12 Low-Growing Plants That Spread Into Gorgeous Green Carpets

Looking for the perfect solution to fill in those bare spots in your garden? Creeping plants are an excellent choice for adding vibrant color, texture, and quick coverage to empty spaces. These low-maintenance ground covers spread effortlessly, transforming your landscape with minimal effort. Whether you need shade-loving varieties or sun-tolerant options, there’s a creeping plant that suits every garden need.

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Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

Creeping Jenny is a charming ground cover with vibrant, chartreuse foliage that brightens up any garden. It thrives in moist, well-drained soil and is adaptable to both sun and partial shade, making it a versatile choice for various garden spots. Its trailing growth habit allows it to spread quickly, creating a dense carpet of color that fills in bare patches effortlessly.

This creeping plant works wonders when planted along the edges of garden beds or used as a ground cover between larger plants. Over time, it will spread to cover areas that need a fresh, green look, providing a contrasting backdrop to other flowers and shrubs. Creeping Jenny’s soft texture also enhances the garden’s visual appeal, especially when paired with other plants that have more rigid leaves or flowers.

English Ivy (Hedera helix)

English Ivy is a resilient ground cover plant that quickly spreads and fills in empty spaces with its lush, dark green leaves. Known for its versatility, ivy thrives in both full sun and deep shade, making it perfect for areas where other plants may struggle. It’s often used to cover large areas, climbing up walls or fences to create a dense, green backdrop.

This evergreen plant is ideal for providing coverage in shaded areas of your garden or between taller plants. English Ivy can grow in a wide range of soil types, and once established, it quickly fills in bare spots while preventing the growth of weeds. Its lush, trailing vines add an elegant touch to gardens, offering year-round greenery and texture.

Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

Creeping thyme is a fragrant, low-growing perennial that creates a dense mat of tiny leaves, perfect for filling in bare spots. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a fantastic option for bright, dry areas of your garden. When it blooms, creeping thyme produces small, purple, pink, or white flowers, attracting bees and butterflies while adding a burst of color.

This creeping plant is especially useful for filling in gaps between stepping stones or around the edges of garden beds. Its aromatic foliage adds sensory appeal to your garden, and its soft texture makes it a pleasant ground cover to walk on. Creeping thyme is also a great choice for a low-maintenance ground cover, as it requires minimal watering once established.

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

Creeping phlox is a stunning ground cover that brings vibrant colors to your garden. In early spring, it blooms profusely with clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers, creating a cheerful carpet of color. This plant thrives in well-drained soil and full sun, making it ideal for sunny garden spots that need a burst of springtime beauty.

Aside from its stunning flowers, creeping phlox also offers dense foliage that suppresses weeds and prevents soil erosion. It is particularly effective when used to fill in bare areas along pathways, rock gardens, or the edges of garden beds. Its fast growth and easy care make it a favorite for gardeners looking to add both color and practicality to their landscapes.

Ajuga (Ajuga reptans)

Ajuga, also known as bugleweed, is a hardy, fast-spreading ground cover with dark green leaves that take on shades of purple and bronze in the fall. It blooms in spring with spikes of blue, purple, or white flowers, adding both color and texture to your garden. Ajuga thrives in both sun and shade, making it a great option for filling in shaded bare spots or as a vibrant contrast to other garden plants.

Once established, Ajuga quickly spreads to fill in gaps between larger plants or along garden borders. Its dense growth habit prevents weeds from taking root and provides a soft, lush carpet for your garden floor. Ajuga is an excellent choice for low-maintenance coverage in shaded areas, as it can tolerate various soil types and requires little attention once established.

Ground Morning Glory (Convolvulus sabatius)

Ground morning glory is a vibrant creeping plant known for its fast growth and colorful flowers. It produces bright blue or purple flowers throughout the summer, creating a stunning visual impact in your garden. This plant prefers full sun and well-drained soil, making it perfect for bright spots that need a splash of color and quick coverage.

The sprawling habit of ground morning glory makes it ideal for filling in bare spots between other plants or in containers. Its trailing vines create a lush, green carpet, while the striking flowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. It’s a great choice for low-maintenance ground cover, offering both beauty and practicality.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

Sweet woodruff is a fragrant, low-growing ground cover that thrives in shady, woodland areas. Its delicate white flowers bloom in late spring or early summer, creating a soft contrast against its glossy, green leaves. Sweet woodruff prefers moist, well-drained soil and is ideal for filling in bare spots in shaded corners of your garden.

This plant’s dense mat of foliage provides effective ground cover, preventing weeds from taking over while adding a subtle, pleasant fragrance to your garden. It’s especially useful for creating lush underlayers beneath taller plants or trees. The plant’s ability to thrive in the shade makes it a perfect choice for woodland gardens or areas with limited sunlight.

Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)

Creeping juniper is an evergreen ground cover that adds both color and texture to your garden. With its blue-green foliage and low-spreading habit, it creates a dense mat that fills in bare spots efficiently. Creeping juniper thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it ideal for sunny garden spots that need year-round coverage.

Its evergreen nature ensures that your garden will maintain its visual appeal throughout the year, even during winter months. Creeping juniper is also drought-tolerant, making it a low-maintenance choice for filling in bare spots in dry areas. Its sturdy growth habit also prevents erosion and keeps soil in place.

Creeping Sedum (Sedum spurium)

Creeping sedum is a hardy, drought-tolerant plant that thrives in poor soil, making it perfect for filling in dry, neglected spots. It forms a thick mat of succulent leaves that come in shades of green, red, and purple, creating a vibrant carpet of color. In the summer, creeping sedum produces star-shaped flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.

This plant’s ability to thrive in tough conditions and its low-growing nature make it ideal for filling in gaps between stepping stones or in rock gardens. Creeping sedum is also perfect for areas with little water, as it requires minimal irrigation once established, making it a great low-maintenance option for gardeners.

Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)

Lamb’s ear is known for its soft, velvety silver-gray leaves, making it a striking addition to any garden. It forms a dense mat of foliage that fills in bare spots quickly, adding a unique texture to your landscape. Lamb’s ear thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it ideal for sunny garden beds or dry areas.

This plant’s soft, woolly texture makes it an attractive contrast to more rigid plants and flowers. It is also drought-tolerant once established, requiring little care beyond occasional watering. Lamb’s ear’s low-growing habit and attractive foliage make it perfect for filling in spaces in between taller plants or along borders.

Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)

Snow-in-summer is a lovely ground cover that thrives in full sun and produces masses of white flowers in late spring to early summer. Its silvery-green foliage provides a beautiful contrast to the bright white flowers, creating an eye-catching display. Snow-in-summer is perfect for covering bare spots in sunny areas where other plants might struggle.

This plant’s rapid growth allows it to quickly fill in empty spaces, creating a dense mat that also helps suppress weeds. Its ability to thrive in poor soil conditions and its dense growth habit make it an excellent choice for low-maintenance coverage in garden beds or around paths.

Bergenia (Bergenia crassifolia)

Bergenia, or elephant’s ears, is a perennial plant with large, glossy leaves that create an attractive ground cover. It produces pink or white flowers in early spring, providing color to your garden just as the season begins to warm up. Bergenia prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil, making it an excellent choice for shaded areas of your garden.

This plant’s thick, leathery leaves form a dense mat that helps prevent weed growth while adding texture to the garden. Bergenia’s ability to tolerate cold temperatures and its evergreen nature make it a great option for year-round coverage in shaded corners of your garden.

This article originally appeared on Avocadu.