With a long bloom period and colorful foliage, most varieties are eye-catching plants throughout the year. Spotted Dead Nettle is an excellent ground cover plant because of its flowers and its spreading growth habit. . Ground cover plants are all-around problem-solvers: They retain moisture, control erosion, and provide.css-1me6ynq{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#125C68;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1me6ynq:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:#595959;} habitat for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Lamb's ear creates a soft and silvery dense ground covering mat in a sunny area of your property. Its a native to wooded areas and stream banks of the Appalachian Mountains, and easy to control. Although not as attractive to cats as catnip (Nepeta cataria), catmint is a gardeners dream: an easy-to-grow, robust purple ground cover. Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon 'Hermann's Pride', Zones 4-8) is one of the fastest-growing ground covers. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. It grows in little clumps, likes moist soil, and prefers full to part sun. The silvery foliage of theseshade plantsmakes them a good fit for landscape designs with creative color schemes. Native to Europe and western Asia, Lamium is frequently found naturalized along woodland trails and paths and colonized along the banks of streams. This shrub flowers from May to July with white flowers, and grows to a maximum height of about 9 inches. Once dense, it can be quite attractive, but you will need to corral it or you'll have a sea of ruellia. There are almost endless varieties of hostas that will fit your needs, many with variegated leaves and spikey short-lived and unremarkable flowers. I've never tried that one. Known as Lamium maculatum, this perennial plant is deer- and rabbit-resistant and boasts a lengthy bloom time: from mid-spring to early summer. Best Ground Cover Plants to Prevent Weeds - Landscape Fix Simply put some potting soil mix in a container or hanging basket that has drainage holes, and plant the spotted dead nettle, then water. This type of evergreen comes in an array of shapes and sizes. high and can spread out 2 feet (61 cm.) On top of all that, with proper care the plant can last 5 to 6 years, during which time you can harvest your own fresh thyme. It spreads well, but is easy to manage. Liverleaf (Anemone americana, formerly classified as Hepatica americana) is a perennial wildflower native to North America. Pollinating bees and butterflies delight in its bright golden yellow, daisy-like flowers that appear from late spring into early summer. Creeping lamium averages 10 inches tall, with small flower groups appearing in the summer. Creeping Raspberry is a wonderful and attractive ground cover that is naturally hardy, resilient, and adaptable. It's deer-resistant and can tolerate drought, heat, and cold. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The opposite leaves are silvery green with large silver blotches on the upper surface, lightening up a dark shady area. Install the plants in an acidic, well-drained, loamy soil. Just beware: Its rapid growth makes this an invasive plant throughout the Eastern United States, as well as parts of Texas and the Southwest. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Astros GM Dana Brown has more praise team's top prospect, Principal fired for reading 'I Need a New Butt!' Leadwort is an excellent low-maintenance groundcover for putting on a late-season show. This selection forms a spreading patch of small silver leaves with a stunning blue-green edge. Groundcovers | Bluestone Perennials Theywill not require much waterwhen grown in full shade, a fact that (along with their resistance to deer pests) recommends them to homeowners seeking low-maintenance landscaping. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. This tenacious perennial spreads rapidly, thrives in full sun, is cold hardy, grows in poor soil, and is drought tolerant once established. Hedera helix. All that being said, ground covers are a terrific option for your situation. With society garlic, you can have your ground cover and eat it too! But they are not grasses, and are instead herbaceous floweringperennial plantsin the asparagus family. General description Fast-growing perennial ground cover that may be either trailing or upright depending on conditions. It makes a dense mat of three-lobed leaves on lengthy, cane-like stems, which provide an interesting ground . She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming. It likes part to full sun. Perfect for plantings under perennials or shrubs and as a groundcover or edging plant. Lamium spreads quickly, so be ready to cut it back if it begins to encroach on other shrubs and flowers. Hostas are definitely not deer-resistant but they are toxic to other animals. Pink or white flowers bloom in spring and summer. Spread: Slow to medium growth rate; spreads