Low Ground Cover Plants

Creeping Juniper

• Often found on landscaped hills, creeping juniper is a woody, evergreen ground cover, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Creeping juniper can become invasive, and when the plant becomes too established it is difficult to remove from the ground.

  Creeping juniper plants can handle dry, hot weather and they grow best when planted in full sun. Pruning the ends of the branches for several growing seasons will encourage a more dense branching system.

Creeping Phlox

• Colorado State University lists creeping phlox as ground cover that blossoms in the spring and has moss-like foliage. Often used in rock gardens, creeping phlox grows well when able to spread and hang over a wall, rock or hill. Creeping phlox is one of the first blossoms to appear in spring. Blooms can be pink, purple and white, among others. Creeping phlox does not spread as quickly as other ground covers but provides early spring color.

Hosta

• Hosta plants are often found in perennial borders as accent plants or edging. Hosta plants vary in size from 6-inch dwarf plants to close to 2 feet tall. Choose the right hosta for your planting needs. Hosta plants require almost no maintenance throughout the growing season and provide green foliage for months.

Pachysandra

• Pachysandra is one of the commonly used ground cover plants when a full shade plant is needed. Pachysandra can grow to a height of 1 foot and spreads by underground stems. This plant is easy to grow and may spread beyond the area you are trying to cover. The Garden Helper recommends clipping the ends of pachysandra plants to encourage more dense growth, otherwise the plant may look thin and weak.