Best Ground Cover Plants for Sun and Shade

Ground cover plants are low-growing, spreading perennials, shrubs, or vines that create a dense, weed-suppressing surface layer over the soil. Unlike mulch, which is a temporary surface material, ground covers are living plants that establish permanently and provide seasonal interest through foliage, flowers, and texture. Matching the plant to the light conditions and soil type in your garden is the most important selection decision.

Ground Covers for Full Sun

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) spreads low across sunny, dry areas with minimal care. It tolerates light foot traffic, produces small pink or white flowers in early summer that attract pollinators, and provides fragrant foliage year-round. It is ideal between paving stones, along path edges, and on sun-baked slopes.

Sedum (Stonecrop) species offer exceptional drought tolerance. Low-growing sedums including Sedum spurium and Sedum kamtschaticum spread reliably across dry, sunny positions and require no irrigation once established.

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) produces a dense carpet covered in spring with flowers in white, pink, and lavender. It establishes quickly and looks effective cascading over rocks or raised bed edges.

Hypericum calycinum (Rose of Sharon) spreads by underground runners to cover large areas. It produces yellow flowers in midsummer and tolerates dry, poor soils in full sun, making it one of the most effective ground covers for large, difficult slopes.

Ground Covers for Partial Shade

Hardy geraniums (Cranesbill) spread by seed and division to fill partially shaded areas with lobed foliage and long-lasting flowers. Geranium macrorrhizum is particularly useful in dry shade and has aromatic foliage that deters deer.

Ajuga (Bugle) produces rosettes of foliage in green, bronze, or variegated patterns, spreading by runners to form a dense mat. It flowers in spring with upright blue flower spikes and tolerates both partial shade and some foot traffic.

Liriope muscari is a grass-like perennial that forms clumps spreading slowly into mats of arching dark green foliage. It tolerates deep shade, dry soil, and is one of the most adaptable ground covers for difficult positions under trees.

Ground Covers for Deep Shade

Epimedium is one of the most valuable ground covers for dry shade under trees. Once established, it requires no irrigation, produces spring flowers in yellow, white, red, or pink, and its foliage often shows attractive autumn color. It spreads slowly but reliably.

Pachysandra terminalis produces glossy, whorled foliage in a dense, evergreen carpet and is among the most reliable ground covers for the dry, competitive conditions under established trees.

Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) produces delicate white flowers in spring and spreads readily in cool, moist shade. It suits wilder, naturalistic gardens.

For slope-stabilizing applications, the landscaping on a slope guide covers which ground covers are most effective for erosion control at different gradients.