How to Select Fragrant Groundcover

Fragrant groundcovers are aromatic spreading plants used for lawn replacements, hillside covers, natural mulches and landscape fillers. These groundcovers get their fragrance from their flowers or foliage. A fragrant groundcover offers scent, beauty, and function to the garden. Flowering groundcover perfumes the air and attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, which help pollinate garden plants. Walking on low-growing plants or brushing the leaves releases fragrant oils. You can enjoy the benefits of fragrant groundcovers by following these tips to choosing the right groundcover for your landscape and garden needs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Determine your groundcover needs. Sketch out a simple plan to fit new groundcover into your current landscaping. List shady and sunny areas, hillsides and existing plants. Distinguish wet and dry areas.

2. 

   Decide if you want annual groundcover for seasonal needs or perennial groundcover for more permanent coverage. Plant annual fragrant groundcover in areas needing a few months of flowering coverage. The low-growing sweet ayssum is a popular choice for its white, pink or lavender flowers, sweet fragrance and versatility. It grows in sunny to partial shade, tolerates most soils and grows easily. Plant alyssum for edging, in rock gardens and as fill between perennials and established plants. It acts as a seasonal mulch to retain moisture and keep down weeds.

3. 

   Select sun-loving plants for hot or dry locations. Aptenia ice plant, trailing rosemary and sedum are good choices. These bright green plants have small pink to red flowers and are drought-tolerant. One variety, Red Apple aptenia, grows to just a few inches tall. It spreads vigorously with plump leaves that store water for hot or dry climates. Ice plant and sedum thrive in hot dry summers, but die back in cold weather.

4. 

   Plant shady areas with woodland phlox or sweet woodruff. These fragrant groundcovers are well-suited to woodland and cool climate regions. Woodland phlox, also called wild sweet William, grows 4 to 12 inches high with fragrant pink-purple flowers. Use it around other shade-loving perennials and rock gardens. Use sweet woodruff for a faster-growing, shade-loving groundcover, but beware because it can become invasive in rich soil and plentiful water. Prune it back or reduce the water to keep it under control.

5. 

   Cover hillsides and slopes with versatile herbs like creeping thyme. This low-maintenance perennial tolerates heat and dry weather. Once established, creeping thyme needs little water. It will spread across irregular ground and trail down rocky slopes, tolerates light foot traffic and is an excellent choice around walkways and borders.

6. 

   Select fragrant groundcovers for their unique scents. Fruit-scented plants include Red Apple aptenia and wild strawberry. Flower-scented options include sweet alyssum, vinca and wild rose. Sweet woodruff leaves have a spicy aroma. Rosemary leaves have a strong piney aroma when disturbed. Emphasize aromatic herbs like thyme and sage if you want to harvest fresh herbs for the kitchen.

Tips & Warnings

• Many flowering vines or plants can be used as groundcover.
• Mint plants also serve as groundcover and offer a variety of delightful fragrances.
• Check out the scents of groundcovers at garden centers in spring and early summer.
• For high traffic areas or walkways, avoid vines or woody stems that can trip unwary feet.
• Some groundcovers are highly invasive. Choose varieties compatible with existing landscaping.