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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. 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. Watch for a future blog specifically detailing our recommendations for bank restoration and stability.
Below are our favorite perennial groundcover options organized from more sun-loving to shade-loving:
Dianthus 'Baths Pink' (Pinks)
Perennial, full/part sun, 6" tall, 8-12" wide
Dainty pink blooms in late spring
Grass-like blue-gray foliage
Veronica peduncularis 'Georgia Blue' (Speedwell)
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
Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltonii' (Blue Rug Juniper)
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
Gypsophila alba (Creeping Baby's Breath)
Perennial (zones 3-9), full sun, 4-6" tall, 12x18" spread
Low mat of blue-green leaves bears masses of small starry white fragrant single blooms in early summer
Excellent for rock gardens or cascading over walls
Clip plants lightly immediately after blooming to encourage re-bloom
Thymus serpyllum 'Magic Carpet' (Thyme)
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
Cotoneaster salicifolius 'Scarlet Leader' (Cotoneaster)
Semi-evergreen shrub (z5-9) full-part sun, 1' tall, 4-6' wide
Deep scarlet berries persist throughout winter
Glossy dark green summer foliage turns burgundy in cold months
Great on banks in mass planting or as a specimen plant
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Dwarf Blue Plumbago)
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
Thymus praecox 'Highland Cream' (Creeping Thyme 'Highland Cream')
Perennial (z4-9) full-part sun, 2-4'' tall, 6-12'' wide
Evergreen groundcover with variegated, fabulously fragrant foliage and pink spring blooms, loved by pollinators
Thrives in sharp-draining soil
Deer and rabbit resistant; tolerant of drought and light foot traffic
Aka Hartington silver
Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet' (Lamb's Ears '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
Stachys byzantina 'Fuzzy Wuzzy' (Fuzzy Wuzzy Lamb's Ear)
Perennial (z4-8) full-part sun, 8'' tall, 1-2' wide
Forms a dense carpet of soft, fuzzy foliage, perfect for sensory gardens; spikes of lavender blooms early summer
Great groundcover or edging plant; thrives in dry, lean, well-drained soil
Drought and juglone tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant
Phlox subulata 'Multiple Varieties' (Creeping Phlox (Thrift))
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
Delosperma cooperi (Hardy Ice Plant)
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
Sedum ternatum 'Larinem Park' (Stonecrop)
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
Sedum 'Angelina' (Stonecrop)
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
Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety' (Bigroot Geranium)
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
Pycnanthemum muticum (Short Toothed Mountain Mint)
NATIVE perennial (z3-9) full-part sun, 2-3' tall and wide
Fragrant leaves smell of spearmint
Silver bracts add ornamental appeal; not overly aggressive but will spread
Pycnanthemum flexuosum (Appalachian Mountain Mint)
NATIVE perennial (z6-8) full-part sun, 2-3' tall, 3-4' wide
Aromatic, silvery white flowers on sturdy, upright stems summer-long
Red-tinged foliage in fall
Lindernia grandiflora (Blue Moneywort)
Tender perennial (z6a-9b) full sun-part shade, 2-3'' tall, 1-2' wide
Fast-growing spreader or ''spiller''; dainty blue-violet flowers spring through summer
Native to wetlands of the Southeast; thrives in wet soil, can be submerged in water
Coreopsis auriculata ''Nana'' (Dwarf-Eared Coreopsis)
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
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry)
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
Hypericum calycinum (St. John's Wort)
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
Campanula carpatica 'Deep Blue Clips' (Spreading Bellflower)
Perennial (z4-9) full sun to part shade, 6-8'' tall, 8-12'' wide
Deep blue, upward-facing, bowl-shaped flowers spring-summer
Compact mound of dainty foliage, excellent for edging and containers
Prefers well-drained, lightly moist soil
Lithodora diffusa 'Blue Star' (Lithodora)
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
Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' (Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip')
Perennial (z3-10) full-part sun, 3'' tall, 9-12'' wide
Dwarf variety with deep maroon, evergreen foliage, violet-blue flower stalks in spring
Excellent for small spaces; doesn't spread as aggressively as species
Ajuga reptans 'Mahogany' (Ajuga 'Mahogany')
Perennial (z4-11) full sun-part shade, 3-6'' tall, 12-18'' wide
Dense, rapidly spreading groundcover
Leaves emerge black-burgundy and mature to deep mahogany
Spikes of lavender-blue blooms in spring
Erigeron pulchellus var. pulchellus 'Lynnhaven Carpet' (Robin's Plantain 'Lynnhaven Carpet')
NATIVAR perennial (z3-8) part shade, 1' tall, 1-2' wide
Showy, pale lavender, aster-like spring blooms, fantastic for a wide range of pollinators
Larger foliage than the species, mat-forming habit; excellent groundcover for dry shade
Thrives in poor, sharp-draining soil; tolerant of full sun in moister condition
Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy' (Dead Nettle)
Perennial (z3-8) part-full shade, 6-8'' tall, 2-3' wide
Variegated silvery-white, heart-shaped leaves with green margins; beautiful groundcover
White blooms spring to summer; cut back after flowering to stimulate new growth
Prefers moist, well-drained soil
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
Chrysogonum virginianum (Green and Gold)
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
Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff)
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
Pachysandra procumbens (Allegheny Spurge)
NATIVE perennial (z4-9) full-part shade, 6-10'' tall, 1-2' wide
Semi-evergreen, silvery mottled foliage
Fragrant flower spikes in spring
Carex pennsylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge)
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
Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive Fern)
NATIVE perennial (z4-8) full-part shade, 3-4' tall and wide
Thrives in rich, wet woodland
Needs consistently moist soil
Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern)
NATIVE perennial (z3-7) part-full shade, 2-5' tall, 3-4' wide
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 of our favorites include:
Big Daddy (24x36") - Often described as the best blue hosta, and also one of the larger ones. The foliage emerges blue-green, and matures to a chalky blue with thick seersuckered leaves that are deeply cupped. Exhibits good slug resistance.
Guacamole (22x38") - Very large leaves are a rich apple green with avocado colored margins, though summers and more sun exposure can turn them more gold green. Very fragrant lavender blooms, a faster grower than many, and good sun tolerance.
Some unique options we have this year include: Captains Adventure (a true collector’s hosta with very unusual leaf variegation), Golden Tiara (a different habit from most - profuse, small golden variegated leaves form a dense border), & Blue Mouse Ears (tiny, adorable, rich blue-green).
Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' or 'Blue Moon' (Woodland Phlox)
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
Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger)
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