Hardy Drought Tolerant Ground Cover - Ground cover plants are ubiquitous problem solvers: they retain moisture, control erosion and provide habitat for pollinators such as bees and butterflies. While grass is usually the best way to fill in empty spaces, sometimes low-growing plants are a better - and prettier - choice. There are many options to choose from, including old favorites like pachysandra and vinca, as well as smaller shrubs, perennials and annuals.
To make sure your ground covers are doing their job (you know, beautifying your landscape), follow the directions on their plant care tags to give them the right conditions. FYI: Full sun means an area receives 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day, partial sun is 3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight and full shade is up to 3 hours of sunlight. If you're planting a shrub or perennial that needs to survive from one year to the next, make sure it fits your USDA Hardiness Zone (find it here). Although this ground cover plant is very tolerant, remember to water it during the dry season for the first year or two until the root system is established.
Hardy Drought Tolerant Ground Cover
Although it may be one of the hardiest (er, tolerant) plants out there, lily of the valley is as sweet as can be, with beautiful white bells dangling from striped green leaves. This fragrant perennial spreads easily, so keep it under control by planting in well-tended areas along walkways or near home foundations. It prefers full shade, but can handle morning sun.
Amazing Drought Tolerant Plants That Hardly Need Any Water
Low-growing mats of creeping thyme are covered in light purple or white flowers in late spring, making them a pollinator's paradise. This hardy perennial spreads quickly, grows in full sun, is cold tolerant, thrives in infertile soil, and is drought tolerant once planted. And, of course, you can cut the leaves for cooking.
This type of evergreen comes in many shapes and sizes. Tolerant of poor soil and drought conditions, it is as tough as nails ever formed. Horizontal creeping juniper branches form a dense mat that weeds cannot penetrate. It likes full sun.
Dead nettle, also known as Lamium, is a low-growing perennial with silvery leaves and clusters of purple, pink or white flowers that appear in spring and early summer. It prefers shade, but tolerates sunlight.
Glossy leaves in dark green, bronze and chocolate-brown colors make this perennial a low-growing grass choice for any climate. Small spikes of blue, purple, pink or white flowers will appear during summer. Ajuga spreads quickly in different conditions, tolerates shade or sun.
The 10 Best Evergreen Ground Cover Plants That Grow Quickly
Aronia is a relatively low native shrub with small white flowers amid glossy green leaves. When several are planted together, they form a dense hedge that grows in almost any soil and in full sun.
A low-growing ground cover is easy to care for, especially since its fleshy leaves hold enough water to survive dry weather. While some have small flowers, the main focal point is the colorful foliage, which ranges from chartreuse to bronze. It needs full sun to survive.
If you've ever seen a lavender field in Provence, you know that this fragrant perennial with purple or blue flowers is widely cultivated. It does not like wet feet, so make sure the soil is well drained. It needs full sun to thrive.
In early spring, flowers that look like fairy wings appear on these perennials. Epimedium, also known as Bishop's Cap, can tolerate dry conditions once established. It is cold tolerant and prefers partial shade.
Drought Tolerant Groundcovers For Low Maintenance Beauty
This little-known perennial has attractive tufts of small grass and young ball-shaped flowers that appear in late spring to early summer. It likes part to full sun.
Although these shiny, striped leaves are popular in the southern states, they can survive anywhere. It grows in small clusters, prefers moist soil, and prefers partial sun.
You might not think of oregano as a ground cover, but this herb forms dense clusters of fragrant leaves. In full sun, this green herb will grow small flowers in summer, attracting many pollinators. Cut a few for cooking, or leave them trimmed to manage their height.
Straight from your grandmother's garden, Dianthus is an ancient perennial with a vanilla-like scent. Sometimes called a rose because the petals look like they were cut with pinking shears, this pretty ground cover ranges in height anywhere from low growing to 2 feet tall. It needs full sun to bloom well.
