 Plants That Survive With or Without You. Lamium is one of the choices for ground-cover especially if you are looking for ground-cover that is tough yet showy. Her goal is to inspire and educate people about how to garden every day. In spring, tiny white flowers add to its ethereal beauty. Just beware: Its rapid growth makes this an invasive plant throughout the Eastern United States, as well as parts of Texas and the Southwest. The attractive foliage has a silvery cast and shows well . You can plant this drought-tolerant, low-maintenance ground cover at the edge of a rock garden or other space and more or less forget about it (except for occasional watering) during the summertime. Ivy is invasive and toxic to humans and animals but the charm it can lend to a yard can't be beat. Leadwort is an excellent low-maintenance groundcover for putting on a late-season show. Ground covers are used to provide edgings to pathways, control erosion, and add interest to landscape design. RELATED: Bad Neighbors: 11 Plant Pairs Never to Grow Side by Side. The low-lying, flowering ground coverit grows no more than 4 inches tallcan endure being stepped and stomped on, making it a smart choice for planting between pavers or for replacing grass entirely. I think I'll try some . Evergreen ground covers, such as creeping juniper, require little care. Although taller than a typical ground cover, yarrow ranks among the most attractive ground cover flowering plants. A member of the mint family, Lamium spreads quickly, is self-seeding, and will rapidly create a ground cover wherever it is planted. Plant in full shade or partial shade. This easy-to-grow plant spreads and produces numerous offspring from seed. Read our, Amethyst in Snow (Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow'), 31 Best-Deer Resistant Flowers and Plants to Grow, 10 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs for Landscaping, 18 Perennial Flowers That Bloom in Spring, Summer and Fall, 35 Types of Orange Flowers: Identification & Photos, 15 Best Plants for Drought-Tolerant Gardens, Angelina Sedum (Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'), Rock Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis), Chinese lantern is also considered invasive. Its brittle, fragile stems help keep it from becoming aggressively invasive and also allow bulbs and other perennials to penetrate its foliage. Overall, the plant is shaggy and short. It is an excellent choice as a perennial ground cover since it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, although it grows most quickly in slightly moist, humus-rich soils. Pollinating bees and butterflies delight in its bright golden yellow, daisy-like flowers that appear from late spring into early summer. Roger Clemens makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker captures 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo of wildlife at Brazos Bend State Park, This is how astronauts see Houston, Texas Gulf from space with unaided eyes, These bites won big at the Houston rodeo's foodie awards, Here's what Lina Hidalgo carb-loads before a long run, Heres how you can watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six', Houston police ticket man for feeding homeless people, Texas Republican wants to ban access to abortion websites. With very attractive foliage and either white or pink flowers, Lamium maculatum makes an excellent ground cover plant for a shaded position. Creeping Raspberry is a part of the Rosaceae family. Lawns also are considered ground covers, but may require more moisture, sunlight, fertilizer and maintenance than other ground cover choices. Many plant species from the genus Sedum are native to North America. It doesnt like wet feet, so make sure the soil is well-drained. Despite its vigorous growth, it's not considered invasive. A particularly vigorous variety, Walkers Low, was The Perennial Plant Associations plant of the year in 2007. This is a highly invasive plant but it's also popular for growing on huge swaths of areas that need ground cover and won't encroach on another's property. I've never tried that one. This perennial creeper is a great ground cover that will quickly carpet your landscape with pretty and small flowers. If you arent sure if it will survive the winter outdoors where you live, pop it out of the ground and into a container to grow as a houseplant until the following spring. It has a stripe down the middle that can be white, yellow, red, or silver. New delosperma varieties boast yellow, orange, apricot, and bicolor flowers. It makes a dense mat of three-lobed leaves on lengthy, cane-like stems, which provide an interesting ground . Native to Africa, purple ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) became popular as a cold-hardy ground cover in the United States in the 1990s. However, creeping ground coverings tend to