Beautifully cover your UK garden's soil with 9 great plants

Posted on 15/05/2025

Beautifully Cover Your UK Garden's Soil with 9 Great Plants

If you're looking to enhance the aesthetic appeal and health of your garden, ground cover plants are an excellent choice. These plants spread across the soil, acting as a living mulch, which helps maintain moisture, suppress weeds, and provide habitat for beneficial insects. In this article, we'll explore nine outstanding plants that are perfect for beautifully covering your UK garden's soil.

1. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

Creeping Thyme is a wonderful, low-maintenance option for garden ground cover. This aromatic herb produces a carpet of lush, evergreen foliage adorned with tiny purple flowers in the summer. It's drought-tolerant and thrives in well-drained soil, making it ideal for rock gardens or between stepping stones.

• Characteristics: Hardy, evergreen, aromatic leaves
• Bloom time: Summer
• Light: Full sun

2. Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)

Wintercreeper is a versatile evergreen plant that can adapt to various conditions. It features glossy leaves that change color through the seasons, providing year-round interest. It works well as a ground cover and even as a climber if given support.

• Characteristics: Evergreen, colorful foliage
• Height: Up to 60 cm when used for ground cover
• Light: Full sun to partial shade

3. Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

Lady's Mantle is cherished for its uniquely textured leaves that collect raindrops like pearls. It's a great option for border edges or mixed among perennial borders and does well in a variety of soil types, provided they are well-drained.

• Characteristics: Large, scalloped leaves, tolerance to a variety of conditions
• Bloom time: Late spring to summer
• Light: Partial shade to full sun

4. Sedum (Sedum spp.)

Sedums, or stonecrops, offer a range of textures and colors, from rich green to deep red. They are incredibly hardy, thrive in poor soil, and are perfect for rock gardens or sunny border edges.

• Characteristics: Succulent leaves, diverse species
• Bloom time: Summer to early autumn
• Light: Full sun

5. Ajuga (Ajuga reptans)

Known as Bugleweed, Ajuga is applauded for its rapid growth and tolerance to shade. It has lustrous leaves and spikes of blue flowers in spring, making it a vibrant choice for covering ground in shady areas.

• Characteristics: Fast-spreading, dense carpet of foliage
• Bloom time: Spring
• Light: Partial sun to full shade

6. Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis)

Japanese Spurge is a go-to plant for providing a lush, dense cover in shaded areas. Its glossy green leaves contribute to a verdant look, while small white flowers add elegance in late spring.

• Characteristics: Evergreens with dense foliage
• Bloom time: Late spring
• Light: Shade to partial shade

7. Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina)

Recognized for its soft, silvery foliage, Lamb's Ear adds both a textural and color contrast to your garden. It's perfect for low-maintenance gardens, thriving in various well-drained soil types.

• Characteristics: Velvety leaves, drought-tolerant
• Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
• Light: Full sun

8. Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

Periwinkle, or Vinca, is widely favored for its vibrant blue or violet flowers and shiny green leaves. It grows steadily to form a dense mat, adapted for understory planting beneath trees and shrubs.

• Characteristics: Evergreen, spreading habit
• Bloom time: Spring to early summer
• Light: Partial shade to full sun

9. Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia)

Often called Elephant Ears, Bergenia offers large, leathery leaves and striking pink or purple flowers in spring. Its foliage turns an attractive purplish-bronze in colder months, adding winter interest.

• Characteristics: Rhizomatous, evergreen leaves
• Bloom time: Early spring
• Light: Sun to partial shade

Conclusion: Create a Stunning Garden with Ground Cover Plants

Ground cover plants not only enhance the visual appeal of your garden but also contribute to its ecological balance and sustainability. By selecting a mix of the above-mentioned species, you can ensure year-round interest and lush beauty while protecting your soil from erosion and weeds. Consider experimenting with varying heights, textures, and colors to create a uniquely beautiful and thriving landscape in your UK garden.

Remember, when choosing ground cover plants, consider your garden's light conditions, soil type, and climate to ensure that these plants thrive and provide the desired effect all year round.