Tough perennials, ground cover, grasses and ferns, mostly supplied as packs of young plants in 9cm pots, for gardeners and landscapers who want borders and beds that look after themselves once established. Free tracked delivery across Ireland and 24 more EU countries.
What makes a planting low maintenance?
Choosing the right plant for the right place. A plant suited to its light and soil needs far less attention than one struggling in the wrong spot. "Low maintenance" means low maintenance once established: water through the first summer, mulch between young plants to keep weeds down until they knit together, and cut perennials back once a year. After that, most of these plants need little more than an annual tidy.
| Plant | Best spot | Role | Evergreen | Bee-friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranesbill 'Rozanne' (Geranium 'Rozanne') | Sun or part shade | Long-flowering ground cover | No, regrows in spring | Yes |
| Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox) | Full sun, free-draining | Low mat for gravel and edges | Yes | Yes |
| Catmint (Nepeta 'Walker's Low') | Sun | Soft border edging | No | Yes |
| Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii) | Part shade to shade | Evergreen grassy clumps | Yes | — |
| Lilyturf (Liriope muscari 'Big Blue') | Shade or sun | Edging and ground cover | Yes | — |
| Barrenwort (Epimedium 'Frohnleiten') | Dry shade | Ground cover under trees | Largely | — |
| Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis 'Variegata') | Shade | Dense carpet under shrubs | Yes | — |
Plants for sun and plants for shade
For sunny, well-drained spots, look at Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' and 'Mainacht', catmint, thyme, Calamintha nepeta, Echinops ritro, Agastache 'Blue Fortune', Erigeron karvinskianus, Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet' and blue fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Bleu'). Their single flowers are rich in nectar and popular with bees. For shade, choose Geranium macrorrhizum, Brunnera, Tiarella cordifolia, Luzula sylvatica, Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, hellebores and ferns such as the hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) and male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas).
How many plants do I need?
For ground cover from 9cm pots, plant roughly 5–7 per square metre. A 48-pack covers about 7–9 m² and a 60-pack about 9–12 m². Closer spacing fills in faster; wider spacing needs a season or two longer and more mulch in between.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best low-maintenance ground cover for shade in Ireland?
Geranium macrorrhizum, Epimedium, Pachysandra terminalis and Carex morrowii all cope with shade and form a weed-suppressing layer once established.
When is the best time to plant perennials and ground cover?
Autumn and spring are best, when the soil is moist but not frozen or waterlogged. Water new plants regularly through their first summer.
Do low-maintenance plants still need weeding?
Yes, until they knit together. Mulch bare soil between young plants and weed lightly for the first season or two; after that, dense planting shades out most weeds.
Explore more: Ground cover plants · Shade garden plants · Best ground cover plants guide · Bulk plant orders
Shortlists: Best Hardy Perennials for Low-Maintenance Gardens · Best Hardy Perennials for Clay Soil · Best Ground Cover Plants for Weed Suppression