Lawn Begone! Top 10 Ground Covers

Lawn Begone! Top 10 Ground Covers

Tired of the endless cycle of mowing, fertilizing, and watering your lawn? Dreaming of a lush, green landscape that's both beautiful and low-maintenance? It's time to ditch the traditional turf and embrace the wonderful world of ground cover plants! These versatile plants offer a stunning array of textures, colors, and even fragrances, all while requiring far less upkeep than a conventional lawn. Ground covers can help suppress weeds, prevent soil erosion, attract pollinators, and even tolerate light foot traffic. This blog post will explore ten of the best ground covers to transform your yard into a vibrant, sustainable oasis.

1. Creeping Thyme: A Fragrant and Functional Favorite

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is a true multi-tasker, prized for its aromatic foliage, delicate flowers, and ability to withstand light foot traffic. This low-growing perennial forms a dense mat that effectively suppresses weeds and releases a delightful fragrance when stepped on, making it an excellent choice for pathways, patios, and between stepping stones. The Thyme Garden notes that herbal groundcovers such as creeping thyme are important for the herb garden, working well as a transition from the path to taller plants. Several varieties exist, with flower colors ranging from pink and purple to white. 'Magic Carpet' (Thymus serpyllum) is a very low-growing option. Yahoo highlights that Elfin thyme (Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin') can be a good choice for use between pavers as it tolerates light foot traffic and grows slowly.

Practical Tips for Growing Creeping Thyme:

• Sunlight: Thrives in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day).
• Soil: Prefers well-drained soil; avoid overly moist conditions. Creeping Thyme can tolerate poor soils, including sandy, gritty, and rocky soil types. Martha Stewart recommends neutral to slightly alkaline soil.
• Watering: Water regularly during establishment; once established, it is drought-tolerant.
• Maintenance: Minimal maintenance required; may need occasional light pruning to maintain shape.
• Planting: Plant during spring to establish. Martha Stewart suggests spacing the plugs 6 to 12 inches apart.

2. Clover: The Eco-Friendly Lawn Alternative

Clover, particularly micro-clover (Trifolium repens L), is gaining popularity as a sustainable and low-maintenance lawn alternative. As a legume, clover naturally fixes nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for fertilizers. It also attracts pollinators, stays green during hot, dry months, and tolerates partial shade, making it a resilient and eco-friendly choice. Martha Stewart emphasizes that clover can help prevent soil erosion and improve soil health. White Dutch Clover designates a strain of white clover which is perennial and drought tolerant. Used in lawns, as a ground cover, cover crop, for erosion control, and in pasture mixtures. Outsidepride.com

Tips for Establishing a Clover Lawn:

• Varieties: Consider micro-clover for a tidier appearance or red clover for combination with turf grass.
• Planting: Can be seeded directly onto the ground, but raking the seeds into the soil improves germination.
• Mowing: Requires minimal mowing (only a few times per year).
• Benefits: Reduces the need for fertilizers, attracts pollinators, and stays green during drought.
• Soil: White Clover is known to tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions, including lower quality soils.

3. Sedum: Succulent Ground Cover for Sunny Spots

Sedums, also known as stonecrops, are drought-tolerant succulents that thrive in sunny locations with well-drained soil. Their fleshy leaves come in a variety of colors and textures, adding visual interest to the landscape. Sedums are also known for attracting butterflies and other beneficial insects. Many sedum varieties are suitable for use as ground cover, forming a dense mat of foliage. They are commonly called stonecrop because it is often found growing on and amongst stones. Portland Nursery

How to Grow Sedum Successfully:

• Sunlight: Requires full sun for optimal growth and color.
• Soil: Needs well-drained soil to prevent root rot; add grit to the planting hole.
• Watering: Water sparingly, as sedums are drought-tolerant once established.
• Varieties: Consider low-growing varieties like Sedum acre (Goldmoss Sedum) or Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' for ground cover.
• Maintenance: Minimal maintenance; cut back old flowerheads in early spring.

4. Creeping Phlox: A Carpet of Spring Color

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a popular ground cover prized for its masses of star-shaped flowers in early spring. The blooms come in various shades of pink, lavender, white, or blue, creating a spectacular carpet of color. This hardy plant is easy to grow and requires little maintenance, making it a great choice for rock gardens, slopes, or as a border plant. Planet Natural notes that it is excellent at attracting butterflies and bees to your garden.

Key Considerations for Creeping Phlox:

• Sunlight: Prefers full sun for best flowering.
• Soil: Requires well-drained soil; avoid wet or soggy conditions.
• Watering: Drought-tolerant once established.
• Maintenance: Shear lightly after flowering to maintain shape.
• Uses: Ideal for rock gardens, slopes, and borders.

