Not interested in large expanses of green normally associated with the typical ground cover? You might want to consider the following flowering
ground covers. These plants do a good job of protecting the soil and keeping weeds at bay, plus they offer a big bonus: BLOOMS!
Origanum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen' (Herrenhausen Oregano) Liven
up your mixed herb containers with the purple-greenish leaves of this groundcover in the
sprint. By summer, 18" stalks of cerise pink flowers surrounded by purple bracts, will
rise up. Origanum laevigatum is an ornamental Oregano with reddish purple foliage that deepens during the fall. Flowers are pale lilac to purple, depending on temperature. Prefers a gravelly soil, and once established, it quite drought tolerant. HARDY PERENNIAL
Light: Full Sun
Height: 6" — 18"
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Dianthus 'Bath's Pink' Easily grown in average, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers slightly alkaline soils. Tolerates heat and humidity (as well as some drought) better than most other species of Dianthus. Remove spent flowers to promote continued bloom. Avoid planting in areas with poor drainage where crowns will remain wet in winter.
Light: Full sun (only)
Height: 9" — 12"
Spread: 6" — 12"
Bloom Time: May - July
Bloom Color: Pink
Nepeta x faassenii 'Walker's Low' (Walker's Low Catmint) Especially effective in front to middle of borders, used as groundcover, grown in container, cascading over walls or in rock garden, and for cut flowers. Attracts butterflies, bees, hummingbirds; combines well with roses, in front of beebalm, in back of bluish ornamental grasses, and shasta daisies. This plant tolerates drought, but will also grow in moist soils. Prefers moist, well-drained or loamy soils with a neutral pH.
Light: Full sun, but will tolerate part shade in the south
Height: 18"
Spread: 18"
Bloom Time: Early summer south and mid-summer north for long period, clustered on upright arching stems
Bloom Color : Lavender-blue, 1" — 2" long
Geranium 'Rozanne' is the longest blooming and most prolific blue-flowered Geranium. Flowers continue through the heat of midsummer, and the deeply cut leaves remain lovely, on plants that are spreading but not sprawling.
This is a true Geranium, not to be confused with the annual Pelargonium one sees everywhere in summer. Perennial Geraniums are lovely plants that grow in full sun or partial shade (required in the South and in the warmer areas of western Zones 9 and 10) and need soils with good drainage.
Common Name: Cranesbill, Perennial Geranium
Light: Full or part sun
Height: 18"+
Spread : 12" — 15"
Hardiness Zones: 5 - 8
Bloom Time: June-Sept
Veronica 'Goodness Grows' has creeping roots, but is not invasive, forming mats that are great for the front of the border. Veronica Goodness Grows is an erect, bushy, clump-forming hybrid veronica. It blooms longer than all the veronicas, which makes it an excellent container plant.
Light: Full or part sun
Height: 12" — 15"
Spread: 18"
Hardiness Zones: 3 - 8
Bloom Time: June — September
Bloom Color: blue
Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies' A strong growing low mound of bushy foliage covered in lavender blue flowers in mid fall. Highly tolerant of drought and poor soils. Excellent groundcover potential. October Skies’ is a low, rhizomatous, slowly spreading aster with aromatic foliage that grows more compact than the species and features attractive deep sky blue flowers.
Light: Full Sun
Height: 18" — 24"
Spread: 18" — 24"
Bloom Color: Lavender Blue
Bloom Time: August - October
Soil: Average, dry
Hardiness Zone: 5 - 8
Delosperma cooperi (Hardy Ice Plant) Hardy ice plant forms a carpet of soft, fleshy green leaves covered with purplish pink, daisy-like flowers. It flourishes in dry, sandy soils and is perfect for the xeriscape landscape.
Hardiness Zones: 6 - 10
Light: Sun to light shade
Soil: well-drained
Size: 6" — 7"
Spread: 24"
Foliage: medium to dark green leaves, almost cylindrical in cross section
Bloom Color: purplish pink
Bloom Time: June — September
Sedum spurium 'John Creech' (John Creech Sedum) Sedum 'John Creech' forms a dense mat of succulent foliage with very, pretty, rose, pink flowers in late summer. May be the best Sedum for a ground cover. Tight, overlapping blue-green leaves form ground hugging mats with many pink flowers. Even though it forms a dense ground cover, it is not invasive. It can be easily controlled by taking divisions or clumps and giving them away. It does not spread aggressively like Sedum acre does when a small piece is broken off. Looks best if spent flowers are removed.
Light: Sun to light shade
Hardiness Zone: 3 — 8
Height: 2" — 4”
Spread: 10”
Flower Color: Pink
Bloom Time: July-August
Foliage Color: Green
Drought Tolerance: Very high
Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander' (Alexander Loosestrife) Vigorous herbaceous perennial. Foliage has a creamy margin that is flushed pink in spring. Clusters of bell shaped golden flowers appear in whorls at the leaf axils. Suitable for a moist area. Variegated accent in borders, small groupings, against red leaves or darker backgrounds, fronts of borders, and large containers. Grows well in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. In dry conditions, the creamy borders of the leaf will turn brown, especially in full sun. However, it tends to be less invasive when grown in drier soil. Best when massed in a wild garden or remote part of the border where it can be allowed to naturalize in broad drifts without posing a threat to less vigorous perennials. Also may be grown effectively along or near streams or ponds or in wet meadows.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Hardiness: Zones 4 - 9
Height: 12" — 24"
Spread: 9" — 12"
Bloom Time: May-June
Bloom Color: Yellow
Oenothera berlandieri (Mexican Evening Primrose) Mexican Evening Primrose is a gorgeous accent plant in the spring and summer months. However it is rather unattractive in the winter, since the stems die back after blooming. They should be planted 2' apart for a cover in 2 years or less. If planted closer, the plant will spread quickly and become invasive. Mexican Primrose should be clipped almost to the ground after blooming.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Bloom color: Pink
Bloom period: Spring - Summer
Height: 12"
Spread: 36"
Zones: 6 - 9
