The best ground cover plants are low-growing perennials and sub-shrubs that suppress weeds, stabilise slopes, and fill bare soil with dense foliage: Vinca minor (Periwinkle), Ajuga reptans (Bugle), Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Spurge), Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum), and Epimedium (Barrenwort). These plants are typically 10–30cm tall and spread vegetatively, forming a weed-excluding mat. Browse our ground cover plant collection with delivery across Europe.

Which Ground Cover Plants Grow in Shade?

The most effective shade ground covers are Vinca minor (thrives in deep shade, produces purple flowers April–June), Pachysandra terminalis (evergreen, pH-adaptable, spreads slowly but reliably), and Epimedium (semi-evergreen, exceptional drought tolerance once established under tree canopy). For partial shade, Ajuga reptans produces striking bronze or purple foliage and blue flower spikes in spring. For dry shade — the most difficult garden scenario — Epimedium perralderianum and Liriope muscari outperform all alternatives.

Ground Cover Plants for Sun and Slopes

For full sun and well-drained soil, Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is unmatched — aromatic, bee-attractant, semi-evergreen, and walkable (tolerates light foot traffic between stepping stones). Sedum spurium (Stonecrop) is equally sun-loving and exceptional on dry slopes where drainage is excellent. Helianthemum (Rock Rose) provides an explosion of summer colour on south-facing banks and thrives in poor, alkaline soil — conditions that defeat most plants.

How Fast Do Ground Cover Plants Spread?

Spreading rate varies significantly by species: Vinca minor spreads 30–60cm per year and reaches full coverage in 2–3 seasons; Ajuga reptans spreads via stolons and fills a 1m² area in a single growing season; Pachysandra terminalis spreads slowly (10–20cm per year) but eventually forms a dense, near-permanent carpet that requires no maintenance. Plant at 30cm spacings for faster coverage, or 45–60cm for economy — mulch the gaps with bark until canopy closes.

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