Impossible To Kill Outdoor Plants
Ferns come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Planted in groups, it makes a beautiful ground cover. It prefers moist soil, is drought tolerant, and once established, requires full shade.
The small white star-shaped flowers provide a nice contrast to the leafy green foliage. This perennial plant spreads quickly, and you can cut it back to control it. Store in a shady place, especially under trees and bushes.
As the name suggests, the fuzzy silvery leaves resemble goat's ears. However, in mid-summer, they are full of beautiful purple-pink flowers. It likes full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.
Choose from annual or perennial varieties, and watch this bushy plant bloom with charming daisy-like flowers. It likes full sun, and needs regular trimming to keep it from taking over the yard. A fun bonus: the flowers, fresh or dried, can be used in salads or dipped in tea.
Plants That Like Full Sun And Heat
The soft moss-like leaves of the plant form a thick mat underfoot. In spring, small white flowers add to its beauty. It likes full sun and needs constant moisture, especially in the warmer months.
This fast-growing annual makes a beautiful appearance draped over a stone wall or along the edge of a walkway. It quickly forms dense mounds and blooms all summer long, producing a sweet honey scent that attracts pollinators all season long. It flowers best in full sun.
Native to Siberia, this cold-hardy evergreen has fern-like foliage that turns bronze in colder climates. Try planting in large groups on hillsides or along house foundations to prevent erosion. It likes full sun.
Arricca Elin Sansone Arricca SanSone writes about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Life, Woman's Day and more. Want to add ground cover to your garden but want to make sure it doesn't require constant watering? There are many drought-tolerant ground covers, so choosing just one can be a challenge. In this article, we look at some of our favorites, with names and pictures of each!
Stunning Drought Tolerant Plants For Low Maintenance Landscapes
Looking for a drought-tolerant ground cover for an area in your garden or around your home that might need filler plants? There are many different ground covers that can withstand a lack of water while keeping the open spaces of your garden a little greener.
Ground cover plants are ideal for filling beds and replacing large areas of dirt, rock or grass. If you stick to drought-tolerant plant species, you'll have a stunning landscape with minimal effort. If you live in a low-humidity climate, you may have no choice but to stick to ground cover plants that don't require frequent moisture.
So, where do you start? We've hand-picked some of our favorite drought-tolerant ground covers to add to your home landscape or garden area. Each of these plants will help fill space in your garden without requiring a lot of moisture throughout the growing season. Ready to learn more? Let's dive!
Angelina sedum is an evergreen plant with golden green foliage that blooms with small yellow flowers in summer.
Best Ground Cover Plants
Angelina sedum is part of the sedum family, often called rock sedum because it can grow in rocky soil. The plant is technically an evergreen and displays succulent leaves with a golden green color.
Angelina sedum blooms all summer with small yellow flowers that add a beautiful glow to its already golden foliage. When autumn arrives, the flowers fall and the foliage fades to a rusty orange color.
Anyone who enjoys evergreen and Christmas-like foliage will love bearberry cotoneaster ground cover. This perfect plant is a compact, drought-tolerant evergreen shrub adorned with tiny white flowers and bright red berries.
This plant can grow as tall as 12 inches, but is nearly six feet wide and covers a fairly large area. It is very easy to grow and maintain, and once established is very drought tolerant.
Durable Desert Moss Takes Foot Traffic And Drought
It attracts birds and butterflies, which can add another layer of life and beauty to your property.
Chamomile forms a thick carpet and is often used as a foundation plant for lawns, but it looks great in the garden among other herbs.
Most people know about chamomile tea and herbal remedies, but did you know that chamomile makes a beautiful, drought-tolerant ground cover?
There are two types of chamomile: German and Roman. German chamomile may be a variation in your tea collection, while Roman chamomile is a creeper that produces small white flowers with a yellow center.
Easy To Care For Drought Resistant Plants
The German variety is an annual plant, while the Roman
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