Ground Cover Perennials

Ground cover is basically a perennial that spreads sideways and remains low – usually only 3 or 4” high at the most. It is planted en mass to create a carpet effect. Ground cover is often planted in areas that would be difficult to grow a wider variety of plants in – areas that may be a challenge due to soil or light such as under trees. It is also good for the beds that you don’t see too often, maybe at the back of your property or ones that you need to keep low maintenance. Some plants, however are great used front and centre such as Thyme or Moss planted in a flag stone patio.

We are often asked to recommend perennials for ground cover – whether it be sun or shade, so I thought I would list my favourites below:

Ground Cover Perennials for Sun / Part Sun

Campanula Birch Hybrid (Bell Flower) – Blue bell shaped flowers in summer
Cerastium (Snow in Summer) – Small woolly grey leaves and white flowers
Dianthus Firewitch – Silver blue evergreen foliage and pink flowers
Iberis (Candytuft) – Narrow, evergreen leaves and white flowers
Phlox Red Wing (Creeping Phlox) – Bright carmine pink flowers in spring
Sagina (Irish Moss) – Dark green moss foliage with tiny white flowers
Sagina Aurea (Scotch Moss) – Lime green moss foliage with tiny white flowers
Saponaria (Soapwort) – Pink flowers in early summer
Sedum Fulda Glow – Bronze red succulent foliage with red flowers in summer
Thymus Majic Carpet (Creeping Thyme) – Small scented leaves, pink flowers
Woolly Thyme – Small, fuzzy silver green leaves

Ground Cover Perennials for Shade / Part Shade

Galium (Sweet Woodruff) – Finely cut glossy green leaves with white flowers
Pachysandra (Japanese Spurge) – Glossy green evergreen foliage

Ground Cover Perennials for Both Sun or Shade

Ajuga Burgundy Glow – Tricolor cream, pink and green foliage with short blue flowers in spring
Lamium White Nancy – Silver and green leaves with white flowers in the spring