18 Low Maintenance Ground Covers For Any Type Of Yard

Types of Ground Cover Plants

Dry Shade

Bishop’s hat (shown): Heart-shaped leaves form dense mounds 6 to 9 inches high, with delicate sprays of small flowers in spring. Zones 4–8.

How to Choose and Plant Ground Cover

Lily turf: Grass-like foliage 8 to 18 inches high sports spikes of purple flowers in late summer. Zones 4–10. Sweet woodruff: Whorled foliage grows 8 to 12 inches tall; fragrant white flowers in spring. Zones 4–8. Pachysandra: Extremely low maintenance and spreads rapidly; thrives in shady areas and is impartial to soil types; small white flowers in spring.

Full Sun

Cranesbill (shown): Bushy foliage grows up to 12 inches tall. Pink blooms in late spring attract butterflies. Zones 4–8. Brazilian dwarf morning glory ‘Blue Daze:’ Mounding foliage 9 to 18 inches high produces purple blooms all summer long. Zones 8–11. Bearberry: Shiny evergreen leaves; birds love its red berries. Zones 2–6. Juniper Procumbens: An extremely durable evergreen; Prefers full sun; Can grow over walls and rocks and will grow together as a large, dense mat; Deer and drought tolerant

Shady Hillside

Pennsylvania sedge (shown): Wavy mounds of long, grass-like leaves grow 6 to 12 inches high. Zones 4–8. Alpine geranium: Dense foliage, 3 to 6 inches high, displays pink blooms from April to October. Needs rocky, well-drained soil. Zones 7–10. Dwarf mondo grass: Tight, 4- to 6-inch-high evergreen clumps grow up to 12 inches across. Zones 6–10. Microbiota: Soft, feathery evergreen foliage; Rugged and drought-tolerant; Does well in sun, partial shade, and shade; Only grows about a foot tall

Moist Shade

Bunchberry (shown): Lush, whorled foliage 6 to 12 inches tall. White blooms attract butterflies; red berries in fall. Zones 2–7. Foam flower: Glossy, lobed foliage grows 9 to 12 inches high; sprays of white flowers in May. Zones 3–8. American barrenwort: The heart-shaped leaves grow 9 to 18 inches high. Zones 5–9. Liriope Spicata: Soft ground cover; Has runners that travel and create a soft, dense mat; Comes in variegated varieties for extra pops of color; Good for naturalized settings

High Heat & Drought

‘Dragon’s Blood’ stonecrop (shown): This deer-resistant sedum grows 4 to 6 inches tall; deep-red, star-shaped flowers appear in midsummer. Zones 3–9. Lamb’s ear: Thick, velvety leaves grow 12 to 18 inches tall. Zones 4–7. ‘Angelina’ stonecrop: Spiky, gray-green foliage about 4 inches tall has yellow blooms. Zones 5–8. Sedum John Creech: Grows 1 to 2 inches high; Creates a thick mat of succulent foliage; Small pink flowers in the middle of summer; Ideal for stone walls and walkways as it can take the heat of the stone

Steppable

Blue star creeper (shown): Forms a dense 2- to 4-inch-high mat with light-blue spring flowers. Zones 5–9. Hairy rupturewort: Overlapping stems with tiny leaves reach about 2 inches high. Zones 2–9. Creeping thyme: Stems bearing tiny, aromatic leaves reach 2 to 6 inches high, with purple flowers from May to September. Zones 4–9. Find your area’s plant hardiness zone