spread the fastest. Growing 3-6 inches tall, it can be used as a full ground cover, or you can plant it around stepping stones and pathways. plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. .css-1byi7p4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#fff;-webkit-transition:background 0.3s ease-in-out,color 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:background 0.3s ease-in-out,color 0.3s ease-in-out;display:inline-block;background-color:#000000;border-radius:0.125rem;font-family:NeutraDisplay,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.79054rem;line-height:1;font-weight:bold;height:unset;letter-spacing:0.05rem;padding:0.6rem 1rem;text-transform:uppercase;width:auto;}.css-1byi7p4:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:#595959;background-color:#53c2be;}.css-1byi7p4:focus-visible{outline-color:body-cta-btn-link-focus;}SHOP LILY OF THE VALLEY. When not in bloom, the heart-shaped, dark green leaves with purplish undersides make an attractive deer and rabbit resistant ground cover. Hostas are some of the happiest and hardiest perennial ground coverings you can grow. Ice plant is a perennial succulent ground cover with fleshy leaves and colorful flowers. It likes full sun, but can tolerate part shade. Are rabbits attracted to spotted dead nettle? They are tough and their easy-going adaptability to a wide variety of rocky slopes, clay, and alkaline soils keep them comfortable in the west. It has a stripe down the middle that can be white, yellow, red, or silver. Some leaves may revert back to an all-green color (instead of being variegated); be sure to prune these out, so that the green color does not eventually take over the plant. A ground hugging creeper with silvered variegated foliage and some really pretty colored flowers Dead Nettles are an ideal choice for gardeners who want a tough plant with a variety of . Spotted Dead Nettle is an excellent ground cover plant because of its flowers and its spreading growth habit. In the South or West, the ground cover may lose its leaves or die back in the cold months. It can cover large areas if you let it, so take care to find a place where its spreading tendency will be welcomed. Care requirements for creeping phlox are few. As lovely a ground cover as it seems, it's also considered invasive and is toxic to pets. This is a large plant with a horizontal growth habit (thus its species name). Plus, each is interesting enough to enhance your surroundings more than an ordinary carpet of grass. Creeping phlox is a short plant often seen covering the side of a hill or retaining wall with colorful spring flowers. Try some honeysuckle! Its native habitat is wooded areas, so it is perfect for a shady woodland garden. The creeping juniper is a sprawling, creeping needled evergreen shrub that grows to a maximum height of about 18 inches and with a spread that can go as much as 8 feet. There may be restrictions on planting it in these areas. Then, the leaves turn a gorgeous shade of burgundy red in fall. It gets its name because light reflects off its hairy growths and sparkles on the landscape. One of the best fast-growing ground cover plants for full sun is flowering candytuft. It prefers moist ground, drought-tolerant once established, and needs full shade. Growing and Harvesting a Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus). Spotted deadnettle ground cover grows about 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm.) Creeping thyme. Its starry white flowers appear late in the season at a time when many other perennials are finished blooming, making it an important food source for pollinators. A Texas Master Gardener, she's the author of The Texas Flower Garden, published by Gibbs-Smith in 1996. Spotted Nettle ( Lamium maculatum) is an excellent ground cover plant that has attractive foliage and pretty flowers that appear in profusion in mid-spring then sporadically over the course of the summer and fall. This woodland sedge can tolerate drier soils than many species. In ideal sunny conditions, Amethyst in Snow will spread quite quickly, but you can control it easily by pulling out stray shoots. But its attractive variegated foliage spreads out to two or three times its height. 