14 Beautiful Perennials That Make Striking Ground Cover

Prepare to be captivated by my curated list of 14 captivating perennials that will transform your landscape into a vibrant tapestry.

These mesmerizing ground covers offer a kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and shapes, adding depth and interest to your outdoor oasis.

Whether you’re seeking a lush carpet of greenery or a burst of seasonal blooms, this guide will lead you to the perfect choices for your garden.

Table of Contents

Coral bells

Coral bells, also known as Heuchera, are a colorful choice for ground cover. Their foliage comes in a wide range of hues, from vibrant reds and oranges to soft greens and purples.

Coral bells thrive in shady areas and can tolerate a variety of soil conditions, making them a versatile option for many gardens.

In addition to their foliage, coral bells produce delicate flowers that bloom in the summer. While the flowers are not particularly showy, they add a touch of charm to the overall plant.

Ajuga

Ajuga, commonly known as bugleweed, is a low-growing perennial that forms a dense mat of foliage. It thrives in moist, shady areas and is a popular choice for ground cover in gardens.

Ajuga’s leaves are typically green or variegated, with attractive purple or blue flowers that bloom in the spring.

The plant is easy to care for and will quickly spread to create a lush carpet of color.

Creeping Jenny

Creeping Jenny, known for its vibrant golden foliage, is a stunning ground cover that adds a splash of color to any garden. Its creeping stems gracefully cascade over slopes, rockeries, and containers, forming a dense mat that suppresses weeds and erosion.

Reaching a height of 6 to 12 inches, Creeping Jenny thrives in moist, well-drained soil and partial shade to full sun, making it an adaptable choice for a variety of landscapes.

Its foliage transforms into a breathtaking golden hue in the fall, providing year-round interest.

Lamium

Lamium, commonly known as deadnettle, is a charming ground cover that adds a vibrant splash of color to your garden.

With its heart-shaped leaves and clusters of hooded flowers in hues of pink, purple, and white, Lamium creates a visually stunning groundcover that’s sure to turn heads.

Easy to care for and tolerant of various soil conditions, Lamium is a versatile choice for gardeners of all skill levels.

Sedum

Stonecrop, commonly known as Sedum, is a genus of plants that make excellent groundcovers.

These versatile perennials come in many varieties, offering a range of colors and textures to brighten up your garden.

Sedums are known for their hardiness and low maintenance requirements, making them an excellent choice for busy gardeners.

They tolerate drought and poor soil conditions, making them suitable for various landscapes.

Whether you’re looking for a low-growing, creeping groundcover or a taller, upright variety, Sedums offer a solution for every gardener.

Carpet bugleweed

Carpet bugleweed is a low-growing perennial that forms a dense mat of foliage. Its leaves are a deep green color and have a slightly serrated edge.

In the spring, carpet bugleweed produces small, blue flowers that bloom in clusters.

This plant is a good choice for ground cover in shady areas, and it can also be used as a border plant. Carpet bugleweed is easy to care for and requires little maintenance.

It is a drought-tolerant plant that does not require frequent watering.

Snow-in-summer

Snow-in-summer, a stunning perennial, boasts large, round leaves with eye-catching white and green variegation. Its spreading habit forms an attractive ground cover, thriving in both sun and shade.

Creeping phlox

Creeping phlox is a low-maintenance perennial that creates stunning carpets of vibrant blooms in shades of pink, purple, white, and blue. These star-shaped flowers bloom profusely in spring, covering the ground with a burst of color.

Creeping phlox is a versatile groundcover that thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it ideal for a variety of landscapes.

Wild ginger

Wild ginger is an ideal ground cover for shady areas, reaching a height of just 6 inches with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.

Its attractive, heart-shaped leaves are a vibrant green in the spring and summer, transforming into a stunning shade of yellow in the fall.

This perennial spreads slowly, making it easy to control, and thrives in moist, well-drained soil.

Its versatility extends to various uses, including edging, woodland gardens, and even containers.

Creeping thyme

Creeping thyme is an evergreen perennial that forms a dense mat of aromatic foliage. It is a versatile groundcover that can be planted in full sun or partial shade.

Creeping thyme produces clusters of tiny purple flowers in the summer.

This plant is drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance, making it a great choice for busy gardeners.

Vinca

With its glossy leaves and vibrant flowers, Vinca is a ground cover that adds beauty and vitality to any garden. This low-maintenance perennial thrives in both sun and shade, making it a versatile choice for a variety of landscapes.

Its trailing stems spread quickly, creating a lush carpet that helps suppress weeds and retain moisture in the soil.

Vinca blooms profusely throughout the spring and summer months, producing an abundance of small, star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, lavender, pink, or white.

Dianthus

Dianthus, commonly known as pinks or carnations, are striking perennials that form dense, compact mounds of foliage.

They produce a profusion of frilly, fragrant flowers in shades of pink, red, white, and purple.

Dianthus blooms prolifically throughout the summer, adding a vibrant touch to borders, rock gardens, and containers.

Hardy in USDA zones 3-9, these low-maintenance plants thrive in well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.

Their compact habit and drought tolerance make them ideal for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.

Geranium

Geraniums, also known as cranesbill, are a versatile group of plants that make excellent ground cover. They are hardy and easy to grow, and they come in a wide range of colors and sizes.

Geraniums prefer well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.

They are also drought-tolerant, making them a low-maintenance option. With their showy blooms and attractive foliage, geraniums add beauty and interest to any garden.

They can be used to create a lush carpet of color, or they can be planted as accents around other plants.

Geraniums are also a great choice for containers and hanging baskets.

Veronica

Veronica offers a symphony of colors, from rich blues to vibrant pinks, and its ability to blanket the ground with dense, low-growing foliage makes it an exceptional choice for ground cover. Veronica’s versatility extends to both full sun and partial shade, allowing it to thrive in various garden settings.

Its adaptability to different soil types, including well-drained and moist conditions, further enhances its practicality.

Blooming throughout summer and autumn, Veronica attracts pollinators, adding a touch of nature’s enchantment to your garden.