Perennial Ground Cover Flowers

Adding perennial ground cover flowers to your landscape can help create a low-maintenance lawn and garden. Perennial ground cover will spread and return each year, creating a beautiful, low-growing landscape while controlling weeds and reducing erosion. Planting ground cover is also an excellent choice for an area that is difficult to mow and maintain.

Dead Nettle

Dead nettle (Lamium) is a low-growing flowering plant that prefers shade or partial shade. This plant has small pink flowers and variegated leaves and works well for a shady area. This plant will spread easily, especially in warm, humid climates. Individual dead nettle plants will grow to between 6 and 18 inches in height. In warm, humid climates, these plants can spread easily, covering 6 feet in width.

Catmint

Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) is a bushy ground cover that has long spikes of small, purple flowers. It is aromatic and attractive to bees and butterflies. Catmint thrives in full sun but will tolerate shade for a portion of the day. The flowers of catmint are long-lasting and bloom for long periods, making this plant useful for continuous color throughout the summer. It is an easily established plant that will continue to grow for several years after initial planting.

Alpine Phlox

For a carpet of low-growing, colorful ground cover flowers, Alpine phlox (Phlox subulata) is a smart choice. Alpine phlox will grow to a height of about 6 inches and will spread into a mat that is about 20 inches wide. This plant needs full sun and well-drained soil. Alpine phlox flowers bloom from mid-spring to early summer, providing small flowers that include pink, magenta, scarlet, mauve, white and blue, depending on the variety.

Ivy-leaved Violet

Ivy-leaved violet (Viola hederacea) grows easily in a wide range of soil types. This plant prefers some sun for best flowering. Ivy-leaved violet has bright green foliage during most of the year, but sends up flowers during the late summer, making this plant a beautiful ground cover at all times. The flowers can vary in color, from shades of purple to white or cream-colored and mixes of purple and white. It is an evergreen violet and can cover large swaths of ground. It is hardy to 0 degrees F. Ivy-leaved violet works well in areas that may receive foot traffic.

Speedwell

Speedwell (Veronica) must be grown in full sun and will not tolerate shade. Speedwell can grow well in poor soils and is suitable for a south-facing bank or a slope that will receive full sun throughout the day. This plant does require good drainage for best results. The veronica species Veronica gentianoides can make excellent border plants as it grows to be 18 inches in height and just as wide. For a low-growing ground cover that spreads well, try Veronica prostrata. This variety grows 6 inches high and spreads to around 16 inches in width.