Ajuga or Bugleweed is a low-maintenance option that is also . Spotted dead nettles are a great plant to put in containers or hanging baskets. Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. Though this is considered a flowering ground cover, it's tiny white flowers are quite insignificant. While it prefers full sun, it needs regular moisture, especially during hot months. Check out these favorite ground covers that will require little effort on your part once you plant them. Original Author. Look for varieties like Ghost that are heavily silvered and really brighten up lightly to densely shaded spaces. Its native habitat is wooded areas, so it is perfect for a shady woodland garden. There is also a pink flowering form. 25 Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants for Sun and Shade, 10 Best Plants for Erosion Control in Your Yard, How to Grow and Care for Canadian Hemlock Trees, How to Grow and Care for Emerald Gaiety Wintercreeper, 35 Common Weeds in Lawns and Gardens: Identification & Control, How to Grow and Care for Dusty Miller (Silver Dust), Forget-Me-Not: Plant Care, Growing Tips, and Symbolism, 30 Best Plants With Purple Flowers to Grow Outdoors, Purple Dragon: Purplish flowers and silver foliage, White Nancy: White flowers, silvery leaves, Beedham's White: White flowers, leaves chartreuse and white, Cannon's Gold: Pink flowers, chartreuse foliage, Orchid Frost: Pink-purple flowers; leaves silver in the center andgreen at the edge; known for its disease-resistance, Anne Greenway: Mauve flowers; green,chartreuse, and silver leaves, Aureum: Pink flowers; leaves golden on the edge, white in the center, Ghost: Light-purple flowers; leaves almost wholly silver; taller (up to 14 inches) than the typical. When grown as a ground cover, it is an easy-care plant that requires little maintenance. Hardy in zones 7 through 10, these low maintenance ground cover plants love full sun and heat. Lamium is evergreen from Zone 6 south. Providing extra spacing between plants can lessen leaf-spotting, but this somewhat defeats the purpose of growing spotted dead nettles, as one of their best features is that they spread and fill in an area, thereby crowding out weeds. Plant number: 1.305.190. In the south, however, they may develop problems with leaf-spotting due to the high humidity. It likes full sun, but can tolerate part shade. At the time of this publication, there were 30 cultivars of L. maculatumlisted in the RHS Plant Finder, compared to 11 cultivars for all the other species combined. Spotted Dead Nettle is an excellent ground cover plant because of its flowers and its spreading growth habit. `Katie' ruellia is a good ground cover for sun or shade. Lamium maculatum (white nettle, pink pewter, and spotted nettle) Lamium galeobdolon . Although rich, moist, acidic soils are ideal, this plant will also grow in alkaline, sandy and clay soils. This shrub flowers from May to July with white flowers, and grows to a maximum height of about 9 inches. This plant is deciduous in areas where there is colder weather but stays semi-evergreen in other regions. Advertisement Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver' is a shade-loving perennial, highly valued for its drought tolerance and ability to form a bright carpet of silver foliage, with rich pink blooms . With very attractive foliage and either white or pink flowers, Lamium maculatum makes an excellent ground cover plant for a shaded position. Several plants in this list happily grow in full or partial shade. Plant Lenten rose ground cover in the early fall or late spring but away from the path of bitter winter winds. Leadwort is an excellent low-maintenance groundcover for putting on a late-season show. Its dense mats are threatening native plants on forest floors. Whats more, it requires relatively little maintenance, and it resists deer and other critters. It needs full sun to survive. 20 Ground Cover Plants to Fill out Your Garden, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. If you've seen the lavender fields in Provence, you know this sweetly-scented perennial with purple or blue flowers looks amazing planted en masse. If you set out a little nursery-grown pot of Lamium in spring. We recommend our users to update the browser. Put lamium next to other plants with darker foliage so this ground cover can bring out those colors. In summer months, little spikes of blue, purple, pink or white flowers will appear. Flowering: Yes. Lamium needs shade and a fertile, moist but well-draining soil. Scott Little. Key Dead-nettle facts Name - Lamium maculatum Family - Lamiaceae Type - perennial Height - 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) Exposure - full sun to shade Soil - rich and well drained Foliage - deciduous They're also popular ground covers used to stop soil erosion. Angelina Sedum is easy to propagate by rooting, so you can quickly fill an area with its succulent foliage. She writes a weekly garden Q&A and feature stories. Even in Zone 5, where one lives, they persist well into the winter. Sweet woodruff foliage can be dried and used in wreaths, potpourri, and other craft creations. Overall, the plant is shaggy and short. But in regions where spotted dead nettle is not invasive, it acts as an effective ground cover for deeply shaded areas. It has a stripe down the middle that can be white, yellow, red, or silver. Q. The only issue to watch for is rotting leaves. It is an excellent choice as a perennial ground cover since it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, although