Best ground cover on Reddit
179 reviews from r/NoLawns, r/NativePlantGardening, r/gardening and 22 more subreddits
179 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Clover
4.3
(21)
"Clover works well in low light and needs little upkeep."
"You want clover."
"They don’t need to be watered and are EXTREMELY low maintenance."
"I've lived in several houses with clover yards and it's great, usually doesn't need to be mowed, doesn't care if it's abused, practically no maintenance."
"We have clover and it holds up well when established to urine and traffic."
"Moved to clover and couldn't be happier. No dog stains, requires little to no water, always green and doesn't need to be mowed unless you like the manicured look."
"Clover all the way. Low maintenance option."
"You could try planting a clover lawn, I hear its quite sturdy"
"We planted clover and that worked really well."
"Clover"
#2
N/A
4.4
(13)
"Beach strawberry is a native that would fill this role pretty well. If you mulched with arborists chips it would keep the weeds down and the strawberries are happy to spread across the mulch."
"Moss phlox is nice when it flowers."
"Creeping thyme is a great suggestion."
"I used interlocking foam tiles like the other person suggested."
"Mimosas are adorable and walking on clover is much cooler in bare feet."
"Clover is doing very well in the shaded areas."
"Clover thrives in full sun and has a shallow root system, making it ideal for terrariums with adequate light."
"A great alternative to silver ponyfoot."
"It's a beautiful plant native to Texas."
"The yarrow lawn was a great long-term solution for ground cover and took well to mowing and foot traffic."
#3
Ajuga
4.7
(10)
"Ajuga took care of a very sloppy and sloped garden bed edge."
"Ajuga is also great for shady yards and requires minimal maintenance."
"I really like ajuga. It's got purple leaves that carpet the ground, the flower spikes only get about a foot tall and pollinators love it."
"The ajugas love it, I have them planted under some acers."
"Ajuga/Bugleweed is fine in shade generally and is a creeper so will spread."
"You might try ajuga or maybe blue rug juniper."
"Ajuga is low growing, spreads easily, and looks good all year mostly with its purple colors."
"Ajuga."
"...plant a variety of lower maintenance shade plants (hosta, vinca, clover?, ajuga, etc) in beds around the mulch."
"Ajuga, also known as bugleweed, tolerates some foot traffic."
#4
Creeping Thyme
4.0
(8)
"Creeping thyme, Geranium 'rozanne', ajuga, lawn chamomile, creeping jenny are all good ground cover."
"Creeping thyme, clover, dwarf fescue, and a bunch of larger plants for more pollinator variation."
"Creeping thyme"
"We filled ours with creeping thyme and a creeping juniper."
"Creeping thyme."
"Creeping thyme. I have a relative up in the mountains in CO and she planted this on her flagstone patio."
"Wintergreen (although deer love it), creeping or wooly thyme, ajuga, woodland stonecrop."
"Creeping Thyme should be well suited for your zone and climate."
#5
Yarrow
4.6
(5)
"If you have full sun, I recommend antennaria pussytoes, moss phlox, lyreleaf sage, or even yarrow if you're planning to mow it."
"Yarrow is native."
"*yarrow* is generally one of my go-to plants for armageddon-proof low maintenance fast growers."
"Yarrow is also pretty resilient and takes light to moderate foot traffic no problem."
"I second yarrow."
#6
Creeping Phlox
4.6
(5)
"Creeping phlox is a beautiful and resilient ground cover."
"Creeping phlox! It checks off all your requirements: native perennial, ground cover, flowering."
"Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera, sun)"
"Creeping phlox is a great choice for native landscaping and is not invasive."
"Creeping phlox."
#7
Sedum
4.4
(5)
"Sedum ground covers. Get a couple varieties and they will slow merge into a carpet."
"Small leaved Sedums, like ‘Blue Spruce’, ’Angelina’ or ‘Dragons Blood’."
