The Best Ground Cover Plants with Environmental Benefits

By Calin Oancea and Florin Gabriel

4/12/20246 min read

Ground cover plants are not just nice-looking plants plants but they also play a role in enhancing the environment and biodiversity.

In this article, we will explore 10 of the best ground cover plants that we saw, inspected, and have experience with that also offer environmental benefits and are suitable for various conditions including shade, evergreen landscapes, and full sun areas.

green design
green design
green design
green design
a ground cover plant in full sun with two flowers
a ground cover plant in full sun with two flowers
green design
green design

Which Benefits Do Ground Cover Plants Have?

Ground cover plants contribute to environmental health. They prevent soil erosion, improve soil quality, and support biodiversity by providing habitats for insects and small animals. These plants also help in water conservation by reducing evaporation from the soil. Like most of the plants, they play a role in improving air quality and holding carbon (carbon sequestration).

a bunch of green Mondo Grass covering the ground
a bunch of green Mondo Grass covering the ground

Mondo Grass

Mondo Grass is excellent for edging, filling gaps between stepping stones, or as a low-maintenance ground cover in shaded areas. The Grassy ground cover plant, which is often mistaken as a weed that looks like grass, grows to about 15-30 cm (6-12 in). It prefers well-drained soil and forms dense clumps of grass-like foliage.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
a ground cover shrub called Juniper
a ground cover shrub called Juniper

Juniper

Juniper, with species varying in size but some ground covers reaching up to 30-60 cm (1-2 ft) in height, is an excellent choice for full sun and well-drained soil. This bushy ornamental plant is highly drought-tolerant which means that it doesn't require much watering and offers dense foliage. Junipers are known for their low maintenance, making them ideal for covering large areas.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
climbing English Ivy plants in almost full shade
climbing English Ivy plants in almost full shade

English Ivy

English Ivy, with its ability to climb up to 20-30 m (65-100 ft), is a classic choice for vertical garden settings. It prefers partial to full shade and well-drained soil. We found that the shade ground cover plant has a dark green leafy foliage, which provides year-round greenery making it ideal for vertical gardens or covering spaces and walls.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
small leaved Sweet Jenny plants in partial shade
small leaved Sweet Jenny plants in partial shade

Creeping Jenny

Creeping Jenny, known for its vibrant, chartreuse leaves, reaches lengths of 5-10 cm (2-4 in). It prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. This fast-growing ground cover plant adds color and contrasts beautifully with other shade-loving or cover plants. It is a good choice for hanging planters or woodland gardens because its stems with light green leaves that typically grow downwards.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
an Ice Plant ground cover plant with pink flowers
an Ice Plant ground cover plant with pink flowers

Ice Plant

Ice Plant, typically growing to about 15-20 cm (6-8 in) high, has a succulent-like foliage and amazing pink flowers. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and is a great choice for dry and sunny areas. The drought-tolerant ground cover forms a colorful mat that blooms profusely in summer, making it ideal for rock gardens, slopes, or as a vibrant border in low-water landscapes.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design

Vinca Minor

Vinca Minor, reaching heights of 10-20 cm (4-8 in), is a fast-growing and low maintenance ground cover suitable for shade and full sun. It is known for its glossy leaves and blue or purple flowers. Vinca Minor is excellent for controlling soil erosion and year-round foliage, making it a popular choice for covering larger areas.

a leafy shade ground cover called Vinca Minor
a leafy shade ground cover called Vinca Minor
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
multiple Lamb's Ear Plants with soft leaves
multiple Lamb's Ear Plants with soft leaves

Lamb's Ear

Lamb's Ear, with its soft, fuzzy leaves, reaches about 30-45 cm (12-18 in) in height. This drought-tolerant shade plant is perfect for adding a unique texture to shade gardens, especially in dry areas. It prefers well-drained soil and can tolerate partial shade.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design

Potentilla

It's known for its long blooming season, offering flowers from late spring to fall. This hardy shrub is perfect for borders or as a low hedge, similar to most dwarf perennial plants, providing continuous color and easy care. Potentilla is a smaller shrub that reaches 60-120 cm (2-4 ft) and prefers full sun and well-drained soil.

a bunch of yellow dwarf bush flowers in a garden
a bunch of yellow dwarf bush flowers in a garden
green design
green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
Creeping Thyme ground cover plants in a garden
Creeping Thyme ground cover plants in a garden

Creeping Thyme

Creeping Thyme, growing to about 5-10 cm (2-4 in), is a fragrant, low-growing herb ideal for full sun. It thrives in well-drained soil and is drought-tolerant once established. This evergreen plant quickly covers the ground, offering a beautiful carpet of tiny flowers that attract pollinators. After growing it in our garden we found that it's perfect for foot traffic, rock gardens, or between pavers.

green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
green design
green Pachysandra plants in a shady space
green Pachysandra plants in a shady space

Pachysandra

Pachysandra, reaching about 20-30 cm (8-12 in), is a shade-loving evergreen. It thrives in well-drained soil and is ideal for covering large shaded areas. Pachysandra is a leafy garden plant and ground cover that provides a dense carpet of green this helps to suppress weeds and protect the soil.

dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design
dark green design

Sources

Nature and Sustainability uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, and other fact-dense and highly trusted sources to support the facts that we use in our articles. Please read our editorial policy to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. 

  1. General Ground Cover Information: Ground Covers: Learn What They Are and How to Use Them (thespruce.com)

  2. Creeping Thyme: How to Grow and Care for a Creeping Thyme Lawn (marthastewart.com)

  3. Mondo Grass: How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Mondo Grass | Planet Natural

  4. Ice Plant: Delosperma cooperi (Cooper's Hardy Ice Plant, Hardy Ice Plant) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu)

  5. Pachysandra: Pachysandra terminalis (Carpet Box, Japanese Pachysandra, Japanese Spurge, Pachysandra) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu)

  6. Lamb's Ear: How to Grow Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina) | BBC Gardeners World Magazine

Share this article:

Calin Oancea
Calin Oancea
Green Box
Green Box

Article By:

Calin has been in the garden industry for 5 years and knows a lot about gardening and plants. He owns this website and is responsible for most of the content.

Reviewed By:

Florin, a more technical guy, is responsible for the design, reviewing the articles and making improvements, and optimizing for SEO so that everything we publish looks deam good.