How to Landscape With Groundcover Plants

Groundcovers create transitions between beds.

Groundcovers create transitions between beds.

Groundcover plants serve several purposes in a landscape design. The low-growing, spreading plants fill in spaces where grass doesn't grow well. Groundcovers stabilize slopes and hills, prevent erosion and provide color in difficult-to-maintain locations. The plants work as edging, accents and can replace lawn areas in shade or under trees. Perennial groundcovers come in a variety of sizes, colors and textures suitable for shade or sun. Landscaping with groundcovers reduces maintenance, weeds, mulch and bare spots.


Check the lighting and soil conditions where you want to plant groundcovers. You need to know the amount of sun or shade the areas receive and whether the soil has adequate drainage. Check your U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone and consider the microclimate, such as wind and rain amounts, and use the information to choose the best plants for your climate..


Select shade-loving groundcover plants for under trees and shrubs or next to structures. Groundcovers growing under trees should adapt well to dry soil conditions and not interfere with the tree roots. Some plants that work well in shade include lily-of-the-valley, wild ginger, cranesbill, ferns and bleeding heart.


Use plants that grow best in full sun for borders along planting beds, driveways, porches and walkways. Full-sun groundcover plants also work well to replace lawn grass on hills. Low-growing herbs and fruits, such as creeping thyme, chamomile and wild strawberry, make attractive borders in garden areas. Soapwort, rock cress, dianthus, English daisy and sedum add texture and color to sunny areas.


Blend the groundcover plants in with any existing landscaping. Consider scale and the mature size of the plants. Large-leaved plants, such as hosta varieties, work well under larger trees, while a sunny border will look best with a mounded, flowering plant such as creeping phlox. Add a variety of textural interest with plants such as silver mound, wormwood and variegated bishop’s weed.


Choose colors that complement, accent or contrast with existing plants and structure colors. Cool colors tend to appear further away, while warm colors feel closer. Using warm-colored groundcovers at the front of the bed and cool ones at the back give the appearance of a larger space. Flowering plants add both foliage and bloom colors, which work well in landscapes needing an extra burst of brightness.


Pick evergreen plants to add year-round interest in landscapes lacking winter color. Semievergreen and evergreen groundcover plants complement most landscape designs very well. Choose from varieties of ivy, dead nettle, lilyturf, periwinkle and heuchera.


Figure how many plants you need by measuring the square footage of the planting area. Check the mature spread of the plant and divide the spacing into the square footage. For example, for a plant with a 1-foot spacing requirement, you would need 100 for a 10-by-10-foot bed.

Things You Will Need

  • Tape measure


  • A color wheel can help when looking for colors that will harmonize in your landscape.


  • Use care when choosing groundcover plants; many species can become invasive. Check with your county extension office for regulations and invasive species plant lists.

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