Environmentally Conscious Groundcovers

First of all, how do we at Painters define a groundcover?  We think of groundcovers as low growing, spreading perennials that require moderate to minimal maintenance to succeed. 

You may choose a groundcover for attractive foliage and to add some lushness to an area. You may want a pop of color with blooms or to simply fill a large space. Sometimes, groundcovers can include a mass of mid-sized plants to cover a larger area and we've included a few of those here too. Areas needing groundcover could be full sun, full shade, steep slopes, or flat rock gardens. And ideally, you are probably interested in something that requires minimal care and that will self-multiply or spread for affordability! We’ve chosen plant recommendations here that address these many needs.

Sometimes you may be able to fill part of the area by sowing seed, but it’s typically well-worth investing the upfront cost and time in planting established groundcover-friendly plants as your foundation. This is a dual investment in time and ecology, as it can mean less lawn, lawn care, or aggressive invasive plants. In this blog, we've made sure to grow, market, and include only groundcover plants that are currently considered to be non-invasive, and many are in fact native.

One overlapping category of groundcover plants are those that are helpful in preventing erosion on steep hillsides or stream banks.  While some of our suggestions will work for such situations, there are also many deeply-rooting grasses, shrubs, and trees that are ideal but do not spread like groundcovers, so we will treat those as another topic. Read our blog about erosion control and plants we recommend for this.

Here are some of our favorite perennial groundcover options organized from sun to shade:

Pinks -- Dianthus 'Baths Pink'

(Also love 'Flashing Lights', 'Arctic Fire' & 'Firewitch' - but not available this spring.)

• Perennial, full/part sun

• 6" tall, 8-12" wide

• Dainty pink blooms in late spring

• Grass-like blue-gray foliage

Silene 'Carol Jean White' or 'Carol Jean Pink'

• Perennial (z5-10) full sun

• 3-5'' tall, 2' wide

• A flower-power evergreen groundcover that picks up blooming late spring where creeping phlox leaves off, providing a cheerful blanket of color right through to the end of summer

• Excellent heat tolerance; thrives in evenly moist soil

Creeping Speedwell -- Veronica peduncularis 'Georgia Blue'

• Perennial (z6-9) full sun

• 4-6'' tall, 18-24'' wide

• Petite cobalt-blue flowers with white centers bloom in spring

• Semi-evergreen foliage turns burgundy in cold weather

• Excellent groundcover for sharp-draining soil

• Deer and rabbit resistant

Blue Rug Juniper -- Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltonii'

• NATIVAR evergreen shrub (z3-9) full sun

• 6" tall, 6-8' wide

• Thick, dense, silvery blue foliage, at home in rock gardens or spilling over walls

• Drought tolerant, unlike many junipers; perfect groundcover for sunny, dry, sloped sites

Creeping Thyme -- Thymus serpyllum 'Magic Carpet' or 'Pink Chintz'

• Perennial, full sun

• 1-2'' tall, 1-2' wide

• Aromatic foliage, rarely used for cooking, spreads in a tight, ground-hugging carpet; emits an invigorating scent when trodden upon (tolerates light foot traffic)

• Smothered in pink blooms in summer, adored by bees!

• Must have sharp-draining soil; thrives in sunny herb or rock gardens, perfect between stepping stones

Caraway Thyme - Thymus herba barona

• Perennial, full sun

• 3-6'' tall, 1-2' wide (one of the fastest spreaders of the thymes)

• Useful and delicious, with the fragrance of caraway seeds, serves as both a culinary herb and an evergreen groundcover

• Clusters of pink flowers bloom in summer, beloved by bees

• Must have sharp-draining soil to thrive; tolerant of drought and light foot traffic, deer resistant

(We also grow and love Red Creeping Thyme, Thymus praecox 'Coccineus' - similar to Caraway in size, it offers rich reddish blooms, but is a bit slower to spread.)