'Album', has white flowers, shown here blooming before the leaves on September 28, 2011, and spreads to form a ground cover that stays green through the winter . Push the bare part of the branch into the soil at the desired location and water. MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker takes 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo at Brazos Bend State Park, This is what Houston looks like from space, Oops! Lamium is grown for both its pretty foliage and beautiful flowers. Society garlic can also tolerate dry conditions. It's also a beautiful ground cover to consider for moon gardens, but just beware the flowers are less than fragrant. Otherwise, no pruning is needed, and if you're using it only for ground covering, watch that it does not grab hold of a tree bark or the siding of your house because its roots will dig in, making it hard to remove without damaging the surface. Compost should be sufficient, as the plants do not require rich soil. It matures to a maximum height of only 6 inches, so many gardeners choose to plant creeping phlox on a slope or along the top of a retaining wall to appreciate its beauty from several angles. Plant them with an assortment of other flowering plants in a container garden to have sitting on your porch and lanai, or they trail beautifully from a hanging basket. When you buy Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow', you may be thinking of it as an uprightperennial plant with attractive flowers. Fun bonus: The flowers, either fresh or dried, can be used in salads or steeped in teas. This native ground cover is as useful as it is pretty, acting as the larval host of the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly and as a weed suppressing ground cover. Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, 25 Plants That Survive With or Without You, 14 of the Best Plants for Your Drought-Tolerant Garden, 10 Grass-Free Alternatives to a Traditional Lawn, Bad Neighbors: 11 Plant Pairs Never to Grow Side by Side. Going to google creeping jenny. Hostas are definitely not deer-resistant but they are toxic to other animals. Lamium is one of the best choices for a tough yet showy perennial groundcover. This shrub also offers some fall-foliage value. Bright pink, purple or white flowers are a bonus that draws in bumblebees from mid-spring to early summer. Yellow archangel has colorful leaves and flowers. Do spotted dead nettle attract butterflies? They thrive in or out of sunlight, and they seem to multiply on their own thanks to their rhizomatous roots. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You have entered an incorrect email address! And Beacon Silver has pink flowers and silvery leaves. Sweet woodruff foliage can be dried and used in wreaths, potpourri, and other craft creations. This quickly spreading ground cover forms a tight, six- to 10-inch tall mass of shiny green foliage that blushes bright red and bronze beginning in early fall. Plant number: 1.305.190. They save their energy for the surprisingly large flowers, white on desert zinnia and yellow on prairie zinnia. Equally at home hanging from a planter or covering a hillside, Lysimachia (more commonly known as creeping Jenny) is a plant admired for its trailing branches. Plant in the late spring. Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. The erect flower clusters are long-blooming. While it prefers full sun, it needs regular moisture, especially during hot months. Spotted dead nettles are generally grown more for their silvery leaves than for their flowers, but the latter can be quite pretty, as well. Copyright 2013-2023. Look for varieties like Ghost that are heavily silvered and really brighten up lightly to densely shaded spaces. This shrub flowers from May to July with white flowers, and grows to a maximum height of about 9 inches. To encourage new growth in the springtime cut spotted dead nettles back after the first frost or in the late autumn, depending on where you live. You will have a Lamium carpet by fall, and the following year you will perhaps be able to pen your own lamium nursery with which to supply all your friends. The horizontally-spreading branches of creeping junipers make a dense mat that weeds cant penetrate. To propagate from the stem, cut the 10cm long portion of the stem and leave it to scab for some time. Wherever its branches make contact with the soil, it will put down roots, creating new plants. I simply pick the seedlings if they pop up where I don't want them. If it grows outside its pounds, trim it off or transplant a branch. In moist soil, however, brass buttons spread vigorously, forming 2-inch-tall mats of growth strong and thick enough to withstand even regular foot traffic. It quickly forms a thick mound and blooms all summer long, producing a sweet honey scent that attracts pollinators throughout the season. When planted in groups, heuchera works well as a ground cover or along garden edging. In regions with cold winters, Lamium is deciduous. Plant liriope any time for quick growth and spreading. It isnt too particular about soil type as long as the drainage is decent. Ajuga spreads rapidly in varying conditions, tolerating shade or sun. While grass is typically the best way to fill out empty space, sometimes low-growing plants are a better and prettier option. When planted in full sun it usually needs extra watering, at least until the plant is well established. The success of many invasive plants is due to this means of spreading. It spreads