"Sedum, there's a variety that has small yellow flowers, stays low and can be walked on."
"Sedum and aubretia might do the trick either"
"I like sedums."
#8
Vinca
4.5
(4)
"Perennial vinca plants. They bloom in the spring, and spread well."
"I tried so many things over the years and had the best luck with vinca. Pretty tiny purple flowers when it blooms in spring."
"...plant a variety of lower maintenance shade plants (hosta, vinca, clover?, ajuga, etc) in beds around the mulch."
"Vinca minor"
#9
Dichondra
4.3
(4)
"Dichondra is a great option for easy grass growing."
"You will have to amend the soil a bit but native violet, creeping thyme, dichondra repens."
"Low water, rhizomatous, cute leaves, and very unique flowers that grow just barely out of the ground."
"Dichondra looks nice around stones."
#10
Carex
4.0
(3)
"I replaced a large lawn with bushes and a smaller sedge lawn (carex praegracilis) in SoCal (10a/b)."
"Carex species(look up matrix planting)"
"Look for Carex species that are native to you."
#11
Liriope
4.0
(3)
"Liriope."
"Liriope would be my suggestion. Lots and lots of it."
"I have liriope in my backyard that the dogs just can't get rid of no matter how hard they try."
#12
Hostas
4.0
(3)
"Hostas? Mine are no maintenance and so pretty."
"Hostas might look nice! They aren't invasive and you can divide them if you find they're getting too big."
"Do variegated hostas, do pachysandra."
#13
Wild Ginger
4.0
(3)
"Wild ginger, fringecup, bleeding heart die back in the winter but have lovely blooms."
"Wild ginger and fringe cups are doing well in the shade at my home."
"Wild ginger is low growing and similar to hostas."
#14
Pachysandra
4.0
(3)
"Pachysandra likes the shade. I like it cause it seems to keep the weeds out the best."
"Patchysandra sounds like a great idea!"
"Pachysandra"
#15
Creeping Jenny
3.3
(3)
"Creeping Jenny or Moneywort."
"Silver falls, creeping Jenny, dragons blood."
"Not creeping Jenny. That stuff is so invasive and it will take over and doesn’t feel nice underfoot."
#16
Violets
5.0
(2)
"Violets!"
"Violets! Multiple native species to choose from - all are hosts for a nice variety of butterflies."
#17
Fragaria
5.0
(2)
"Native strawberries, Fragaria virginia can provide a dense ground cover, pretty white flowers attractive to many pollinators."
"I planted native strawberries, and they are loving the shade!"
#18
Lamium
5.0
(2)
"I’d plant Lamium. Pretty, hardy, and fast spreading but easily corralled."
"I love Lamium.. Pretty foliage, gets purple flowers in spring and very easy to control."
#19
Fragaria virginiana
4.5
(2)
"Virginia strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) spreads very quickly via runners."
"Fragaria virginiana can quickly cover an area in part shade."
#20
Phlox
4.5
(2)
"Phlox! Phlox subulata loves full sun and there are a lot of cultivars available."
"Creeping Phlox is good. Really nice but fairly short blooms, spreads and is low maintenance."
#21
Sweet Woodruff
4.5
(2)
"Sweet woodruff is my favorite ground cover for shade!"
"Sweet woodruff has all the features you want!"
#22
Wild Strawberry
4.5
(2)
"Wild strawberry, wild geranium, phlox, any aster, goldenrod, blazing star, black eyed susan, coneflower or mountain mint would all be lovely."
"Wild strawberry or yarrow could both work"
#23
Geranium
4.5
(2)
"Geranium. Perennial kind, not pelagonium pot annual geraniums. You’ll plant 5 or 6 and within one season you’ll have more spread because of the rhizomes than you’ll know what to do with."
"Anybody try hardy geraniums? I’m considering them for a shady walkway next to my house."
