Ground cover plants for low maintenance gardens

30th December, 2022

Looking to save time, water and money on your lawn this summer? Landscaping with ground cover plants, is a great way to create a beautiful outdoor space that doesn't require a lot of water or maintenance. Once planted they will create a nectar rich colourful tapestry of ground cover plants, that require no mowing. Fake plastic grass is expensive, terrible for nature and the environment, and can stink in the summer if you have pets. Ground cover plants are much cheaper than plastic grass, and look so much nicer than fake lawns. Here are five ground cover plants that make great substitutes for grass or plastic grass:

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

Creeping Jenny is a fast-spreading, low-growing plant that forms a dense mat of foliage. It's a great choice for covering large areas of ground, and its pretty yellow flowers add a splash of colour.

Stonecrop (Sedum spp.)

Stonecrop is a hardy succulent that comes in a variety of colours and forms. It's perfect for hot, dry areas of the garden where grass won't grow well, and its fleshy leaves store water, making it drought tolerant.

Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina)

Lamb's ear is a soft, fuzzy plant that's often used as a ground cover or in rock gardens. It's drought tolerant and low maintenance, and its silver-grey leaves add a beautiful contrast to other green plants in the garden.

Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)

Bugleweed is a fast-spreading ground cover that forms a dense mat of foliage. It's perfect for shady areas of the landscape where grass won't grow, and its pretty blue flowers add colour to the garden in spring.

Roman chamomile, (Chamaemelum nobile)

Best known for it's herbal use as a tea, Chamomile also makes a lovely, informal and low maintenance lawn, with apple scented, daisy-like, flowers. A perfect alternative to a grass turf lawn in small gardens.