Ground cover plants

The best ground cover plants depend on the conditions and the effect you want to create. Phlox, Campanula, Erigeron, Iberis, Saponaria and creeping thyme are excellent flowering choices, while other low-growing perennials can provide evergreen foliage or thrive in shadier areas. Choose plants that naturally suit your soil, moisture levels and available light rather than relying on one ground cover everywhere.

Ground cover plants can significantly suppress weeds once they have formed a dense carpet, because their foliage shades the soil and leaves less open space for weed seedlings to establish. They will not eliminate weeds completely, particularly while newly planted, so preparing the ground thoroughly before planting gives the best long-term result.

Good flowering ground cover plants include creeping Phlox, Campanula, Erigeron, Saponaria, Iberis and Thymus, among many others. Some form compact mats of flowers, while others trail, creep or spread gently between neighbouring plants. Choosing several with different flowering periods can keep low-growing colour moving through the garden for much longer.

Several ground cover plants are well suited to partial or dappled shade, making them useful beneath shrubs, along shaded borders and in corners where more sun-loving plants struggle. The best choice depends on how dry or moist the soil is, as shade beneath established trees can be much drier than shade beside a wall or fence. Check the requirements of each variety before planting.

Sunny positions suit many flowering ground cover plants, particularly creeping thyme, Delosperma, Phlox, Saponaria and Iberis. These low-growing plants can soften border edges, spill over walls or create colourful carpets between larger plants. Good drainage is especially important for many ground covers that naturally prefer warm, open positions.

The speed of spread varies considerably between plants. Some establish into broad mats relatively quickly, while others expand more gradually over several growing seasons. Planting at the recommended spacing gives faster overall coverage, but avoid overcrowding simply to achieve an instant effect, as each plant still needs room to reach its natural mature spread.

Yes. Ground cover plants are particularly useful beneath trees and shrubs, where they can cover bare soil and help connect taller planting into a more natural-looking scheme. Choose varieties suited to the available light and moisture, remembering that established trees can create strong competition for water and nutrients.

Many ground cover plants are relatively low maintenance once established because their spreading growth covers bare soil and reduces space for weeds. Some may benefit from an occasional trim, division or removal of unwanted spread, but well-chosen varieties generally need much less attention than repeatedly weeding or maintaining exposed soil.

Yes. Low, spreading plants can be excellent for softening paths, paving edges, steps and gaps between stones, provided the chosen variety can cope with the conditions and any occasional foot traffic. Creeping thyme and other compact ground covers are especially useful where you want planting to flow naturally into hard landscaping rather than ending abruptly.