#24
Frogfruit
4.5
(2)
"Frogfruit is pretty awesome, the NPS is using it as a lawn replacement at some historic sites in Georgia."
"Frogfruit is your best bet for controlling weeds, but it can't fully suppress the most pernicious ones."
#25
Bearberry
4.0
(2)
"Check out bearberry, wild ginger, bunchberry dogwood, anemone."
"Bearberry is nice but it can't be walked on."
#26
Microclover
4.0
(2)
"Microclover or sedums!"
"Microclover is a great alternative that requires less water."
#27
Virginia Creeper
4.0
(2)
"Virginia creeper thrives in various light conditions."
"Grape arbor? Virginia creeper arbor? Other native vine?"
#28
Buffalo Grass
4.0
(2)
"I'd do buffalo grass (if you prefer grass), but then water the hell out of it."
"A good solid grass for lawns."
#29
Ferns
4.0
(2)
"Maybe some ferns would be nice as well."
"Pretty much any fern, even some varieties of coleus can manage shade life to some extent."
#30
Native Plants
4.0
(2)
"Turkey Tangle Frog Fruit is a sturdy and walkable option."
"Yarrow is easy to grow from seed and handles foot traffic well."
#31
Sunshine Mimosa
3.5
(2)
"Sunshine mimosa, frogfruit, and (for a slightly taller option) dune sunflower all do well."
"Sunshine Mimosa is soooooo difficult to get rid of. Perennial peanut does not spread as much and is easier to remove if needed."
#32
UC Verde
5.0
(1)
"Buffalo grass is a no mow or if you want it to look tidy you can mow once a month."
#33
Lyreleaf Sage
5.0
(1)
"If you have full sun, I recommend antennaria pussytoes, moss phlox, lyreleaf sage, or even yarrow if you're planning to mow it."
#34
Thymus pseudolanuginosus
5.0
(1)
"Wooly thyme, sedum, clover all of those grow well."
#35
Arachis glabrata
5.0
(1)
"I know a lot of people who swear by perennial peanut."
#36
Thymus serpyllum
5.0
(1)
"Creeping Thyme can be beautiful."
#37
Prairie Moon Nursery
5.0
(1)
"Prairie Moon Nursery (prairiemoon.com) out of MN and Prairie Nursery (prairienursery.com) out of WI both have really nifty search filters to help figure out what might serve you best based on sun exposure and soil type for your yard!"
#38
Seedsavers.com
5.0
(1)
"Seedsavers.com buy the mesic grass and mesic wildflower mix."
#39
Prairie Nursery
5.0
(1)
"Prairie Nursery and Moon Prairie are good online stores for seeds and live plants."
#40
OnPlants.ca
5.0
(1)
"I have a native woodland strawberry that's filled in most of my yard very quickly."
#41
Perennial Ryegrass
5.0
(1)
"For Zone 8, consider creeping red fescue or perennial ryegrass."
#42
Creeping Sage
5.0
(1)
"Creeping sage, manzanita or ceanothus!"
#43
Creeping Red Fescue
5.0
(1)
"For Zone 8, consider creeping red fescue or perennial ryegrass."
#44
Manzanita
5.0
(1)
"Manzanita & ceanothus groundcover cultivars exist aswell"
#45
Aegopodium variegatum
5.0
(1)
"It'll happily take over the world if you let it..."
#46
Wild Strawberries
5.0
(1)
"Wild strawberries will go crazy with runners!"
#47
Myoporum
5.0
(1)
"If you want a thick mat, myoporum, Dampiera diversifolia, scaevola are also lovely."
#48
Amsonia
5.0
(1)
"I am going to use Amsonia plugs in one region of my ongoing landscaping."
#49
Prairie Moon
5.0
(1)
"Prairie moon has a wide selection and the ability to search by moisture, sun and height."
#50
Asian Jasmine
5.0
(1)
"Asian jasmine or mondo grass."
