10 rapid ground cover plants for instant yard beauty
Ground covers are essential in gardens, tackling weeds, erosion, and protecting nearby plants’ roots. They’re low-maintenance and often replace turf grass while adding beauty to your landscape. Here are some expert-recommended fast-growing options:
- Creeping Thyme: Aromatic leaves forming dense mats, ideal for pathways or between stepping stones.
- Creeping Jenny: Low-growing perennial with heart-shaped leaves and small, bright yellow flowers.
- Irish Moss: Evergreen with moss-like foliage, producing tiny white star-shaped flowers in spring.
- Bugleweed: Glossy leaves and spikes of small, tubular flowers in various shades.
- Creeping Raspberry: Trailing stems rooting as they spread, with glossy dark green leaves and pink flowers turning raspberry red in autumn.
- Blue Daze: Beautiful blue flowers over a mat of small green leaves.
- Sweet Potato Vine: Fast-growing with colorful varieties, though deer are attracted to it.
- Wedelia: Small yellow flowers, spreading rapidly but classified as invasive in some regions.
- Asiatic Jasmine: Evergreen creating a dense mat, perfect for shaded areas.
- Creeping Phlox: Native perennial with clusters of dainty flowers blooming from spring to frost.
These ground covers thrive in various conditions, from full sun to partial shade, and require well-draining soil. They quickly fill in spaces, enhancing your landscape with minimal effort.
Re-reported the article originally published in martha stewart
