Groundcovers for Shady Spaces

This is Part Two of the Groundcovers post. Yesterday, I listed groundcovers for sunny spaces. Today’s list is for shady spaces.

Moneywort. Also known as Creeping Jenny. I've seen it in chartreuse and plain green. This one is a ground hugging groundcover. My neighbor has both of these and the chartreuse one changes color depending how much shade it gets.

Vinca. Also known as periwinkle or creeping myrtle. This evergreen groundcover gets about 6 inches tall and has a small purple flower. I’ve seen it in both plain green and variegated leaf varieties. Vinca thrives in drier soils and does well under trees or decks.

Ajuga. This one is a creeper, too, and has coppery purple leaf. It does get spikes of blue/purple flowers. It’s sometimes called bugleweed and can be invasive. I’ve seen this do really well in contained spaces.

Pachysandra. This groundcover has been a favorite of mine since I was introduced to it when I lived on Long Island. It is a neat, uniform, evergreen groundcover that gets a small white flower. It’s a member of the boxwood family and prefers shady, well-drained soils. In our climate, you need to protect it from winter winds by using marsh hay. It spreads by rhizomes. But, you can propagate it by taking cuttings and rooting those.

Wild Ginger. This is a deciduous ground cover and has a broader leaf than the other plants mentioned. It does really well in part to deep shade.

Sweet Woodruff. I love this deciduous groundcover. It has bright green, persistent foliage and small, white flowers. It’s fragrant and prefers moist, well-drained soils in medium to deep shade.

Some folks like groundcovers, some don’t. Even though the name implies that they’ll cover the ground, people are surprised when the plants do their job and then want to rip them out. I think the key is to know the habit of the one you want to use and make sure it’s right for your situation.

Groundcovers for Sunny Spaces

I’m getting a lot of questions this season about groundcovers. People want to fill in spaces between plants or eliminate their grass or grow something under a tree where the grass is already sparse. Some groundcovers are sun lovers while others prefer shady spots. Some are slow growers and some will take off quickly. When I pulled together my list of favorites for sun and shade, I realized it was a lot to cover in one post. So, I’m going to split it up. Today’s list is sunny spaces. Tomorrow’s is shady spaces.

Dragon’s blood sedum. I have neighbors who have trouble with this one, but it’s thriving in my garden. It’s a very low growing groundcover (about 2inches tall) and has green leaves small red to maroon flowers.

Creeping thyme. I started a few plugs on the sunny hill last year and really like the way it’s growing. It’s a short grower with small spikes of purple flowers. There are lots of varieties, so pick the one right for your situation. (Don’t pick a taller growing one to use between stepping stones, for example.) The thing I like best about this one is that it’s fragrant.

Cerastium. This is a groundcover with silver-gray leaves and a small white flower. It’ll get about 6 inches tall. Cerastium’s a fast grower and loves full sun. I put some in my garden a few weeks ago and am hoping it takes over the sunny hill.

Strawberries. Sounds crazy, I know. But, more and more people are considering strawberries as a groundcover. A few gardeners in my neighborhood are doing this and it’s working well for them. The bonus is that you get yummy fruit mid-summer!

There are lots more groundcovers for sunny spaces I haven’t mentioned (creeping phlox, anyone?!). If I’ve left your favorite off the list, let me know!