Perennial Ground Cover

A perennial ground cover is an excellent way to finish off your backyard landscaping project! It creates a weed barrier, retains moisture, and cuts down on the amount of mulch you need to apply each spring.

As with any landscaping plant, you’ll need to select your perennial ground cover based on the characteristics of the space that you wish to fill.

How much sun exposure does it receive? More than 6 hours per day is full sun, between about 3-6 hours per day is part sun to part shade, and less than 3 hours per day is full shade.

What is the condition of the soil? Does it drain well? Is it clay heavy, or gravely (is that a word?) I’m not scientific on this determination…if it looks like heavy, nasty soil, it’s “poor”- if it looks nice and earthy and crumbly, it’s “good”- and if it’s sandy, it’s “sandy.” (are you blown away by my extensive soil testing measures??)

Those are pretty much the two basic questions I’m asking when I’m going to plant a perennial ground cover. Oh, there’s one more:

What is your intended goal? Are you looking to add beauty, decrease the weeding you have to do, fill in a dense area? The answers to these questions will definitely guide you as to which perennial ground cover you end up selecting.

Without further ado, let’s talk about some of the popular options:

In my city there happens to be many blue rug junipers planted in medians and other public places because of their low maintenance characteristics. They fill in a space heavily, are attractive, and don’t require much in return. Make sure that you're a bit more attentive to them upon initial planting. You won't have to follow ALL of the tedious instructions outlined in my page on how to plant flowers, but do make sure that the soil has been broken up well before planting, all of the roots are covered with soil, and the plant receives enough water for the first month or so.

Last year I ordered a unique brand of Vincas online. They were nice, but just didn't fill in quick enough for me. Sometimes I like online purchases for plants, and sometimes it doesn't work out so well. Unless you are very familiar with the plant you're ordering, it may be best to make your purchases at a local garden center. Read more tips on the best places to get yard plants here.

Speaking of Vinca minor...I’m a huge fan of this perennial ground cover! The flowers come in during spring in a beautiful shade of blue – periwinkle - and the foliage is softer in appearance than what you’ll find with the creeping phlox. The leaves are rounded, shiny and multi-colored in various shades of dark green. I just think that vinca minor adds a touch of softness and warmth to any landscape. I’m completely drawn to it! This plant does well in full to partial shade, and is an excellent addition to the base of a tree.

Creeping thyme is an excellent ground cover that forms a nice thick mat. It’s got small, pointed leaves, and is loaded with tiny lilac-pink colored flowers. This perennial ground cover is quite versatile, spreads easily, and is very low maintenance. Creeping thyme works best in at least part sun, and looks particularly nice on a slope, or over a retaining wall. This ground cover can also be walked on, so it is a good choice for between pavers on a walkway.

Black-eyed Susans are not typically considered to be a perennial ground cover. They are however, perennial flowers that have an incredible spreading habit, and they adapt to a wide range of soil conditions. They are also considered to be one of the "native plant species" in Wisconsin (not sure about other areas.)

I have black-eyed susans planted along the road in my front yard, in a location that has the worst soil! It is sandy, filled with gravel and overall just “bad”! I planted a couple clumps of black-eyed susans a few years ago, and they have spread like crazy. By mid summer I have a swarm of yellow flowers that fill that space, and they continue to spread year after year.

They plants can grow to about 3 feet high, and love the sun. They might do well in part shade, but I wouldn’t try planting them in full shade. You might be surprised how much you enjoy this plant. I know I was!

Gurneys Seed and Nursery (opens new window) has pictures available of most of the plants discussed on this page – lily of the valley, Irish moss, hosta, wintercreeper, variegated liriope, creeping phlox, vinca minor and wintergreen.

Lily of the Valley is a ground cover that is most often used in shady or woodsy areas. It populates these areas nicely, and produces small white flowers with a pleasant fragrance. All that being said, I’m not a huge fan of this plant. It spreads quickly, so you should be careful if you’re planting it next to your lawn or anywhere you don’t want it to grow, and the blooms aren’t much to write home about it.

The main characteristic of this plant is the foliage, which is sort of like short tulip leaves. It also doesn’t spread in a matte type format, but pops up as single plants. I haven't had great luck with this plant as a ground cover, but I know that others have. Lily of the valley is good for a shade filled area you don’t have any idea what to do with, or a naturalized shady setting. I would suggest talking to friends and neighbors to obtain this plant from other sources before purchasing. Many people have them in their yards, and would be more than willing to dig up a few.

Irish moss is so cool! I just love it! This has got to be my favorite perennial ground cover!

This stuff forms a tight, light green, low growing, soft cushy mat that is so delightful to walk on! It works well when planted in the cracks and crevices between pavers on a walkway or a patio. Because it is outrageously dense when it spreads, it easily and effortlessly prevents weeds and other unwanted plant growth. And it looks nice!

Hosta isn’t necessarily a traditional perennial ground cover, but it does work particularly well when used along a border garden. My neighbor had a row of hostas planted along the strip of ground between her house and the walkway to the backyard. The area was only about 1-2 feet across, and so when she planted the low-growing mounding hosta, they filled in the space nicely and prevented any unwanted plant growth. I’m going to plant a row of hostas along the North side of my brother’s home. This type of planting along the side of a home works particularly well when landscaping small yards. It also helps cut down the maintenance of cutting the grass in that area!

Purple Wintercreeper is a low growing evergreen perennial ground cover that reaches about 4-6 inches in height, and forms a dense covering over both sunny and shady locations. This is a popular perennial ground cover under trees and in other areas where plant growth can struggle. It is adaptable to a variety of locations, and is a quick spreader. An excellent addition to a landscape!

Variegated liriope is a mounding type ground cover, that resembles large clumps of grass (I’m making it sound real appealing, aren’t I?) It’s actually quite charming, with long, cascading leaves that are adorned with creamy stripes, and purple spike flowers in the middle. This plant is tolerant of many types of soils, and is another low maintenance beauty! Paired with other perennials, it can be particularly showy.

Creeping phlox is a ground cover that does better in mostly sunny locations. The leaves are needle thin, evergreen type leaves, with loads and loads of flowers during the spring-early summer months. Creeping phlox comes in different shades, some of the most popular being blue and pink in my area. I’m definitely partial to the blue flowers myself, although the pink flowers seem to really provide a nice spring show! I would definitely recommend it for a sunny location.

Wintergreen is another low growing ground cover similar to purple wintercreeper. Wintergreen, however, prefers a shady location, and offers more of a “show” throughout the season, producing flowers in spring and berries that attract birds in the fall.

Are you looking for a specific perennial ground cover that you didn’t find on this page? Search for it here:

I hope this information helps you decide on the best perennial ground cover for your particular project.

As always, happy gardening!

Return from Perennial Ground Cover to Landscaping Plant Guide