Good Ground Cover Plants

There are many plants that provide excellent ground cover. Any plant that stops sun light getting to the soil will stop/slow weed growth. A well stocked border will have the same effect as specific ground cover plants. Be aware that some fast growing and self-propagating plants could spread out of control and become a problem themselves.

Ground cover also retains moisture in the soil, helps to stabilise slopes in the garden, can create interest in a difficult area and creates a neutral background if evergreen plants are used.

Alpines for ground cover

Acaena (New Zealand Burr)
Ajuja (Bugle)
Alyssum (Snowdrift)
Antennaria (Cats Foot)
Arabis (Rock Cress)
Aubretia
Campanula carpatica
Campanula garganica
Campanula rotundifolia (English Harebell)
Campanula poscharskyana
Cerastium tomentosum (Snow in Summer)
Chiastophyllum oppositifolium
Dianthus deltoides (Maiden Pink)
Euphorbia myrsynites (Blue Spurge)
Geranium dalmaticum
Geranium Sanguineum (Bloody Crane's Bill)
Gypsophila repens
Helianthemum (Rock Rose)
Iberis (Candytuft)
Lithodora
Lysimachia nummularia (Creeping Jenny)
Phlox douglasii (Alpine Phlox)
Phlox drummondii (Annual Phlox)
Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox)
Saponaria ocymoides (Tumbling Ted/Soapwort)
Saxifraga
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Silene shafta (Campion)
Thymus (Thyme)
Veronica (Speedwell)
Waldsteina
Zauschneria californica (Californian Fuchsia)

Conifers for ground cover

Abies nordmaniana (Gold Spreader)
Abies procera (Glauca Prostrata)
Cupressus macrocarpa (Gold Spread)
Juniperus communis (Depressed star, Green carpet, Repanda, Conferta, Blue Pacific)
Juniperus dahurica (Expansa Aureospicata, Variegata)
Juniperus horizontalis (Blue chip, Prince of Wales, Turquoise spreader, Youngstown)
Juniperus x media (Carberry Gold, Gold kissen, Pfitzeriana aurea)
Juniperus procumbens (Nana)
Juniperus squamata (Blue carpet, Blue star, Holger)
Microbota decussata

Herbaceous plants for ground cover

Ajuja (Bugle)
Alchemilla mollis (Lady's mantle)
Bergenia (Elephant's ears)
Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian bugloss)
Cornus canadensis
Diascia
Epimedium (Bishop's hat)
Euphorbia polychroma
Euphorbia robbiae
Geranium
Heuchera
Houttuynia cordata
Lamium (Dead nettle)
Nemesia
Nepeta (Cat mint)
Omphalodes verna
Polygonum (Donald Lowndes)
Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
Stachys byzantina
Tiarella (Foam flower)
Veronica gentianoides
Waldsteinia

Roses for ground cover

Flower carpets
Cover Roses (Amber cover, Charming cover, Golden Cover, Sweet Cover)

Shrubs for ground cover

Berberis thumbergii atropurpurea nana (Barberry)
Convolvulus cneorum
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Cotoneaster dammeri
Cytisus beanii (Broom)
Euonymus (Emerald n gold, Emerald gaiety)
Gaultheria procumbens (Checkerberry, American Wintergreen, Boxberry, Eastern Teaberry)
Genista Hispanica
Halimiocistus sahucii
Hebe
Lavandula augustifolia Hidcote
Lavandula augustifolia Munstead
Lavandula spica Vera
Pachysandra terminalis
Rosmarinus Point du Raz
Sarcococca humilis
Vaccinium vitus-idaea (Blueberry)
Viburnum davidii
Vinca (Periwinkle)