Low-Maintenance Ground Covers That Suppress Weeds

Hardy ground covers can not only improve the appearance of your yard, but they can also significantly reduce the amount of time you spend weeding.

Need coverage for a dry area that gets full sun? Struggling to grow grass in dry shade? Or perhaps your landscape suffers from boggy patches marred by bald spots and scraggly weeds.

One of the perennial ground covers below could be the perfect solution to your problem. Each grows thickly, choking out weeds as it spreads. And each requires little care to thrive where few other plants will grow.

For Wet, Full-Sun Locations



Golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is a rugged ground cover hardy in Zones 3-9.* It thrives in wet areas. Although it grows in partial shade, for best color grow it in full sun. Its long trailing stems have round chartreuse leaves and yellow flowers.

Creeping Jenny covers large areas quickly, putting out roots all along its stems and choking out weeds.

Use it to ring a pond, trail along a wall or edge a walkway. It even makes a great spiller in mixed container gardens. Although creeping Jenny can be an aggressive grower, the cultivar "Aurea' is relatively well behaved.

For Moist, Partial-Shade Areas

Mazus reptans, commonly called mazus, is another low-maintenance perennial ground cover. Suitable for Zones 4-9, it performs best in part shade, but it will grow in full shade, too.

When weather's hot, keep mazus moist. In mild climates it remains green year round and begins blooming in early spring. If conditions are right, it will bloom throughout summer, sometimes even into fall.

At just two-inches tall, mazus is the perfect ground cover between stepping stones and along walls. And it's easy to propagate. Transplant small plugs from established plants in early spring or fall when they're not in bloom. Or, root cuttings during the summer and plant them in autumn.

Creeping phlox is a classic perennial ground cover that's hardy in Zones 3-9. Although it looks delicate, phlox is extremely rugged. And it grows easily in shaded and full-sun areas.

For Moist, Shady Areas

Tufted creeping phlox is a North American native that prefers partial sun or shade and moist soil. It has needle-like evergreen leaves that form a dense mat to effectively suppress weeds.

In early spring, it produces small white or pink flowers. 'Pink Ridge' (pictured right) is a fragrant cultivar with hot pink blooms. When flowering, it can reach up to 12-inches high.

For Dry, Full-Sun Areas

For erosion control, few ground covers work better than creeping phlox (Phlox subulata).

It loves full sun, it's drought tolerant and it isn't picky about soil quality. Phlox subulata cultivars come in a variety of flower colors, including white, blue, red and pink.

Like tufted creeping phlox, Phlox subulata has needle-like evergreen leaves.

For Dry, Full-Sun Areas

Red creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum coccineus ) is a heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant ground cover that grows in zones 3 to 9. It likes full sun and grows close to the ground at only two to four-inches tall. It's deer-resistant, too.

Plant it around stepping stones. It gives off a delightful scent when stepped on. Or plant it by walls, along borders and in other areas that are difficult to weed.

Red creeping thyme adds attractive deep green color to your landscape throughout spring, but it's most beautiful in summer when it erupts in gorgeous crimson flowers.

For Poor-Soil Areas in Full or Partial Sun

Dragon's blood sedum may be the hardiest and most versatile of all weed-suppressing ground covers.

A cultivar of the succulent Sedum spurium, Dragon's blood ('Schorbuser Blut') is hardy in Zones 3-8. Not only does it grow in full sun as well as partial shade, but it also thrives in poor soil.

Like creeping Jenny, Dragon's blood sedum has trailing stems that root easily, so it's a snap to propagate. It does well in containers, rock gardens and places where little else (besides weeds) will grow.

Dragon's blood sedum looks good year round. In spring it produces bright green leaves that turn maroon as temperatures drop. In summer it has showy red flowers.

Less hardy Sedum spurium cultivars include ‘Red Carpet,' which has red leaves, and ‘Voodoo,' which has mahogany-colored leaves. 'John Creech,' is a smaller, slower growing cultivar that produces pretty pink blossoms in fall. 'Tricolor' has green, pink and white variegated leaves.

If you don't know your area's plant hardiness zone, go to BackyardGardener.com for links to zone maps in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, New Zealand, North America, South America and the U.S.