it grows most quickly in slightly moist, humus-rich soils. If your garlic outgrows its space, thin it out and divide the old clumps every few years for a consistent ground cover. It spreads well, but is easy to manage. LAY-mee-um mak-yoo-LAH-tum Description Fast growing; Spotted dead nettle is a good ground cover for moist, shady areas. Want to lure hummingbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife to your garden? For example, choose Delosperma brunnthaleri, a hardy ground cover that grows around 2 inches tall and 2 feet wide with yellow flowers and ideal for zones 4 to 9. The attractive foliage has a silvery cast and shows well . If you arent sure if it will survive the winter outdoors where you live, pop it out of the ground and into a container to grow as a houseplant until the following spring. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Lamium is one of the best choices for a tough yet showy perennial groundcover. Lamium is an excellent ground cover for shade. This is a highly invasive plant but it's also popular for growing on huge swaths of areas that need ground cover and won't encroach on another's property. Another method of control some gardeners use is placing saucers of stale beer among their plants, with the lip of the container at ground level. While this glossy, strappy green is popular in the southern states, it can survive anywhere. Prepare a bed on the sandy, well-drained soil under 6-12 inches depth and plant the seedlings 18 inches apart in the late afternoon. When shopping for this plant, be sure to ask for Aurinia saxatilis or yellow alyssum, not sweet alyssum, which is an entirely different species. Ivy is invasive and toxic to humans and animals but the charm it can lend to a yard can't be beat. This easy-care mat-forming ground cover provides pops of purple blooms from mid-spring to early summer. The large, veined, heart-shaped leaves have a spread of 18 to 24 inches, and most varieties bloom in late spring with small pink flowers. However, slugs and snails may be occasional visitors. Ice plant is a perennial succulent ground cover with fleshy leaves and colorful flowers. In fact, beware of this potentially invasive ground cover, especially if you live near a forest. Pachysandra is one of the most widely used ground covers in the country thanks to its extreme durability while it grows under challenging conditions such as too much shade and drought. Home Outdoors Yard & Garden Structures Planters. A. Both their flowers and their foliage make an impact on the landscape. Remove any obviously rotting plants, but it grows so fast you likely won't even have to replace the plant. The silvery foliage of theseshade plantsmakes them a good fit for landscape designs with creative color schemes. Using several ground covers can add variety to the landscape and prevent soil erosion. Swallowtail butterflies, hummingbird moths and hummingbirds are all fans. Ice plants need plenty of sun to thrive. It prefers well-drained soil but will do fine in the dry shade if you provide it with regular watering. Clusters of rose-pink flowers appear in spring, then continue off and on until fall, appearing more reliably through summer than other varieties. Lamium is a fast-growing perennial ground cover that deer and rabbits avoid. high and can spread out 2 feet (61 cm.) If you are looking for a tenacious ground cover that will stare in the face of drought while living in dry, sandy soil in a shady area, either shadara's violets or yellow archangel or bishop's weed should work. Hailing all the way from Siberia, this cold-hardy evergreen has fern-like foliage that turns a pretty bronzy color in colder climates. Bishop's Goutweed While it works great for ground cover in a shaded area, you will never, ever get rid of it. North Carolina State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. I think I'll try some . Thanks to its bold blue hue and its ability to attract butterflies, Grace Ward lithodora will add bursts of color to your landscape from spring through the end of summer. She has spent over two decades working in the horticulture industry on new plant development, garden design, sales, marketing and consulting. Another bonus is that it is common and considered one of the cheapest ground covering plants. Honeysuckle grows best with full sun and moist soil, and its resistant to heat. Growing only about 3 inches tall, this plant spreads over time, crowding out weeds and thus reducing maintenance further. The erect flower clusters are long-blooming. Whether you do it yourself or pay a landscaper, maintaining a vibrant garden and lush lawn requires time, effort, and money. Plant liriope any time for quick growth and spreading. Lamium maculatum stays relatively short, with the typical cultivar standing less than a foot tall. .css-lwn4i5{display:block;font-family:Neutra,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:-0.01rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;text-align:center;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-lwn4i5:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}9 Best Gardening Subscription Boxes 2023, 20 Best Tall Indoor Plants to Shop Online, 85 Surprising Flower Meanings With Pictures. However, it will grow out of its boundaries so trimming it back can help if you want to keep the yard neat. Consult with your local extension office before growing spotted deadnettle because it is invasive in some areas. It grows to a maximum height of about 12 inches with an 18-inch spread, and it flowers with white blossoms in spring. Replant them in a suitable location, and water. If those conditions describe your landscape, then you may want to check out this wonderful little relative of the dogwood trees. When grown as a ground cover, it is an easy-care plant that requires little maintenance. Groundcover plants are helpful for weed suppression, while also adding texture and color to your garden with low maintenance needs. The low-lying ground cover is a popular option as a filler for rock gardens or as an accent above retaining walls. Poke holes in the fabric and plant the junipers, then cover the fabric with mulch. Lamium is an excellent ground cover for shade. 