Elfin Thyme -- Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin'

• Perennial (z4-8) full sun

• 1-2'' tall, 12-18'' wide

• Extremely tiny leaves, lavender-pink blooms early summer

• Mat-forming habit; perfect carpeting for fairy gardens or tucked around stepping stones

• Thrives in loose, gritty, nutrient-poor soils with sharp drainage

Candytuft -- Iberis sempervirens 'Summer Snowdrift'

• Perennial (z6a-9b) full sun

• 5-8'' tall, 9-12'' wide

• Fragrant, pure white flowers bloom spring to summer atop evergreen, carpet-forming foliage

• Low maintenance, deer resistant; works wonderfully in beds or containers

Cotoneaster -- Cotoneaster dammeri 'Lowfast'

• Evergreen shrub (z5-8) full sun-part shade

• 1' tall, 8-12' wide

• As the name suggests, grows low and fast, covering problem areas quickly

  Trailing stems root wherever they touch the ground; great choice for slopes or erosion control

• Small white flowers in spring, followed by abundant bright red berries

• Deer resistant, drought tolerant; aka bearberry cotoneaster

  
  

Dwarf Blue Plumbago -- Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

• Perennial (z5-9) part-full sun

• 6-8'' tall, 12-18'' wide

• Profuse, vivid, sky-blue flowers mid to late summer, dark green foliage turns a beautiful bronze-red in fall

• Deer resistant and durable -- even produces chemicals that inhibit the growth of weeds, making this a most excellent and attractive groundcover choice

Lamb's Ear -- Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet'

• Perennial (z4-9) full sun

• 3-8'' tall, 1-2' wide

• Velvety soft, silvery foliage has a pleasing look and texture; excellent for sensory gardens

• Can suffer in high humidity; benefits from a bit of light afternoon shade in hot summers

• Great groundcover for dry, well-drained, rocky areas

Creeping Phlox or Thrift -- Phlox subulata

(Multiple Varieties and Colors)

• NATIVE cultivar, part/full sun

• 3-6" tall, 12" wide

• Semi-evergreen foliage spreads into a dense groundcover, often out-competing weeds & grass

• Profusion of early blooms welcomes spring to the garden

Hardy Ice Plant -- Delosperma cooperi

• Perennial (z6-10), full sun

• 3-6" tall, 12-24" spread

• Evergreen succulent foliage makes great ground cover

• Magenta pinkish-purple flowers late spring-frost

• Drought tolerant, low maintenance

Northern Sea Oats -- Chasmanthium latifolium

• NATIVE perennial grass (z5-9) full sun-part shade

• 2-3' tall and wide

• Clump-forming, good for naturalizing and stabilization

• Dangling oat-like seedheads in fall and winter

• Self sows

Native Stonecrop -- Sedum ternatum 'Larinem Park'

• NATIVAR perennial (z3-9), full sun-full shade

• 3-4'' tall, 1-2' wide

• More tolerant of shade and moist soil than other sedums

• Excellent groundcover for rock gardens, woodland edges, or dry shade (needs more moisture in full sun)

• Dainty white spring blooms support early season pollinators

Stonecrop -- Sedum 'Angelina'

• Perennial (z3-11) full sun-part shade

• 4-6'' tall, 6-12'' wide

• Evergreen lime-green needle-like foliage turns orange in cold weather

• Yellow flower clusters in summer

• Low maintenance, year-round color; thrives in sharp-draining soil

• Known for being able to out-compete weeds

Carolina Campion -- Silene caroliniana 'Hot Pink'

• NATIVAR perennial (z5-8) full sun-part shade

• 1' tall and wide

• Semi-evergreen groundcover, bright pink spring blooms

• Must have excellent drainage to thrive; prefers sandy, gravelly soil and a bit of afternoon shade

• Tiny sticky hairs discourage predation from insects; aka wild pink or sticky catchfly

Ornamental Clover -- Trifolium repens 

• Perennial (z4-10) full-part sun, 2-4'' tall, 5-7'' wide

• Grow your own luck with this eye-catching groundcover, where every clover is a four-leaf clover!

