Ground cover perennials: how to decorate the site with their help?

Application in design

Because of their unpretentiousness, ground cover perennials are very popular with landscape designers and gardeners. Their application is universal – these flowers can be equally successfully used to decorate a garden, flower beds, stone flower beds: rockeries and rock gardens. Ground cover perennials are one of the most profitable ways to decorate flower beds and individual sections of the garden, since these flowers have many advantages:

• as a rule, perennials are not demanding on growing conditions;
• maintenance is minimal.
• bloom long and luxuriantly;
• they do not need to be planted every year;
• Almost all plants have high decorative properties.

From the point of view of designers, the main function of flowers is, of course, the decoration of the territory. Ground cover perennials are very often planted in rocky beds, along paths, near water bodies, used as a border and to fill the space between tall plants. But decor is not the only purpose of ground cover crops, and any gardener can name many practical functions that such plants perform:

• covering from creeping perennials is an excellent way to control weeds;
• ground cover plants prevent the soil from drying out, and are the best, moreover, very decorative substitute for mulch;
• planted along the paths, creeping perennials prevent the soil from washing off onto the coating;
• the smallest crops with rooting shoots saturate the soil with oxygen and improve its properties;
• bright and profusely flowering perennials – the best way to create a bright spot, and thereby hide the defects of the territory;
• shade-loving perennial flowers planted in near-stem circles of bushes and trees will not only decorate the garden, but also eliminate the need to loosen and fertilize the soil;
• long-flowering and evergreen plants can be used instead of lawn grass – no need to mow, water frequently, and flowering lawns, in comparison with grass, look more colorful.

Video “Ground cover plants in landscape design”

Video review on growing ground cover plants to create an original design in a flower bed or garden.

Top 10 Best Ground Cover Perennials

Of the variety of species, the following plants are most often used in landscape design:

1. Stonecrop. These are perhaps the most popular and sought-after flowers for garden decoration. They are extremely drought tolerant, quite shade tolerant, not demanding on soil – they can grow in a completely random place, and be content only with rain watering. Of course, for abundant flowering, it is desirable to plant stonecrop in a sunny place, but if it is necessary to fill the space in the shade, this culture will take root well there. There are many varieties of stonecrop. Some species bloom profusely in the first half of summer, others – from August to mid-autumn, and if you plant several varieties on the site, you can enjoy a living flowering “carpet” all season long.

Stonecrops are the shortest of all perennial flowers (6-8 cm), and the most abundantly blooming, so they are very often used to fill the space in flower beds, alpine slides, along paths.

1. Saxifrage. More than thirty varieties of this plant are used in landscape design. The peculiarity of saxifrages is that they are undersized and in a short period are able to create a picturesque mossy coating in the form of balls with elegant small flowers. For garden decoration, more often than others, such species as saxifrage lush, soddy mossy, paniculate, Arends are used. Saxifrages are absolutely not demanding on the soil – in nature they live on rocks, mountain slopes, and in flower beds they feel great on a hill, among stones. Some varieties of saxifrage are very shade-loving and are great for placement on the north side of the rock garden.
2. Phlox subulate. These undersized (10-20 cm) flowers are a universal decoration for almost any landscape object. They are good because they quickly create a dense cover of greenery with bright inflorescences of pink, purple or crimson. Phloxes are completely unpretentious, grow well on dry soil, prefer sunny areas, but at the same time shade-tolerant – in nature they often grow in the shade of shrubs, thick grass. Some styloid phloxes are quite low and compact, and their emerald green, needle-like leaves do not lose their color even under snow. There are also species that bloom twice per season: at the beginning of summer, and at the end. Plants are perfect for decorating flower beds, garden paths, in rockeries and rock gardens they are ideally combined with decorative deciduous perennials.

1. Alissum. Bright and profusely flowering alyssum bushes are very widely used in garden design. These perennial flowers, in addition to unpretentiousness and ease of care, are notable for the fact that they exude an amazing honey aroma. The culture blooms with lush tassels of various shades from the beginning of summer to frost. It looks most advantageous between stones and along the paths. Some varieties of alyssum reach a height of 35 cm (rocky alyssum), but there are also undersized species, for example, mountain alyssum does not grow above 7-10 cm.
2. Thyme. Creeping varieties of thyme are a real find for designers. All varieties of thyme are very different: the leaves can be dark green to lemon with white or yellow stripes, and the shades of the inflorescences vary from white to lilac, burgundy and purple. This diversity allows you to create the most original flowering compositions on the site. Ground cover undersized varieties of thyme reach a height of 7-10 cm, grow very quickly, and form a dense cover, exuding a strong spicy aroma. These herbaceous, profusely flowering plants are great for decorating rock gardens, spaces between stone paths, and shade-loving varieties are ideal for decorating an unsightly garden area.

1. Aubrieta. Amazingly beautiful and lush perennial flowers, very often used in landscape design. Aubrieta blooms in May-June with small purple, lilac or burgundy flowers, but its emerald foliage retains its color throughout the year. Thanks to the bright color of flowers, similar to lace, the culture can create an amazing contrast on stones of light rocks, as well as among lighter plants. Aubrieta is highly adaptable to climatic and weather conditions – it equally easily tolerates both severe frosts and abnormal drought. It loves sunny areas and calcareous soil, does not need frequent watering, and can grow in one place for many years.
2. Carnation pinnate (grass). This is a ground cover type of carnation, quite often used to decorate the space in the flower beds. Pinnate carnations, unlike other varieties, are undersized (10-15 cm), bloom in June-July, and after flowering leave a dense herbal cushion of rich green or bluish color. The culture grows rapidly, and does not require special care: it should be fed once a season, it should not be watered often, since it tolerates drought more easily than stagnant water.

1. Young (stone rose). This perennial herbaceous culture with fleshy leaves grows well on dry soils, in crevices and on stones. This is probably why plants are so often planted on alpine slides and in rockeries. In garden design, many varieties of juveniles are used, differing in shape and color of greenery. The culture blooms with very beautiful yellow, pink or white inflorescences located on a low stem.
2. Mshanka subulate. Miniature (up to 8 cm in height) perennial, something averaged between moss and grass. It is highly valued by gardeners for its decorative bright greenery, small white flowers, and the ability to form a uniform, dense cover. The culture loves the sun, but it is undemanding to the soil – it grows well on sandy and rocky areas, it does not need frequent watering. Thanks to its decorative greenery and short stature, it is perfect for landing in the foreground and along the edges of the composition, as well as along paths and on stones.

1. Ground cover bells. Bluebells are more often associated with tall plants, but among them there are also several creeping species (Portenschlag, Pozharsky, Gargansky bell) that can be used to arrange rocky flower beds. These perennials reach a height of 15 cm, and are distinguished by abundant flowering – there are so many inflorescences that greenery is not visible under them. 

Ground cover bells tolerate cold well, can be content only with rain watering, love loose sandy loamy soil, shade-tolerant, but grow best in sunny areas. Bluebells grow rapidly, so constant control over the development of shoots is required.

Video “Description of ground cover plants”

Video recommendations for growing perennial ornamental ground cover plants. Features of caring for them and recommendations for their landing on the site.