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13 ground cover plants that instantly make your garden look lush and full
Discover the best low-growing plants to cover bare soil, prevent weeds, and enhance your flowerbeds
By Wanda Sachs
Your garden might be blooming beautifully, but does it still feel a little patchy? Ground cover plants could be the secret ingredient you're missing, effortlessly filling in bare spots to create one cohesive carpet of lush greenery.
Ground cover plants aren't just the finishing touch to a floral display; they are real garden heroes. As the RHS writes, many low-growing varieties may be referred to as ground covers, but the two identifying capabilities of a good ground-covering plant are providing rapid, dense cover and suppressing germination of weed seeds, which eliminates the need for weed control measures.
They're also hugely beneficial to other plants. Because they grow so close to the ground and quickly cover bare soil, they help capture moisture and prevent erosion – and they thrive where other flowers and shrubs might struggle to grow.
'We’re seeing more and more gardeners turn to groundcover plants because they do the hard work for you,' says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres. 'Whether you’ve got a tricky patch under a tree, a sunny border, or just want to cut down on weeding, there’s a groundcover plant to suit.'
They can also have a cooling effect in the garden, helping to shade the soil and reduce the amount of heat radiating from bare ground. 'Ground cover plants such as creeping thyme can also help cool the soil, reduce heat radiation and prevent gardens from feeling overly warm,' says Tom Douglas, senior gardening buyer at Cherry Lane Garden Centres.
Looking for the perfect ground cover to add to your garden? Read on to discover 13 eye-catching varieties, as recommended by the experts.
More garden inspiration:
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Cranesbill geranium
These geraniums are known for their hardiness, attractive foliage and intricately veined lilac blossoms. Their ability to thrive in poor, dry soil makes them an all-time favourite among hands-off gardeners, who are seeking maximum impact with minimum effort. Position these sun-loving flowers at the front of a sunny border.
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Erigeron
With it's white flowers and yellow centre, you'd be forgiven for thinking that this plant is a daisy. The pink flowers, however, let you know that it's actually Erigeron, a low-maintenance ground cover plant that works well in sunny spots, rockeries and wall crevices. Pollinators are also a fan of this rapidly-spreading plant.
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Campanula
Want your garden to resemble a fairy-tale forest clearing? Campanula's cascading blue or purple blooms are perhaps the best way to achieve that. These pretty plants work well on walls, containers and shady corners; for ground cover, plant Campanula portenschlagiana or Campanula carpatica.
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Lily of the Valley
This enchanting plant, with its fragrant, bell-shaped flowers, is another wonderful option if you're looking to fill in the gaps in your garden. According to British Garden Centres, lily of the valley is a classic choice for shady borders and woodland gardens. It's also ideal for underplanting and ground cover.
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Wild thyme
This aromatic plant, with its tiny purple-pink flowers and creeping habit, is a wonderful option if you're looking to soften edges or fill gaps in your garden. Wild thyme is a lovely low-growing choice for sunny spots, where it can act as fragrant ground cover while attracting pollinators. It’s also ideal for rock gardens, gravel paths and planting between stepping stones.
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Periwinkle
This evergreen ground cover plant benefits from rapid growth and the ability to thrive in dry soil and shade. If you have a challenging patch in your garden that other plants simply refuse to grow in, turn to periwinkle for the win.
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Heather
A plant so pretty, it became a popular girl's name. Famously covering the rolling hills of many a UK national park (particularly heathland and moorland), you can also bring this evergreen shrub to your garden. Beloved by pollinators, Heather thrives in acidic soils and sunny spots.
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Heuchera
Heucheras are renowned for their colourful, evergreen foliage, which ranges from green to deep purple, making them a wonderful flowerbed filler. This excellent ground cover plant thrives in shady areas.
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Bergenia
Bergenia's complementing colours, pink and green, make it another great choice for dense (and vibrant!) ground cover in your garden. This plant is both shade- and drought-tolerant, which means you can plant it anywhere you want.
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Aubrieta
British Garden Centres recommends this one for beginner gardeners as it's easy to grow, spreads rapidly and, once it's settled, doesn't need much attention. Plant it in a sunny spot, and Aubrieta will reward you with a beautiful purple-and-blue carpet.
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Bigroot geranium
This is a tough, reliable ground cover geranium that spreads steadily to form attractive weed-suppressing mats. Its aromatic foliage gives off a gentle scent when brushed, and it produces pretty pink, purple, or white flowers in late spring to early summer. It's excellent for dry shade, banks, borders and beneath shrubs.
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Creeping jenny
This low, trailing ground cover is recommended by British Garden Centres for its ability to thrive in damp corners. Its bright yellow-green leaves bring a fresh splash of colour and it spreads quickly to soften edges, spill over paths, or weave between other plants. It's best in moisture-retentive soil where it can roam.
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Japanese spurge
This is a classic evergreen ground cover, especially useful under trees and in shady spots where many plants struggle. It forms a dense carpet of glossy green leaves and helps suppress weeds once established. It's ideal for low-maintenance planting schemes in woodland-style gardens or beneath mature shrubs.
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