• White flowers bloom spring to summer, loved by bees

• Spreads quickly; cascades beautifully over edges of containers or walls

Short Toothed Mountain Mint -- Pycnanthemum muticum

2025 Perennial Plant of the Year - for good reason!

• NATIVE perennial (z3-9) full-part sun

• 2-3' tall and wide -- a bit taller than other lower growing plants but great en masse at a woodland edge

• Fragrant leaves smell of spearmint

• A phenomenal pollinator plant with lovely silver bracts and blooms

• Not overly aggressive but will spread

Appalachian Mountain Mint -- Pycnanthemum flexuosum

• NATIVE perennial (z6-8) full-part sun

• 2-3' tall, 3-4' wide -- a bit taller than other lower growing plants but great en masse at a woodland edge

• Aromatic, silvery white flowers on sturdy, upright stems summer-long

• Red-tinged foliage in fall

Dwarf-Eared Coreopsis -- Coreopsis auriculata 'Nana'

• NATIVAR perennial (z4-8) full sun-part shade

• 6-9'' tall, 1-2' wide

• Easy care, deer resistant groundcover with yellow spring-summer blooms; evergreen foliage turns burgundy in fall

• Thrives in moist, well-drained soil; not as drought tolerant as other coreopsis species

Hardy Geranium 'Bevan's Variety' -- Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety'

(Watch for this one in future seasons at Painters! Not currently available for Spring 2025)

• Perennial (z3-8) full-part sun

• 10-12'' tall, 18-24'' wide

• Abundant clusters of pink-purple flowers late spring through summer

• Semi-evergreen, fragrant, light green foliage takes on purples tones in fall

• Effective at choking out weeds; ideal attractive groundcover

Cranesbill Geranium 'Midnight Ghost' -- Geranium pratense 'Midnight Ghost'

• Perennial (z4-8) full-part shade

• 6-8'' tall, 1-3' wide

• Exquisite white flowers positively glow against rich, dark chocolatey, purple-red foliage, blooming all summer long

• An excellent drought tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, attractive groundcover

Bearberry -- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

(Watch for this one in the Fall 2025 Season! Not currently available for Spring 2025)

• NATIVE evergreen shrub (z2-6) full sun-part shade

• 6-12'' tall, 3-6' spread

• Slow-growing groundcover; drought tolerant

• White-pink blooms, red berries

Creeping St. John's Wort -- Hypericum calycinum

(Watch for this one in the Fall 2025 Season! Not currently available for Spring 2025)

• Perennial (z5-9) full sun-part shade,

• 12-18'' tall, 1-2' wide

• Cheery yellow-blooming groundcover

• Best blooms in full sun, but tolerant of a wide range of conditions

• Rapid spread by underground stems; evergreen in mild winters

Spreading Bellflower -- Campanula carpatica 'Pearl Deep Blue'

• Perennial (z3-8) full sun-part shade

• 8'' tall, 1-2' wide

• Blue-violet, upward-facing bells of flower spring to summer

• Dainty, compact, mounding foliage, excellent for edging and containers

• Prefers well-drained soil and cooler summer temperatures

  
  

Lithodora -- Lithodora diffusa 'Blue Star' or 'Grace Ward'

• Perennial (z6-8) part shade-full sun

• 6-12'' tall, 2-3' wide

• Vigorous semi-evergreen groundcover with brilliant blue star-shaped blooms; a lovely summer-blooming complement to the spring bloom of creeping phlox

• Tolerates full sun in cooler climates; appreciates afternoon shade in hot summers

• Thrives in rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soil

Bugleweed or Ajuga -- Ajuga reptans (Many varieties and colors)

• Perennial, full-part shade

• Most varieties at Painters this season are 3-6'' tall and 12'' wide

• Dense, rapidly spreading groundcover

• Spikes of lavender-blue flowers bloom in spring, adored by pollinators

  
  

Dead Nettle -- Lamium maculatum 'Orchid Frost' (Dead Nettle)

