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Why Ground Covers Are a Smart Choice
Ground covers are versatile plants that spread horizontally rather than vertically, filling spaces efficiently. Their benefits include:
- Weed suppression: Dense foliage prevents unwanted plants from taking root.
- Erosion control: Many ground covers stabilize slopes and prevent soil erosion.
- Reduced maintenance: Less mowing, watering, and fertilization compared to traditional lawns.
- Biodiversity: Flowering ground covers attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds.
- Aesthetic appeal: Varied textures, colors, and seasonal blooms enhance visual interest.
By choosing the right ground cover for your backyard’s conditions, you can create a beautiful, sustainable landscape that requires minimal upkeep.
1. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
Creeping thyme is a fragrant, low-growing perennial that produces tiny flowers in pink, purple, or white. Thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, it works beautifully between stepping stones, on slopes, or as a lawn alternative.
Benefits:
✔ Aromatic scent when walked on
✔ Drought-tolerant
✔ Attracts pollinators
2. Vinca Minor (Periwinkle)
Vinca minor is an evergreen ground cover that thrives in partial to full shade. Its glossy green leaves and purple blooms create a lush carpet, suppress weeds naturally, and remain visually appealing year-round.
Benefits:
✔ Evergreen foliage
✔ Shade-tolerant
✔ Low maintenance
3. Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
Creeping phlox is a spring-blooming plant that forms colorful mats in pink, blue, or white. It spreads rapidly, making it ideal along borders, slopes, or rock gardens.
Benefits:
✔ Vibrant spring flowers
✔ Suppresses weeds
✔ Tolerates sun and light shade
4. Clover
Clover is a nitrogen-fixing ground cover that enriches soil naturally while forming a soft green carpet dotted with white or pink blooms. Ideal for sunny areas, clover supports pollinators and improves soil fertility.
Benefits:
✔ Enhances soil health
✔ Low water requirements
✔ Resistant to pests
5. Moss
Moss is perfect for shaded, moist areas where grass struggles. This ultra-low-maintenance ground cover forms a soft, velvety carpet, creating a tranquil woodland feel in your backyard.
Benefits:
✔ Thrives in shade
✔ Soft texture underfoot
✔ Requires minimal care
6. Ajuga (Bugleweed)
Ajuga is a fast-spreading ground cover with foliage in green, bronze, or deep purple. It produces blue or purple flower spikes in spring that attract pollinators and look stunning in mass plantings.
Benefits:
✔ Quick-spreading
✔ Excellent erosion control
✔ Pollinator-friendly flowers
7. Sedum (Stonecrop)
Sedum species are succulent ground covers that form thick mats and produce star-shaped flowers. They are perfect for sunny, dry spots, rock gardens, and low-water landscapes.
Benefits:
✔ Drought-tolerant
✔ Year-round visual interest
✔ Thrives in poor soil
8. Alyssum
Alyssum is a low-growing ground cover with tiny white, pink, or purple blooms and a delicate honey fragrance. It spreads quickly, attracting bees and butterflies.
Benefits:
✔ Fragrant blooms
✔ Pollinator-friendly
✔ Easy to grow
9. Blue Star Creeper
Blue Star Creeper produces a carpet of tiny star-shaped blue flowers that bloom in spring and summer. It is ideal between stepping stones or along the edges of garden beds.
Benefits:
✔ Low-growing and dense
✔ Bright spring and summer flowers
✔ Low maintenance
10. Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
Lamb’s Ear is known for its soft, silvery, velvety leaves that add texture and visual contrast. It thrives in sunny spots and requires little care once established.
Benefits:
✔ Unique texture
✔ Drought-tolerant
✔ Attractive borders or mass plantings
11. Wild Strawberry
Wild strawberry is a low-growing, edible ground cover that produces white flowers followed by sweet berries. Its runners spread quickly, forming a lush green carpet with added seasonal fruit.
Benefits:
✔ Produces edible berries
✔ Attractive flowers
✔ Rapid spread
12. Clover Lawns
Clover lawns provide a soft green carpet alternative to grass. They naturally fix nitrogen in the soil, reduce maintenance, and attract pollinators, making them a sustainable choice for sunny backyard areas.
Benefits:
✔ Improves soil fertility
✔ Pollinator-friendly
✔ Low water requirements
How to Choose the Right Ground Cover
When selecting a ground cover, consider your backyard’s conditions:
Sun Exposure
- Full sun: Creeping thyme, sedum, wild strawberry
- Partial shade: Vinca minor, ajuga
- Shady areas: Moss, vinca varieties
Soil and Moisture
- Well-drained, dry soil: Creeping thyme, sedum
- Moist, shaded soil: Moss, ajuga
Foot Traffic
- Occasional walking: Creeping thyme, blue star creeper
- High-traffic areas: Ground-hugging moss or hardy clovers
Choosing plants suited to your backyard’s conditions ensures healthy, dense growth and long-lasting beauty.
Background: The Rise of Ground Cover Trends
In recent years, gardeners have embraced alternatives to traditional lawns, focusing on low-maintenance, water-efficient, and pollinator-friendly landscapes. Ground covers are gaining popularity for their ability to reduce water usage, suppress weeds, enrich soil, and support biodiversity. Many homeowners now prefer diverse plant carpets over uniform turf, creating visually appealing, environmentally friendly backyards.
Ground cover plants are also easier to maintain than lawns, requiring less mowing, watering, and fertilization. Combining flowering, evergreen, and edible ground covers creates dynamic, multi-functional backyard spaces that are both practical and attractive.
Suggested Authoritative Sources
To enhance credibility and provide additional learning resources, consider these references:
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) – Plant care, suitability, and landscaping guidance
- University Extension Services – Research-based advice on soil, ground covers, and ecosystem management
- Almanac Gardens Guides – Detailed plant profiles and planting schedules
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder – Species insights and cultivation information
Conclusion
Ground covers are an excellent way to enhance backyard beauty, reduce maintenance, and support local ecosystems. From aromatic creeping thyme and colorful phlox to evergreen vinca, soft moss, and edible wild strawberries, these 12 ground cover ideas provide options for every backyard style, soil type, and sun exposure.
By choosing the right plants and matching them to your backyard conditions, you can create a lush, sustainable landscape that suppresses weeds, conserves water, attracts pollinators, and brings long-lasting visual appeal. Whether you want color, texture, fragrance, or edible benefits, the right ground cover plants can transform any backyard into a thriving, low-maintenance oasis.