via stolons to a height of 10 inches. If you live in USDA Zones 3 through 9 and have a low spot where grass struggles because its too wet, try planting golden groundsel there instead. Water it during dry spells and give it a haircut at the end of its blossoming period. Spotted dead nettle has a wide range, but does not do well in very warm, humid locations. Yellow archangel ( lamium galeobdolon) They areespecially valued for use in shady spots, which is a condition that many plants dislike. Despite its vigorous growth, it's not considered invasive. Oak sedge prefers partial shade to full shade in USDA Zones 3 through 8. Creeping Phlox. (I prefer to call it lamium), Lamium . As it spreads, new clumps will form. Replant them in a suitable location, and water. Even in Zone 5, where one lives, they persist well into the winter. This tuberous perennial has long, thin, chive-like foliage you can enjoy in the kitchen; the greenery is topped by tiny purple flowers in the summer, and its also available in a variegated type. 15 Groundcover Plants for Your Garden - PureWow To make sure your ground covers get the job done (ya know, dressing up your landscape), follow the instructions on their plant care tag to give them the right conditions. Lamium (Dead Nettle) is a trailing, groundcover perennial. Imagine sky blue flowers popping up in and around your shade garden in the springtime, swaying in the slightest breeze, rising above a carpet of Canadian wild ginger or lamium (see below). The versatile strawberry begonia (Saxifraga stolonifera) is neither a strawberry nor a begonia. Ivy is invasive and toxic to humans and animals but the charm it can lend to a yard can't be beat. RELATED: Bad Neighbors: 11 Plant Pairs Never to Grow Side by Side. Creeping phlox is the quintessential ground cover plant. There are so many options to choose from, including old favorites like Pachysandra and Vinca, as well as small shrubs, perennials, and annuals. The Ground Cover Dogwood blooms then produces edible berries. Flowering: Yes. Creeping thyme ground cover is not invasive, helps prevent weeds from growing, and is a natural deer repellent. However, keep a good supply of glyphosate on hand to keep these in check! Ground cover plants are the perfect solution for a variety of landscaping issues. Rock cotoneaster is considered a full-shun shrub but benefits from some afternoon shade. If you have a sunny to partially shaded spot in USDA Zones 3 through 9 where youd like a flowering ground cover but want something more colorful, try this ornamental onion. Liverleaf's spring floral display makes this small perennial special. In the right climate, brass buttons remain an evergreen ground cover year round. Type above and press Enter to search. Spotted deadnettle ground cover grows about 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm.) It is far too unattractive a little for this low-growing carpet of leaves. The plant prefers partial shade or full sun and well-draining moist soil. 10 Easy-Care Groundcovers That Thrive in the Toughest Spots The best ground cover plants for shade in your yard - Lawnstarter With very attractive foliage and either white or pink flowers, Lamium maculatum makes an excellent ground cover plant for a shaded position. Plant bugleweed in the late spring or early summer and it will quickly spread runners (stolons) that can form a dense mat to fill large and shady areas, especially where you need erosion control. These waterwise plants are perfect rock garden ground covers in zones 4 through 9 for the hardier yellow prairie zinnia and 6 through 10 for desert zinnia with its pretty white flowers. Lamium needs shade and a fertile, moist but well-draining soil. A relative of spotted dead nettles is yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon). In zones 6 through 8, it remains evergreen most of the year. If you have bare acreage behind your home that does not lead to another property, Chinese lantern can be a great ground cover and filler. Infinitely touchable, the velvety, fuzzy foliage of this plant is aptly named (c'mon, just look at it). To plant creeping juniper on a grassy slope, get rid of the grass, then lay down landscape fabric along the slope. They may be plain green, but they are usually spotted or banded in silver-gray. Home Outdoors Yard & Garden Structures Planters. 'Album', has white flowers, shown here blooming before the leaves on September 28, 2011, and spreads to form a ground cover that stays green through the winter . Nepeta x faassenia, commonly called nepeta, nepeta catmint, or Faassen's catmint, is one of several perennial catmint plants. RELATED: How to Grow Zinnias in Your Home Garden. In shade, its OK if the soil dries out now and then. 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 is perfect for rock gardens, edging of pathways or front of the flower border. Ruellia and lamium as ground covers - Chron Ice plant is a perennial succulent ground cover with fleshy leaves and colorful flowers.