• Perennial (z3-8) part-full shade

• 6-10'' tall, 1-2' wide

• Mat-forming groundcover with variegated heart-shaped foliage

• Pink-purple flowers in late spring and later rebloom

Green and Gold -- Chrysogonum virginianum

• NATIVE perennial (z6-8) full-part shade

• 3-6'' tall, 18-24'' spread

• Yellow blooms April-October, with a lull during hottest months

• A great shade groundcover and one of our most popular

Sweet Woodruff -- Galium odoratum

(Limited stock for Spring 2025)

• Perennial (z4-8) part-full shade

• 6-12'' tall, 10-18'' wide

• Fragrant and vigorous groundcover for moist, shady areas

• White star-shaped flowers in late spring

• Creates a carpet of green foliage, can naturalize if conditions are right

Barrenwort -- Epimedium 'Pretty in Pink'

• Perennial (z4-8) part-full shade

• 1-2' tall, 2-3' wide

• Marvelously attractive groundcover for dry shade; covered in whimsical pink flowers in spring, foliage takes on dramatic bronze tones in spring and fall

• Vigorous, low maintenance, durable; drought tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant

• Aka fairy wings

Allegheny Spurge --Pachysandra procumbens

• NATIVE perennial (z4-9) full-part shade

• 6-10'' tall, 1-2' wide

• Semi-evergreen, silvery mottled foliage

• Fragrant flower spikes in spring

• Slower growing but so worth it!

Pennsylvania Sedge -- Carex pennsylvanica

• NATIVE perennial (z4-8) part-full shade

• 8-12'' tall and wide

• Tiny brown flowers in spring mature to sac-like bracts

• Semi-evergreen; deer resistant and easy to grow

Ostrich Fern -- Matteuccia struthiopteris

• NATIVE perennial (z3-7) part-full shade

• 2-5' tall, 3-4' wide -- while a tall groundcover option, beautiful en masse as an understory plant

• Tall, majestic fronds resemble ostrich feathers

• Thrives in rich soil with constant moisture

Hostas

Perennial (z3-9), part-full shade in general, though some are bred for more sun tolerance

Leaf sizes range from 2" long to over a foot, and most varieties feature mid-summer bloom spikes of white or purple, many quite fragrant.

The size of the plant can range drastically, but most range from 1-2.5’ tall and 1.5x3.5’ wide. 

While hostas can handle our native soils, they do best in richer, more fertile soils and with good drainage - so for best performance and size, you definitely want to amend your soil.

Hostas are often beloved by both deer and slugs - we carry many cultivars that are slug resistant, but deer are another story (we recommend frequent applications of Green Screen around your beds).  We carry a range of leave colors, shapes, and sizes along with variation in the total plant size. 

Some unique options we have this year include: Captains Adventure (a true collector’s hosta with very unusual leaf variegation), Blue Mouse Ears (tiny, adorable, rich blue-green), Blue Umbrellas (an immense variety with thick, blue-green, corrugated leaves), and Beach Boy (their thick leaves have good resistance to slug onslaught).

Woodland Phlox -- Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' or 'Blue Moon'

(Spring 2025 stock SOLD OUT. Watch for these favorites in future seasons at Painters!)

• NATIVAR perennial (z4-8) full-part shade

• 12-15'' tall and wide

• Lovely, fragrant, white or purple-blue spring blooms, perfect for filling in around bulbs or perennials

• Forms large colonies over time; drought tolerant once established

Wild Ginger -- Asarum canadense

(Spring 2025 stock SOLD OUT. Watch for this one in future seasons at Painters!)

• NATIVE perennial (z4-6) full-part shade

• 6-12'' tall, 12-18'' wide

• Cup-shaped, purplish brown flowers appear in spring

• Attractive groundcover for shade

Meehan's Mint -- Meehania cordata

• NATIVE perennial (z4-8) part-full shade

• 6'' tall, 12-18'' wide

• Low maintenance, deer resistant, shade tolerant groundcover, with lovely lavender-blue blooms in spring

• A unique mint that spreads politely, not thuggishly; thrives in rich, moist woodland soil

Click here for a printable list:

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Updated and republished 05/2025