10 Ground Cover Plants That Are Better Than Grass

by John Griffith Mar 23, 2023 @ 15:24

While we are used to seeing grass as the most common ground cover for empty spaces, times are changing. Gardens are becoming more eco-friendly and perfect lawns and grass borders are now being replaced by wild flowers and other plants. Ground cover plants are prettier than grass and add more color and texture to the garden. However, they also have many other benefits. They also retain moisture better, help control soil erosion and are pollinator-friendly. So, if you are looking to spice up your outdoor space with some beautiful plants, you have come to the right place. We’ve asked gardeners to share with us their favorite ground cover plants that look stunning and will get the job done. Let’s check them out.

Gardens are becoming more eco-friendly and perfect lawns and grass borders are being replaced

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Best Ground Cover Plants
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Best Ground Cover Plants

While grass is also a good choice, the right ground cover plant can change the vibe of your whole garden. It also makes maintenance a lot easier, as you won’t constantly be mowing your lawn. While you still need to water them, weed them, and feed them from time to time, these plants generally aren’t fussy and require much less maintenance than the other options. So, if you are in need of inspiration, we’ve got you.

The right ground cover plant can change the vibe of your whole garden

#Soapwort

While its name doesn’t do this plant justice, once you see it you will fall in love. This perennial blooms from May to September and will fill your garden with a blanket of dainty, pink, and white flower clusters. However, they are not just nice to look at. At night this flower emits a captivating floral scent that will have pollinators come in from everywhere to get a taste. Soapwort grows quite fast, it’s not fussy and it very resilient. However, it does like to overstep it’s boundaries, so keep an eye on it and cut it back when needed.

The perennial will fill your garden with a blanket of dainty flowers

#Dwarf Periwinkle

This tiny plant only grows between ten and thirty centimeters and has beautiful, lush, dark green leaves all-year round. However, from April to September it does bless us with small periwinkle flowers. These dainty flowers completely transform its look and bring in a pop of color to the garden without being too much. This plant is super easy to maintenance and can thrive pretty much anywhere. It’s pretty, it covers a lot of ground, and it doesn’t need much care. It’s perfect!

These dainty flowers completely transform the garden and bring in a pop of color

#Creeping Phlox

One of the best ground cover plants. If you would like to have a sea of flowers in your garden, creeping phlox is the way to go. From April to July, this bright, stunning plant forms a thick carpet of star-shaped flowers. It comes in a variety of colors, including blue, white, red, and purple, so you have plenty of choice. This plant thrives in full shade, but is in general very low-maintenance. The creeping phlox’s blooms will bring in all kinds of pollinators and are perfect for rock gardens.

If you would like to have a sea of flowers in your garden, creeping phlox is the way to go

#Nepeta

Catmint, or nepeta, is one of several perennial catmint plants. However, this is a specific hybrid created by horticulturists. It is a mix of Nepeta racemosa and Nepeta nepetella. This plant makes a great ground cover and its purple, pink flower spikes will take your breath away. It is a great choice for the garden as it also stops weeds from popping up. The nepeta x faassenia can easily cover large areas and doesn’t spread all that much where it isn’t supposed to.

Catmint, or nepeta, is one of several perennial catmint plants

#Blue Star Creeper

This plant is characterized by its low-maintenance and stunning blue flowers. The blue star creeper adapts easily to pretty much any conditions and will produce a beautiful ground cover for any bare spaces you have. It produces delicate star shaped flowers on spreading vines and usually appears in the late spring and stays up until fall. This plant does like to take over a bit, so make sure you monitor it and cut it back if you see it trying to spread outside of where you want it.

This plant is characterized by its low-maintenance and stunning blue flowers

#Creeping Thyme

We usually use thyme only in the kitchen and is loved for its yummy and fresh flavor. However, it also has plenty of uses outside the kitchen. Creeping thyme is one of the best ground cover plants out there. This plant will quickly fill in any bare areas with its beautiful purple blooms that form a dense carpet. It is pollinator-friendly, super easy to grow and doesn’t need a lot of maintenance once it has established itself in your garden. And bonus, it also smells nice.

Creeping thyme is one of the best ground cover plants out there

#Ajuga

Ajuga, or also known as Bugleweed, is a wonderful ground cover and can easily form a luscious carpet in your garden. While this plant does have flower spikes in purple, pink, white or blue, most gardeners choose it for its gorgeous leaves that come in a variety and mix of shades, including bronze, white, maroon, green, purple and more. This plant has no problem withstanding some foot traffic and it’s a great option for places that are low in light.

Most gardeners choose it for its gorgeous leaves that come in a variety and mix of shades

#Microclover

If you want something similar looking to grass, but still unique, then the microclover is just the thing you need. While some gardeners try to remove clovers from their lawns, these plants can really help out the local environment and cut down your maintenance. The microclover is smaller than the regular clover and it grows very close together, creating a dense compact growth, which means no gaps. This plant is usually mixed in with regular grass seeds to form a healthy and dense lawn.

If you want something similar looking to grass, then the microclover is just the thing you need

#Creeping Juniper

It’s like having tiny trees on the ground. This evergreen plant comes in a variety of shapes and sizes for you to select from. Once the creeping juniper establishes it is tough-as-nails. Nothing can scare it, including poor soil and drought. This plant spreads horizontally thinks to its branches and makes a very dense mat that no weed can penetrate. The creeping juniper does enjoy full sun conditions, so it’s best to place it in a sunny spot.

This evergreen plant comes in a variety of shapes and sizes for you to select from

#Basket of Gold

If you are looking to add something colorful to your garden as a cover, the yellow alyssum or the basket of gold, is a great choice. This plant is super low-maintenance and is drought-tolerant. Except for the occasional watering during summer, the only real maintenance you’ll be doing for this plant is trimming it back from time to time. It’s beautiful, easy to look after, and can bring a pop of color to any garden.

The yellow alyssum or also called the basket of gold is a great choice

These were some of the best ground cover plants you can add to your garden instead of grass. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can make your garden even more beautiful and bring more color and texture. You also won’t have to do so much mowing.

These were some of the best ground cover plants you can add to your garden instead of grass

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.