About Flowering Ground Cover

Flowering ground covers add finishing touches to the problem landscape.

Many yards contain areas considered too steep to mow or where grass just does not seem to grow. Low-growing ground covers are ideal choices in these situations. Spreading from rhizomes or by reseeding, ground covers quickly grow to provide a planting solution on slopes, in shade and under trees. Certain ground covers are grown for their attractive foliage or texture alone. Flowering ground covers add elements of surprise and finishing touches to the problem landscape.

Bugle Weed

Growing to a height up to 12 inches, Bugle Weed or Carpet Bugle, becomes a thick carpet of dark-bronze foliage. Plant Bugle Weed in either shade or partial sun, to hardiness zone 5. Provide adequate moisture for shallow roots. Upright stalks produce blue, white or purple flowers above ground-hugging leaves from early May to mid-June.

Lily-of-the-Valley

Gardeners choose Lily-of-the-Valley for its fragrant, white, bell-like flowers.

Gardeners choose Lily-of-the-Valley for its fragrant, white, bell-like flowers. Elizabethans in the Middle Ages used this heirloom flower in nosegays to help perfume the air. Hardy to zone 2, this quick-growing ground cover eventually becomes too thick and requires thinning for the best May to June flower show.

Plant in half or full shade in most any type of soil. Expect the elongated leaves to die back to the ground each fall.

Periwinkle

Periwinkle is an evergreen ground cover.

Periwinkle, or Myrtle, is an evergreen ground cover with dark-green vine-like foliage. It blooms with purple, blue or white flowers in April and occasionally a second time in the fall. Periwinkle grows to about 6 inches tall and spreads by sending out long, trailing shoots that reroot. It favors shade, but also tolerates sun. Shade produces healthier green foliage, but flowers are more abundant in partial sun. Periwinkle spreads rapidly in loamy or sandy soil.

Sedum

Sedum's thick, waxy leaves store water.

Over 300 species and 500 cultivars of Sedum provide a fitting option for most planting situations. Sedum range from carpet-mat types to plant variations of 2 feet in height. They flourish in rock gardens, on slopes and between stepping stones in walks. Known as succulents, their thick, waxy leaves store water. Most Sedums are drought tolerant and need plenty of room for adequate air circulation. Sedums are hardy to zone 2. Full sun produces flowers ranging from tiny, yellow-green star shapes to large clusters of pink to wine-colored flowers. Foliage colors vary from green to blue and bronze.

References

• Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service: Ground Covers for the Landscape
• Virginia Cooperative Extension: Selecting Landscape Plants: Ground Covers
• The Herb Society: Lily Of The Valley