by seed, but not aggressively, making its way around the garden in light shade to full shade conditions in USDA Zones 3 through 8. Try to plant it in large groupings on a hillside or along the house's foundation to prevent erosion. The plant dies back to the ground in the winter and comes out in the spring, but giving it a good shearing before winter will help keep the plants healthy. The large, veined, heart-shaped leaves have a spread of 18 to 24 inches, and most varieties bloom in late spring with small pink flowers. Name: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. Providing extra spacing between plants can lessen leaf-spotting, but this somewhat defeats the purpose of growing spotted dead nettles, as one of their best features is that they spread and fill in an area, thereby crowding out weeds. The 'Six Hills Giant' cultivar is a good choice for covering large areas. If you want this to be a fast-growing ground cover plant, make sure it receives 4-6 hours of sun each day. Clover Unless you want it as your lawn or have a horse to feed, don't plant it. Lamium (Deadnettle) Wonderful as ground cover in a shady area, Spotted deadnettle ( Lamium maculatum) can cover large areas quickly, prevailing in the most unforgiving of conditions. The plant's multicolored leaves and tiny pastel flowers look attractive by themselves along a walkway or mingled. :) Thanks much guys. Look for the distinctive crook at the top of the stem to identify this species. Perfect for plantings under perennials or shrubs and as a groundcover or edging plant. Lamb's Ear. Several plants in this list happily grow in full or partial shade. This fact sheet primarily discusses non-native ground covers and rock garden plants for mountain areas above 7,500 feet as well as highlighting some native plants not covered in fact sheet 7.242, Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado Landscapes. Plant it with an assortment of flowering plants, including paperwhites, cyclamen, and coral bells. Hedera helix. Deer are usually not interested, leaving more for you to enjoy for your garden and fresh bouquets. Soil & Transplanting. It is also ideal for rock gardens, border edges, and even containers besides being an excellent choice for an ornamental ground cover. Swallowtail butterflies, hummingbird moths and hummingbirds are all fans. Album has white flowers and white marked leaves. Also known as lonicera, honeysuckle is an aromatic perennial that blooms with white, yellow, or red flowers in the spring and summer. Though many annual flowers can be used for ground coverings, it can be laborious to replant large swaths of coverings yearly. All our groundcovers are grown in biodegradable . This plant is fast growing, and one plant can spread up to two feet or more within a year. Most of my dl have been in the ground at least 6 months, so I'm guessing they are well established enough for a ground cover. Susan has received visitors from around the world in her home garden which has been featured in numerous gardening publications. They can spread across bare ground, suppressing weeds and dust, preventing erosion, decreasing water evaporation, and adding color. They dont add much ornamental value, but they do help out the pollinators. The unusual common name of "dead nettles" alludes to the fact that, while it resembles stinging nettles, the stingers are dead on L. maculatum, rendering it harmless. Ice plants need plenty of sun to thrive. You will have to experiment to arrive at the right balance between giving it enough water to keep it alive and giving it so much that it becomes invasive. Grow spotted dead nettles in full to partial shade. World of Flowering Plants. In fact, brass buttons share the same Achilles heel as ferns: Both succumb easily to drought. Ground Cover Dogwood. Choose from an annual or perennial variety, and watch charming daisy-like flowers bloom throughout this bushy plant. In ideal sunny conditions, Amethyst in Snow will spread quite quickly, but you can control it easily by pulling out stray shoots. Growing as high as 36 inches, it blooms all summer long with purple flowers. However, keep it away from turf grass to avoid damage. Ground cover plants are the perfect solution for a variety of landscaping issues. For companion plants, select other shade-lovers. Here are our top 15 ground covers for shaded areas. You might be more familiar with the short, colorful asters commonly sold along with potted mums in the fall. A tall border, such as a retaining wall or large rocks, will do a good job containing growth without the need to prune. It spreads rapidly by above-ground runners and is hardy to Zone 4. Creeping lamium averages 10 inches tall, with small flower groups appearing in the summer. Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon 'Hermann's Pride', Zones 4-8) is one of the fastest-growing ground covers.