5. Lamium: Shade-Loving Ground Cover with Silver Foliage

Lamium, also known as deadnettle (Lamium maculatum), is a reliable and easy-care ground cover for shady areas. It features attractive, silvery-green foliage that brightens up dark corners and clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers that bloom throughout the summer. Fine Gardening writes that it is invaluable for adding color and texture to shady locations. Lamium maculatum is the perfect groundcover for brightening a shady area. High Country Gardens notes that it tolerates moderate foot traffic.

Tips for Growing Lamium in Your Garden:

• Sunlight: Thrives in shade or partial shade.
• Soil: Prefers well-drained soil.
• Watering: Water regularly, especially during dry periods.
• Maintenance: Can be invasive in some areas, so monitor its spread.
• Benefits: Brightens shady areas with its colorful foliage and flowers.

6. Ajuga: Bugleweed for Sun or Shade

Also known as bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) is a versatile groundcover that is deer-resistant and drought-tolerant and can grow in sun or shade. It offers both colorful leaves and flowers and is available in lots of different varieties. Fine Gardening highlights that it forms a dense mat that makes it difficult for weeds to push through.

Key Considerations for Ajuga:

• Sunlight: Can grow in sun or shade.
• Soil: Prefers well-drained soil.
• Watering: Drought-tolerant.
• Maintenance: Can spread aggressively so grow it where you can keep it contained.
• Benefits: Offers colorful leaves and flowers.

7. Pennsylvania Sedge: A Native Option

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) is a tough and versatile native sedge that makes an excellent low-maintenance groundcover in dry, shady areas. Use this low-growing plant to fill in around other perennials and eliminate the need for mulch. It spreads quickly to form large, dense mats of foliage. Better Homes & Gardens suggests using this low-growing plant to fill in around other perennials and eliminate the need for mulch.

Tips for Growing Pennsylvania Sedge:

• Sunlight: Grows best in shady areas.
• Soil: Prefers dry soil.
• Watering: Low-maintenance.
• Maintenance: Use this low-growing plant to fill in around other perennials and eliminate the need for mulch.
• Benefits: Native plant, drought-tolerant.

8. Hardy Geranium: Vibrant Flowers

Hardy Geraniums are defined by vibrant flowers that bloom for months, from late spring to late fall. The petals are often shades of pink, purple, blue or white. Hardy geraniums attract pollinators, are frost-hardy and have the ability to thrive in various soil types and most lighting conditions, from full sun to partial shade. Good Housekeeping notes that the low-maintenance perennial is defined by its vibrant flowers that bloom for months, from late spring to late fall.

Key Considerations for Hardy Geraniums:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade.
• Soil: Various soil types.
• Watering: Attracts pollinators, are frost-hardy
• Maintenance: Low-maintenance.
• Benefits: Vibrant flowers, attracts pollinators.

9. Ice Plant: Drought-Tolerant Succulent

Ice plant, also called delosperma, is a succulent with bright flowers in an array of vivid hues from hot pink to orange with pink centers. This perennial is drought-tolerant once established. Good Housekeeping recommends making sure to buy delosperma, not Carpobrotus edulis, which is also called ice plant but is actually an invasive species.

Tips for Growing Ice Plant:

• Sunlight: Bright flowers.
• Soil: drought-tolerant.
• Watering: drought-tolerant.
• Maintenance: Easy to propagate.
• Benefits: bright flowers.

10. Blue Star Creeper: Star-Shaped Flowers

This hardy ground cover plant is a great choice for garden borders or between stepping stones, features tiny, star-shaped flowers in shades of blue and purple. It can tolerate foot traffic and isn't picky about soil. While it prefers part shade, it can also tolerate full sun. Good Housekeeping highlights that it is a great choice for garden borders or between stepping stones.

Key Considerations for Blue Star Creeper:

• Sunlight: Prefers part shade, but can tolerate full sun.
• Soil: isn't picky about soil.
• Watering: Can tolerate foot traffic.
• Maintenance: Easy to propagate.
• Benefits: Great choice for garden borders or between stepping stones.

Next Steps

Ready to say goodbye to your lawnmower and hello to a vibrant, low-maintenance landscape? Start by assessing your yard's conditions, including sunlight exposure, soil type, and drainage. Then, choose the ground covers that best suit your needs and preferences. With a little planning and effort, you can transform your yard into a beautiful and sustainable oasis that you'll enjoy for years to come. Consider starting small with a test patch to see how your chosen ground cover performs in your specific environment. Don't be afraid to experiment and mix different ground covers to create a unique and visually appealing landscape.