Lesser-known ground covers that perform delightfully
If you have a spot in the landscape that is too shady for grass to grow, a slope that is too steep for a lawn mower to safely maneuver or a trodden strip between two driveways, ground covers can fill the space delightfully.
Pachysandra, periwinkle and ivy may be the first options that come to mind, and these are all fine choices, but there are others you may want to consider.
If you have a shady landscape with dry soil, spotted dead nettle (Lamium) performs beautifully. Many varieties offer foliage with silvery white variegation that brighten the garden even when the plants are not in flower. But in late spring to early summer, the small white, pink or lavender flowers supply added charm. Spotted dead nettle is an ideal choice for growing under trees.
Yellow archangel (Lamiastrum) looks a lot like spotted dead nettle but sports yellow flowers in June. It is a better choice for areas with deep shade.
Sweet woodruff forms a mat of bright green whorled foliage. Dainty, fragrant, white flowers bloom in May. The creeping roots of sweet woodruff quickly cover an area in most soils as long as they are watered in periods of drought.
To cover ground in shady spots with consistently moist soil, try Irish moss (Sagina subulata). Choose the variety with lime green foliage or the dark green type. Either one will grow into a dense mat. Tiny white flowers bloom in late summer.
There are several cultivars of stonecrop (Sedum) to quickly cover ground in sunny, dry places. Their succulent foliage may be green, blue-tinted or golden.
Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) grows into a carpet of needlelike foliage in well-drained soil. It is a sight to behold when brightly colored flowers in white, pink, lavender or reddish-purple cover the foliage in spring.
Barren strawberries (Walsteinia fragarioides) are happy in full sun to part shade in any well-drained soil. The small plants with strawberry-like foliage spread quickly by runners and show off small, yellow flowers in spring.
If you need a ground cover for a sunny spot that will have light foot traffic, plant red creeping thyme (Thymus praecox Coccineus). It grows just 2 to 4 inches tall and boasts tiny, rose-pink flowers. It releases its lovely scent when it is stepped on. This is a great choice for planting between flagstones.
The best choices to cover large areas may be sprawling shrubs. Gro-low fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) grows 2 to 4 feet tall and spreads up to 5 feet wide. It is very drought tolerant and its green leaves turn a showstopping orange red in the fall.
There is a selection of creeping junipers if an evergreen ground cover is desired for a hot, dry landscape. Choose a type with silvery-blue, golden or green needlelike foliage.
Believe it or not, roses can also be a beautiful, low-maintenance choice for a sunny site with good soil. There are several cultivars that spread very wide. The Drift series of roses bloom from early summer to fall (without deadheading) on compact plants. Since they are available in ten gorgeous colors, there is sure to be one perfect for your garden.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and garden writer. She blogs at gardenwithdiana.com.