15. She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming. Ground covers are used to provide edgings to pathways, control erosion, and add interest to landscape design. .css-1byi7p4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#fff;-webkit-transition:background 0.3s ease-in-out,color 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:background 0.3s ease-in-out,color 0.3s ease-in-out;display:inline-block;background-color:#000000;border-radius:0.125rem;font-family:NeutraDisplay,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.79054rem;line-height:1;font-weight:bold;height:unset;letter-spacing:0.05rem;padding:0.6rem 1rem;text-transform:uppercase;width:auto;}.css-1byi7p4:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:#595959;background-color:#53c2be;}.css-1byi7p4:focus-visible{outline-color:body-cta-btn-link-focus;}SHOP LILY OF THE VALLEY. 6. When several are planted together, they form a dense hedge that thrives in almost any type of soil and full sun. Locate where the runners have rooted themselves into the ground. Lamium (Deadnettle) Wonderful as ground cover in a shady area, Spotted deadnettle ( Lamium maculatum) can cover large areas quickly, prevailing in the most unforgiving of conditions. You can plant this drought-tolerant, low-maintenance ground cover at the edge of a rock garden or other space and more or less forget about it (except for occasional watering) during the summertime. Vinca has few pests, so it can be considered invasive, which is good news if your goal is to keep weeds at bay. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please keep reading to learn about this plant with a cautionary tale. This sweetly-scented perennial spreads easily, so keep it in check by planting it in well-groomed areas like along walkways or close to the house's foundation. Native to Africa, purple ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) became popular as a cold-hardy ground cover in the United States in the 1990s. Try to plant it in large groupings on a hillside or along the house's foundation to prevent erosion. Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. Shes passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves. Spread: Slow to medium growth rate; spreads via stolons to a height of 10 inches. Each plant takes on a green fountain-like appearance: Long, lush shoots of chartreuse foliage sprout up from the soil, then softly twist and tangle for full coverage wherever planted. chezmoose. Instead, it keeps its leathery dark green leaves in nearly the same condition year round. Cut them to the height you prefer them to be and thin them out if they're getting too thick by cutting some of the branches throughout the plant back to the ground. At least one like petunias. Try some honeysuckle! A particularly vigorous variety, Walkers Low, was The Perennial Plant Associations plant of the year in 2007. Equally at home hanging from a planter or covering a hillside, Lysimachia (more commonly known as creeping Jenny) is a plant admired for its trailing branches. The unusual common name of "dead nettles" alludes to the fact that, while it resembles stinging nettles, the stingers are dead on L. maculatum, rendering it harmless. The versatile strawberry begonia (Saxifraga stolonifera) is neither a strawberry nor a begonia. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Pollinators such as butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees love this plant in the spring when they are blooming. Plant in the late spring. Spectacular as a ground cover in the shade garden, Lamium maculatum (Spotted Dead Nettle) is a perennial plant whose appearance is unlike other perennial ground covers. 5. Many use the ground cover to define the borders of garden paths. Miniature hostas will grow less than 9 inches tall, small hostas grow to a foot or more, and giant hostas can grow over 30 inches tall. This selection forms a spreading patch of small silver leaves with a stunning blue-green edge. A native of Moultrie, Ga., she graduated from Queens University of Charlotte, formerly Queens College. And, of course, you can snip off the leaves for cooking. The opposite leaves are silvery green with large silver blotches on the upper surface, lightening up a dark shady area. Propagate by division in autumn or early spring After flowering, plants can be cut back to encourage fresh foliage cover. There is no need to apply fertilizer, encouraging them to become too robust and invasive. The dainty lavender flowers and vining evergreen leaves make this purple ground cover incredibly popular as a low maintenance ground cover for shade. Ground covers that develop flowers and fruit often require more maintenance to keep them attractive. The plant's multicolored leaves and tiny pastel flowers look attractive by themselves along a walkway or mingled. Liverleaf (Anemone americana, formerly classified as Hepatica americana) is a perennial wildflower native to North America. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Mow it down once in late winter and watch the fresh green growth fill right back in. MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker takes 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo at Brazos Bend State Park, This is what Houston looks like from space, Oops! It prefers shade, but . Flowering Plants for Bare Garden Spots - Ground Cover Dogwood. If you prefer a similar but less aggressive variety, consider C. montana 'Amethyst Dream'. English ivy is considered an evergreen perennial covering, period. Try it in part shade to full shade, with moist, well-drained soil. Height is a foot or so. Once it settles in to its new home, this fern will speed up its spread and transplant easily if you find new shady places for it in your landscape. This vining plant, also known as dead nettles, can tolerate cold, heat, and drought, and its deer resistant. RELATED: 14 of the Best Plants for Your Drought-Tolerant Garden. This plant thrives in wet soils, which is why planting it in dry soil and denying it water helps keep it in check. Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. The midsummer shearing also encourages a second flowering period in September. Well to make a long stroy short the Lamium is gone and in its place we planted a very small ground cover called Tiny Thyme. It is native to New Zealand and invasive in some areas, though its spread has not been out of control. Lamium is undemanding and easy to grow in partial to fully shaded locations. Alyssum is an annual ground cover that grows very well from direct sow seeding once temperatures have reached 65 to 70 degrees. It has excellent resistance to damage by deer and rabbits. Finely textured, semi-evergreen, bright green blades form a slowly spreading mass that tops out about six to eight inches tall. However, creeping ground coverings tend to spread the fastest. When you buy Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow', you may be thinking of it as an uprightperennial plant with attractive flowers. Farther north, it can take increasing sunlight. This aromatic herb can be an invasive plant when grown in moist soil, where it sometimes spreads out of control. Most of my dl have been in the ground at least 6 months, so I'm guessing they are well established enough for a ground cover. Once established, its drought tolerant. 1. Lamium is an excellent ground cover for shade. The leaves, bulblets and bulbs of the nodding onion plant are edible with a strong onion flavor, but its more common to grow Allium cernuum for its easily identifiable flowers. This type of evergreen comes in an array of shapes and sizes. This is not the form of thyme used in cooking, but its fragrance will attract bees and other pollinators. Will ruellia make a good ground cover? Try growing it as a green carpet laid at the feet of your big leaf hydrangeas or Lenten roses. Spotted dead nettle has a wide range, but does not do well in very warm, humid locations. Lamium Anne Greenway Need a good ground cover in the shade or morning sun. If you prefer a similar but less aggressive variety, consider C. montana 'Amethyst Dream'. BUY IT ($18) Jill King/EyeEm/Getty Images. A relative of spotted dead nettles is yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon). Lawns also are considered ground covers, but may require more moisture, sunlight, fertilizer and maintenance than other ground cover choices. But beware: This hardy opportunist, if left unchecked, can become unsightly and sometimes invasive. Good news. Lamium is a versatile plant, hardy in U.S.D.A. RELATED: 25 Plants That Survive With or Without You. The Ground Cover Dogwood blooms then produces edible berries. When planted in full sun it usually needs extra watering, at least until the plant is well established. Lamb's ear creates a soft and silvery dense ground covering mat in a sunny area of your property. It is far too unattractive a little for this low-growing carpet of leaves. Some hybrids offer striking, flat flower clusters that bees and butterflies can use as a landing pad. RELATED: 30 Plants for Your Easiest Garden Ever. Shown: 'Spotted deadnettle' (Lamium maculatum) Tall-Growing Growing and Harvesting a Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus). This shrub also offers some fall-foliage value. They can spread across bare ground, suppressing weeds and dust, preventing erosion, decreasing water evaporation, and adding color. It grows best in morning sun and afternoon shade. Lamium is rarely troubled by disease and is generally pest-free. Just like the name implies, the fuzzy silver leaves resemble lamb's ears. Although not as attractive to cats as catnip (Nepeta cataria), catmint is a gardeners dream: an easy-to-grow, robust purple ground cover. Its off the menu for deer and rabbits, but a feast for pollinating bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. 30. . Plant in full shade or partial shade. Can be invasive in moist, fertile soils. It matures to a maximum height of only 6 inches, so many gardeners choose to plant creeping phlox on a slope or along the top of a retaining wall to appreciate its beauty from several angles. Thus you need to be careful in choosing the right spot to grow this plant. And Beacon Silver has pink flowers and silvery leaves. It gets its name because light reflects off its hairy growths and sparkles on the landscape.