In addition to their aesthetic appeal, ground covers have numerous uses. Indeed, besides beautifully decorating a corner of your yard, covering more or less interesting walls, and filling uninteresting spaces between stones or pavers, ground cover plants prevent weed invasion, limit erosion, and maintain better soil moisture. The most widespread ground cover is undoubtedly grass. In some places, however, it grows with difficulty or not at all, is difficult to access with a mower, or simply does not fit. In such cases, it's necessary to turn to other species of perennial plants that can replace it and act as excellent ground covers. Here is our top 5 of beautiful and efficient ground covers:
Sweet Woodruff
- Also known as fragrant bedstraw with its lovely small star-shaped white flowers, sweet woodruff is very attractive, fast-growing, and easy to cultivate. It is an excellent ground cover for forest and shaded areas, tolerating shade well at the base of trees.
Wild Thyme
- With its purple bloom, wild thyme grows very well in sandy and dry soils as well as on slopes. Plant wild thyme in full sun in well-drained soil and put away your mower! As a bonus, thyme tolerates some foot traffic and releases a pleasant minty scent when stepped on. It is also a honey plant, a friend to precious bees.
Golden Stonecrop
- If you want to add a beautiful brightness to your decor, golden stonecrop, with its golden yellow needle-shaped leaves forming a dense carpet, will charm you. It works wonderfully in sunny, hot, and dry areas like rock gardens.
Creeping Jenny
- Ideal for cool and shaded areas, creeping jenny blooms over a long period and produces a multitude of very bright yellow flowers. It spreads very quickly and can even become slightly invasive. It particularly appreciates moisture, making it the plant to have near a pond.
Steller's Wormwood
- Where the sun beats down, dwarf Steller's wormwood thrives. It forms a thick carpet characterized by the beautiful silvery color of its cut leaves. It looks like a velvet plant. Provide it with sandy, well-drained soil, and watch the sun's reflections make it shine brilliantly! Be careful though, it does not tolerate foot traffic at all.
The choices are varied and interesting if you wish to cover your soil with plants other than grass. Your Passion Jardins gardening advisor can guide you to the best choices based on your soil type, sunlight level, and the intended use of the vegetated area.
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