Ground cover perennials: species names with descriptions, cultivation and care | (35+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews

One of the most common cover perennials. Another name is thyme. The culture is interesting in that it changes its color twice per season, that is, the color of thyme before, during and after flowering will be different.

It has many creeping shoots up to 20 cm long, rich green. The leaves are hard with strongly protruding tips. Flowering occurs in June-July and lasts up to 2.5 months. This ground cover perennial during flowering is shown in the following photo:

It is undemanding to soils, does not need watering. Grows even on rocky soils. Refers to medicinal plants. Walking near thyme lawns is believed to have a preventive effect.

The use of culture in landscape design is not limited to filling large areas - thyme is actively used in rock gardens, rock gardens and small containers.

Groundcover from the Astrov family. There are about 80 species. Very decorative: small yellow flowers on a green background resemble dandelions, but due to their small size they look much more aesthetic.

The leaves are small, resembling fern leaves, with many small teeth. There are up to 20 pairs of small leaves on the stems. Single flowers with a diameter of not more than 8 mm, have a pleasant aroma. Blooms once per season, duration - up to 1.5 months.

The plant feels good in fertile loamy or clay soil, but can also grow on sandy soils. To stimulate more flowers, spring phosphorus-potassium top dressing is used, which is carried out in early or mid-May.

Another name for "sedum" or northern succulents. They have fleshy leaves, usually elongated, capable of accumulating moisture. There are more than 600 species, about half of which are used in landscape design as a cover, due to their unpretentiousness and endurance.

It has a huge variety in the color palette: there are colors from snow-white to blue or dark red. It grows exclusively in sunny places, in the shade the growth of shoots slows down, and flowering is very scarce.

Perennial herbaceous plants with a powerful root system of complex shape. Grows on almost any soil - up to rocky mountain. The stems are covered with round leaves, collected in a kind of rosettes. The leaves are slightly pubescent, their color can vary from light to dark green. There are specimens with glossy foliage.

The rugs that form dense shoots of saxifrage are like pillows. They are very dense - sometimes it is quite problematic to stir up a bush or separate it with your hands. Such solutions are ideal for decorating alpine slides and rockeries. In addition, they are often combined with conifers. Such solutions look especially good on rocky slopes. The dark green color of the needles contrasts perfectly with the bright spots of the cover bushes.

Flowering is abundant, it begins in the first decade of June and lasts about a month. The flowers are mostly pink or white. The culture does not need watering and top dressing, since powerful roots are able to extract nutrients from literally any soil.

A relative of the saxifrage is the geyhera. Despite the fact that outwardly these are completely different plants, in both species the main decorative element is the leaves. In geyhera, they change color up to three times per season. In spring, the leaves have a greenish tint, as they approach flowering they turn purple, then purple or orange.

Depending on the variety of geyhera, the color change during the season may be different.

Phlox subulate is a low-growing culture (not higher than 15 cm) with purple or dark blue flowers. It has thin stems, on which flowers with a diameter of up to 20 mm are located.

Flowering occurs relatively late - in early August, but lasts almost until the end of October. It grows well on fertile soils, but can be grown on poor soils if it is provided with top dressing. The plant does well in dry soils. Shade and penumbra does not tolerate.

The most popular ground cover crop of this genus is Cossack juniper. This is a hardy plant, sometimes reaching a height of up to 2 m, but most often its shoots creep along the ground at a level of 20-30 cm. Juniper needles have a slightly silvery tint.

It is a long-liver even among conifers. Without any care, it can exist for hundreds of years. It grows in breadth relatively slowly, but has a dense crown and a strong root system. It is drought-resistant, able to do without watering for a whole season.

Representatives of this vast family include not only tall roses or wild roses. There are several dozen species that exist without problems at a low level at a height of no more than 20 cm. Like all "wild" pinks, they adapt perfectly to almost any conditions and easily endure even the most severe winters.

The variety of pinks is very large. The following are the most popular crops that can be used as short cover plants.

