Ajuga
Bloom: Late spring to early summer for 3 weeks or moreDetails: Ajuga spreads by creeping roots. They thrive in both full sun and deep shade. They tends to spread rapidly, as you will find most ground covers do, hence their name!
Arabis or Rock cress
photo sourceBloom: White, pink, and purple in the early spring for about 3 to 4 weeks
Details: Rock cress is great for a rock garden. My sister and I just planted some in the crevices of her rock wall, and eventually they will root and spread to soften and beautiful the wall. They prefer full sun or very light shade.
Cerastium or Snow-in-summer or Chickweed
Bloom: White, mid to late spring for 3-5 weeks
Details: This ground cover is as appealing for it's white flowers as it is for it's silvery foliage. They form dense mats of narrow, pointed, silver-gray leaves. Prune them back after blooming to keep them looking good, and beware that it spreads quickly!
Ceratostigma or Plumbago
Bloom: Blue flowers late summer to mid or late fall, for 2 months or more. This is one of my favorite summer bloomers!
Details: Plumbagos do well in a wide range of conditions, from full sun to part shade. The stems are hardy and almost woody, while the leaves are dark green and turn a reddish color in the fall. They spread vigorously by underground stems and can be pushy, so plant them in a place you don't mind filling!
Galium or Sweet Woodruff
Clarification: The Sweet Woodruff in this picture is the white flowering plant, mixed in with colorful pansies and tulips. Sorry I don't have a close-up of the plant. The lush green ground cover is Fragaria, or strawberry! They make great ground covers too, and a tasty snack at break time. :)
Bloom: White flowers in late spring and early summer. The light green foliage is also beautiful year around and forms a dense carpet-like cover.
Iberis or Candytuft
Bloom: White flowers in early spring to early summer for 8 weeks or more.
Details: Grows in full sun to partial shade. If plants suffer winter damage, cut off dead stems and they will sprout anew. To keep them compact, don't hesitate to prune them back every year or two in the spring. Then, shearing the plants after spring bloom will promote the growth of fresh foliage.
Lamium or dead nettle
Bloom: Purple, pink, white, and yellow from late spring to early summer for 4 weeks or more.
Details: Lamiums form a perfect mat of foliage that's heavily marbled with silver. They have attractive flowers borne in clusters on upright stems (in this picture, they are only about half in bloom). They grow just about anywhere and have a tendency to creep, even up and over barriers, so you may have to uproot them where they get too unruly!
Lysimachia nummularia or creeping jenny
Bloom: Creeping jenny has a small yellow bloom in early summer, but it best known for it's beautiful yellow-green foliage.
Details: This is a vigorous creeper as well, and will fill in it's allotted area quickly! Grows pretty much anywhere.
Phlox, creeping
Bloom: A low carpet of 5 petaled flowers in purple, bluish, pink, red, and white, usually in late spring for about 3 weeks. (The yellow flower in the foreground is called Geum, just to clarify.)
Details: Phlox are also creepers, although less aggressive than other ground covers. Shearing them back after they bloom helps to keep them full. These are also good in rock gardens.
Details: Rock cress is great for a rock garden. My sister and I just planted some in the crevices of her rock wall, and eventually they will root and spread to soften and beautiful the wall. They prefer full sun or very light shade.
Cerastium or Snow-in-summer or Chickweed
Bloom: White, mid to late spring for 3-5 weeksDetails: This ground cover is as appealing for it's white flowers as it is for it's silvery foliage. They form dense mats of narrow, pointed, silver-gray leaves. Prune them back after blooming to keep them looking good, and beware that it spreads quickly!
Ceratostigma or Plumbago
Bloom: Blue flowers late summer to mid or late fall, for 2 months or more. This is one of my favorite summer bloomers!Details: Plumbagos do well in a wide range of conditions, from full sun to part shade. The stems are hardy and almost woody, while the leaves are dark green and turn a reddish color in the fall. They spread vigorously by underground stems and can be pushy, so plant them in a place you don't mind filling!
Galium or Sweet Woodruff
Clarification: The Sweet Woodruff in this picture is the white flowering plant, mixed in with colorful pansies and tulips. Sorry I don't have a close-up of the plant. The lush green ground cover is Fragaria, or strawberry! They make great ground covers too, and a tasty snack at break time. :)Bloom: White flowers in late spring and early summer. The light green foliage is also beautiful year around and forms a dense carpet-like cover.
Iberis or Candytuft
Bloom: White flowers in early spring to early summer for 8 weeks or more.Details: Grows in full sun to partial shade. If plants suffer winter damage, cut off dead stems and they will sprout anew. To keep them compact, don't hesitate to prune them back every year or two in the spring. Then, shearing the plants after spring bloom will promote the growth of fresh foliage.
Lamium or dead nettle
Bloom: Purple, pink, white, and yellow from late spring to early summer for 4 weeks or more. Details: Lamiums form a perfect mat of foliage that's heavily marbled with silver. They have attractive flowers borne in clusters on upright stems (in this picture, they are only about half in bloom). They grow just about anywhere and have a tendency to creep, even up and over barriers, so you may have to uproot them where they get too unruly!
Lysimachia nummularia or creeping jenny
Bloom: Creeping jenny has a small yellow bloom in early summer, but it best known for it's beautiful yellow-green foliage.
Details: This is a vigorous creeper as well, and will fill in it's allotted area quickly! Grows pretty much anywhere.
Phlox, creeping
Bloom: A low carpet of 5 petaled flowers in purple, bluish, pink, red, and white, usually in late spring for about 3 weeks. (The yellow flower in the foreground is called Geum, just to clarify.)Details: Phlox are also creepers, although less aggressive than other ground covers. Shearing them back after they bloom helps to keep them full. These are also good in rock gardens.
There are many types of thyme. The top picture is a very low-growing variety, and the bottom is a more woody, shrub-like variety. Both have the characteristic thyme aroma.Bloom: Lavendar, pink, purple, red, or white flowers bloom in late spring and early summer. (The top variety in called Mother-of-thyme and has a beautiful purple flower).
Details: Thyme grows well in full sun to part shade, and is best sheared back after blooming.
Bloom: Blue, purple or white 5 petaled flowers that bloom most abundantly in the spring, but also in summer and fall as cooler weather returns. There are also variegated varieties common in container gardening.
Details: Vincas make great ground covers around stepping stones and paths because they can withstand some foot traffic with no damage. Their shiny, dark green leaves are evenly spaced along creeping or arching vines that root wherever they touch the ground. They grow in full sun to deep shade (I like them best under a tree canopy for a woodland feel). They need little or no care.
Details: Vincas make great ground covers around stepping stones and paths because they can withstand some foot traffic with no damage. Their shiny, dark green leaves are evenly spaced along creeping or arching vines that root wherever they touch the ground. They grow in full sun to deep shade (I like them best under a tree canopy for a woodland feel). They need little or no care.
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