Beautiful Space Invaders: Ground Cover Ideas for your Garden

Ground covers often get a bad name, because next to them you’ll inevitably find the word “invasive.” But that may be exactly why you need them! When a creeping plant “invades” a space, it chokes out weeds and can even suppress erosion on hilly landscapes. They spread by either underground runners from the main plant or by developing roots along their stems.

Consider these hardy beauties:

• Creeping Phlox. Plant in full sun and enjoy their profuse spring blooms. Perfect for rock gardens.
• Sweet Woodruff. Plant in part-to-full shade and inhale their intoxicating aroma all summer. Ideal for woodland areas.
• Stonecrop. Plant in full sun and admire their hardiness in dry, arid conditions. Excellent for beginner gardeners as a “mat” laid right over soil.
• Epimedium. Plant in part-to-full shade and marvel at their delicate spring blooms. Ideal in dry areas as a border plant.
• Lamium. Plant in full shade and delight in their silver-green leaves under spiky summer blooms. Wonderful alternative to struggling lawn areas.
• Evening Primrose. Plant in full sun and applaud their showy spring/early-summer blooms on cloudy days. Stunning in moon gardens.
• Soapwort. Plant in full sun to part-shade and admire starry pink flowers into the fall. Classic mat-forming spreader.
  
  

The biggest bonus to ground covers is their need for little attention. Just let nature do the work! Mulch loosely around them and avoid plastic/rubber mulch or landscape fabric. They need to penetrate the soil to spread.