Atsena is able to create continuous fields of low shoots with flowers of a red-pink hue. Prefers alkaline soils and open areas.

Dyusheneya Indiana, the shape of leaves and berries resembles strawberries, but it grows more densely, covering the ground with a continuous carpet. Berries, despite the beautiful exterior, are inedible.

Also a large family, however, unlike pink ones, it is more homogeneous. Its various representatives have almost the same appearance.

Ground covers are represented by the following crops:

The latter is a typical representative of ground covers with high peduncles. Its leaves are located at a level of up to 20 cm, but the inflorescences rise significantly higher - from 50 to 100 cm.

Prefers brightly lit areas, which does not prevent him from being a moisture-loving culture. Without sufficient watering, flowering will be poor, although the number of leaves will remain almost unchanged.

Some flower growers use this, since the leaves of the chistets are quite decorative: depending on the variety, they have a wide range of shades, in addition, they also have a very attractive pubescence.

A plant that forms a dense and long-lived cover of white flowers. Another name for the variety is shoot-bearing. Almost the only representative of stonecrop, loving shady areas; its development on the Sun is significantly slowed down due to thermal burns.

The height of the cover is relatively small - up to 15 cm. The flowers are white, five-leaved, appearing on the shoots not simultaneously, but with slight delays. The leaves are dense and fleshy, rich green in color.

Prefers to grow on rocky or sandy soils. Does not need fertilizers.

An evergreen creeping perennial that loves shady areas under large trees. In the axils of the leaves are five-leaved flowers up to 20 mm in diameter, blue or light purple. Blooms almost all summer.

The culture is unpretentious and does not require care at all, in fact, being a weed. Periwinkle watering is used exclusively to make the planting decorative: sprinkling washes away dirt from dust from the leaves, making the plant more attractive.

A group of varieties that have a common origin. Typical patrons of temperate climates. The main decorative element of the plant is glossy leaves. The name of these ground cover perennials is associated with the shape of the leaves: they look like goat hooves. The flowers are reduced and hidden under them.

The diameter of the leaves in all varieties is almost the same, but the length of the petiole, on which the height of the cover depends, can vary widely (from 5 to 15 cm). Many varieties of ungulates (European, caudate, etc.) retain their leaf cover even under a layer of snow.

Best of all, the hoof grows on slightly acidic loose soils. The plant needs moderate watering every 1-2 weeks.

A creeping perennial that forms a lush canopy due to its rapid growth and large number of large leaves. Already in the first months after the snow has melted, the growth rate of young shoots reaches 30-40 cm per month.

Fragrant Micah flowers are also decorative.. They appear at the end of June, forming panicle-type inflorescences, which include up to 20 individual bell-shaped flowers of a white-violet hue. Flowering lasts about two months.

It has creeping stems up to 40 cm long. It got its name due to paired leaves, outwardly similar to coins. Has large yellow flowers.

Able to grow on any soil, the main requirement is constant soil moisture. Even a complete “filling” of the site with water is allowed, since the roots of the plant are able to tolerate 100% moisture without the danger of decay.

Often used to decorate artificial ponds and streams. It has a very high growth rate, to the point that it is mowed several times a season.

Some varieties of this crop have a short stature and a dense planting density. In total, about three dozen varieties of carnations are used for this purpose. They differ in the height of the leaf cover (up to 20 cm), the length of the peduncles (up to 25 cm), the color of the petals (from white to purple) and the diameter of the flowers.

In any case, the conditions for growing carnations are approximately the same: as much moisture and sun as possible.

A feature of this undersized groundcover is that that a carnation in the same place can grow for a very long time (more than 10 years) without losing its decorative properties.

In addition, the vast family of cloves includes many other crops that are similar in terms of agricultural technology and appearance.

Among them, the following types are popular:

All of them are moisture-loving crops and are able to grow even on poor soils. Most of them have smooth leaves, but there are also pubescent ones (for example, stalk).

Carnation flowers are small, up to 2 cm in diameter. They are mostly solitary but in some species (for example, in armeria) they are collected in round inflorescences.