#51
Native Strawberry
5.0
(1)
"I use native strawberry and mosses"
#52
Vinca Minor
5.0
(1)
"Vinca minor (periwinkle) or hostas. They will open up and cover for the summer."
#53
Fragrant Sumac
4.0
(1)
"Creeping Mahonia, Fragrant Sumac, and Gambel Oak would all be perfect."
#54
Hemlock
4.0
(1)
"Hemlock mulch. It’s less splintery."
#55
Path Rush
4.0
(1)
"Path rush (Juncus tenuis) is a compacted soil specialist that can withstand some traffic."
#56
Monarda Bradburiana
4.0
(1)
"Native plants to your area will do well. Missouri is the home of monarda bradburiana, one of our native bee balms."
#57
Pumice
4.0
(1)
"Currently leaning towards pumice for drainage."
#58
Hayscented Ferns
4.0
(1)
"Hayscented ferns. They work great for preventing erosion."
#59
Dwarf Fescue
4.0
(1)
"Creeping thyme, clover, dwarf fescue, and a bunch of larger plants for more pollinator variation."
#60
Canada Anemone
4.0
(1)
"Along with the other suggestions I’d recommend Canada anemone, creeping dogwood, partridge berry, wintergreen."
#61
Morning Glory
4.0
(1)
"I purchased some 'blue my mind' morning glory evolvulus hybrid."
#62
Strawberries
4.0
(1)
"I use strawberries for ground cover in the gardening area."
#63
Native Violets
4.0
(1)
"Native violets might tolerate the shady part well, and they cope with gentle morning sun."
#64
Sweet Alyssum
4.0
(1)
"Sweet alyssum. A low-growing nepeta (catmint) can also serve as a drapery edging."
#65
Cotoneaster
4.0
(1)
"Cotoneaster makes a nice ground cover and gets nice flowers and berries."
#66
Festuca rubra
4.0
(1)
"Use creeping red fescue and Dutch white clover."
#67
Mahonia
4.0
(1)
"Seconding Mahonia repens, produces nice yellow flower clusters and grows pretty low."
#68
Juniper
4.0
(1)
"Rug Juniper"
#69
Partridgeberry
4.0
(1)
"Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens ), evergreen wood fern (Dryopteris marginalis)"
#70
Micro Clover
4.0
(1)
"I’m using micro clover."
#71
Barren Strawberries
4.0
(1)
"Try barren strawberries."
#72
Oregano
4.0
(1)
"I have been most successful with Oregano, lavender, lemon thyme, and especially strawberry."
#73
Kinnikinick
4.0
(1)
"How about sulfur-flower buckwheat, kinnikinick/ bearberry and penstemon?"
#74
DogTuff
4.0
(1)
"DogTuff grass. Waterwise and urine doesn't affect it."
#75
No Mow Lawn Grass Seed
4.0
(1)
"No mow or low mow grass."
#76
Penstemon
4.0
(1)
"Penstemons are often good for full sun areas. I like Hot Rock Penstemon."
#77
Coral Bells
4.0
(1)
"Add coral bells and Columbine to if you want."
#78
Perennial Geranium
4.0
(1)
"Or perennial geranium is another good option."
#79
White Woodland Aster
4.0
(1)
"I'm using it mixed with White Woodland Aster to fill in a shady area."
#80
Lady Fern
4.0
(1)
"You could also try short ferns, like lady fern."
#81
Creeping Veronica
4.0
(1)
"Creeping veronica."
#82
Golden Ragwort
4.0
(1)
"If you're in the Eastern US, I like Golden Ragwort for what you're describing, assuming the area gets decent moisture."
#83
Hot Rock Penstemon
4.0
(1)
"I like Hot Rock Penstemon, but I'm not sure it's native in your area."
#84
Mimosa
1.5
(2)
"I’ve got mimosa, it will spread very aggressively."
"OP, please don’t plant mimosa. It is highly invasive."
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