Let easy-growing ground covers be the solution to your landscaping problems. Here are 28 of the easiest ground covers for your yard. 1.Periwinkle Enjoy vinca's colorful blooms from spring through fall. The blue, purple, or white flowers provide a colorful accent to the shiny, green foliage. This easy, adaptable ground cover tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. Note: It can also grow very quickly -- to the point some gardeners call it invasive. Name: Vinca minor Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: 8 inches tall Zones: 4-9 2.Ajuga In spring, ajuga bursts forth with spikes of blue, pink, or white flowers. The plants usually have great foliage, too: Several types are available, from the chocolate-purple foliage of 'Chocolate Chip' to the reddish-bronze foliage of 'Rubra'. Name: Ajuga reptans Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: 6 inches tall Zones: 3-9 3.Bloody Cranesbill Bloody cranesbill is named for the bright red color the foliage takes on in fall. Many varieties are available in flower colors of blue and purple. The plant spreads slowly but will eventually form broad swaths in full or part sun or shade. It's not only beautiful, but easy and carefree, too. Name: Geranium sanguineum Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil Size: 1 foot tall Zones: 4-8 4.Creeping Buttercup Here's a buttercup that no gardener should be without. 'Buttered Popcorn' offers bright, chartreuse-splattered foliage that's truly electric in the shade garden. While the foliage is the main attraction, creeping buttercup also offers golden flowers in late spring and early summer. Name: Ranunculus repens Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil Size: 3 inches tall Zones: 4-9 5.Crested Iris Crested iris, sometimes known as woodland iris, is a native of eastern North America and can be found in variety of forms and patterns in blue and white. Once established, they are carefree, cheery ground covers for the woodland garden. Name: Iris cristata Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: 9 inches tall Zones: 3-9 6.Golden Moneywort Golden moneywort is a superb choice for adding color to shade, thanks to its golden foliage. Also called creeping Jenny, this is a fast-spreading plant perfect for covering lots of ground. Name: Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and moist soil Size: 3 inches tall Zones: 3-7 7.Lamium Lamium is an excellent, easy-care ground cover. Most types bloom through the summer, producing clusters of pink or white flowers. Even when they're not blooming, they have great silver-marked foliage that brightens up shady corners. What a beautiful alternative to a struggling lawn! Name: Lamium maculatum Growing Conditions: Full shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: 8 inches tall Zones: 4-8 8.Lily-of-the-Valley Beautifully fragrant, lily-of-the-valley is one of the easiest ground covers to grow. It's perfect in the shady spot off the patio or under the big tree in the backyard. Do watch it, though: It can be a vigorous spreader. Name: Convallaria majalis Growing Conditions: Shade and well-drained soil Size: 8 inches tall Zones: 3-8 9.Epimedium Dry shade can be a tough landscaping problem. Thankfully, epimedium thrives in these conditions. There are many to choose from, but varieties to look for include 'Pierre's Purple', 'Sulphureum', and 'Lilafee'. Name: Epimedium grandiflorum Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil Size: 8 inches tall Zones: 3-9 10.Snow-on-the-Mountain Fast spreading, snow-on-the mountain will thrive where most other shade plants fail. For extra interest, look for 'Variegata', which sports cream and white splashes on green foliage. Name: Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum' Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil Size: To 12 inches tall Zones: 4-9 11.Bunchberry Cute little white flowers cover the plants in spring. The real fun comes in autumn, when bright red fruits adorn the petite plants. The leaves also develop festive shades of bronzy-purple. Name: Chamaepericlymenum canadense (also commonly called Cornus canadensis) Growing Conditions: Full shade and well-drained soil Size: To 6 inches tall Zones: 2-7 12.Wild Ginger Wild ginger is prized for its glossy, heart-shape leaves and vigorous growth. While not invasive, it wastes no time forming a sizable colony in your landscape. Name: Asarum europaeum Growing Conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil Size: To 4 inches tall Zones: 4-8 13.Lady's Mantle This beautiful perennial offers a unique treat: Fine hairs on the leaves sparkle with water droplets and glisten in the early morning light. Lady's mantle blooms in early summer, too, producing clusters of chartreuse blooms. Name: Alchemilla mollis Growing Conditions: Sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: To 18 inches tall Zones: 4-7 14.Pachysandra Use pachysandra to cover deeply shaded ground. This plant offers rich, dark jade foliage and little clusters of white flowers. Pachysandra will take a few seasons to establish but once at home will thrive on neglect. Plant it and ignore it: The plant is about as low-maintenance as you get. Name: Pachysandra terminalis Growing Conditions: Shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: 1 foot tall Zones: 4-8 |