This family has several species of short stature that can form a continuous carpet of flowers. Distinguishing feature - early flowering, from which the name of the family comes.

Primrose - a typical representative of this group of plants. It has several stems no more than 15 cm long, the top of each is crowned with several yellow flowers. Flowering occurs in mid-spring and lasts until the end of May. The leaves are short and pubescent, but their number is large.

Cortuza is another member of the Primrose family, preferring to grow in moist areas. The plant has fluffy light green heart-shaped leaves up to 8 cm in diameter, located on petioles about 10 cm long. Peduncles ending in umbrella inflorescences rise above the foliage at a height of 15-20 cm. Flowers can be purple, pink or white. They appear in early spring, flowering time is about a month.

Plants that fully justify their name - creeping shoots are completely undemanding to care for and have fantastic endurance and survival. The culture is very aggressive: in a couple of seasons it is capable of occupying an area of ​​​​several acres from one bush.

The leaves have long petioles, they are dark green in color with reddish veins. Flowers of violet or lilac shades are collected in spike-type inflorescences. During flowering (May-June), their number can be so large that neither the earth nor the leaves are practically visible behind them.

The rate of growth and spread of the crop is significantly slowed down in the absence of moisture in the upper soil layer. (the depth of the roots does not exceed 30 cm), so in order to get a more or less acceptable lawn, the culture should be watered regularly.

A rather large family, most of whose representatives are difficult to attribute to ground cover, since the height of their peduncles reaches 2 m. However, there are about a dozen species with small stature and large umbrella inflorescences. Planted tightly, they are able to form a carpet of flowers. Petals are white or yellow. Flowering time is at the beginning of summer.

Typical representatives include:

Alyssum is the most popular among flower growers, although outwardly all representatives are very similar to each other and differ only in the color of leaves and stems. Like all Brassicaceae, Alyssum has strong stems with symmetrical leaves.

Alyssum leaves at the beginning of the season are pubescent and dark green in color. Over time, they become glossy and brighter, and the villi almost completely disappear. Flowers in umbellate inflorescences are formed at the tops of the stems. They have a pleasant aroma and attract the attention of bees.

With prolonged cultivation in one place, the stems can become quite long and thick, sometimes they can even become woody. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly remove old shoots from the site.

Another popular succulentwith decorative leaves and flowers. A feature of the plant are fleshy leaves, collected in beautiful rosettes. There are several dozen cultivated species of juveniles that are successfully used as cover plants.

The leaves and flowers of the young have many shades - from silver to dark red. The forms of bushes, stems, leaves and inflorescences are also very diverse. Left to itself, without limiting growth, the flower is able to cover all available areas with a continuous carpet. Strong shoots sometimes even break the asphalt surface.

Prefers dry and bright sunny areas. Can withstand drought for several months. It is also actively grown at home, and some species are able to bloom even in winter.

Despite the name, it is perfectly adapted to the northern latitudes. It has a large number of erect stems 15-20 cm long with slightly pubescent leaves. The shape of the leaves is very remarkable - they are very thin and elongated (up to 26 mm long, and only 1.5-2 mm wide).

On the peduncle there can be up to two dozen yellow or yellow-green flowers, individual or partially collected in umbrella inflorescences. Flowering begins in May and lasts up to 2 months.

Grows on any type of soil. In nature, it is found both in semi-desert sandstones and in swamps. It does not need watering and top dressing.

Although most lavender varieties are relatively tall, some varieties with flower stalks no longer than 20 cm can make excellent horticultural cover crops.

Lavender belongs to heat-loving plants, and most of its species in open ground are not recommended to be grown in frost resistance zones below 6 (up to -23 ° C). However, just the ground cover varieties of Munstead and Hidkot, having a height of no more than 30 cm, perfectly tolerate winters with temperatures down to -35 ° C without any shelter.

The composition of the soil for lavender is not critical. Top dressing is not required, but for better flowering it is recommended to apply potassium fertilizers in the middle of spring. Top dressing with organic matter in the form of wood ash is allowed.