If you’ve got a patch of garden where nothing seems to thrive—too dry, too shady, too awkward—ground cover plants might just be your best-kept secret.
They spread low and wide, fill gaps effortlessly, and many offer bold colours or beautiful textures that create a lush, living carpet. Here are 13 of the most eye-catching ground cover plants that work brilliantly in the UK, especially in those tricky, hard-to-plant spots.
1. Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
This low-growing herb is not only edible and fragrant, it’s also a brilliant ground cover for sunny, dry patches. It forms a dense mat of tiny leaves and bursts into delicate pink or purple blooms in summer. It thrives in poor soil, handles light foot traffic, and is loved by pollinators. Plus, it adds a lovely scent when brushed against or stepped on, making it ideal for path edges and rockeries.
2. Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
For shady corners that need colour, bugle is a hero. Its dark, glossy foliage spreads easily, while its tall blue flower spikes bring life to even the dullest patch in late spring and early summer. It copes well with moist soils and partial shade and looks especially beautiful beneath trees or in wild-style beds. Some varieties even offer burgundy or variegated leaves for extra visual interest.
3. Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum)
If you’re battling a shady, damp spot under trees or near walls, sweet woodruff is a gentle, fragrant option. Its star-shaped leaves form soft green mounds, topped with dainty white flowers in late spring. It spreads nicely without becoming invasive and brings a soft woodland feel to shaded areas. Plus, when dried, its leaves smell like hay and can be used in natural potpourri.
4. Sedum spurium
This hardy little succulent is perfect for sunny, well-drained spaces that struggle to support fussier plants. It hugs the ground with fleshy leaves and produces vibrant pink or red blooms in summer. It’s drought-tolerant, copes well in gravel beds and between paving stones, and the rich colours of the foliage can turn reddish-bronze in cooler months, giving year-round interest.
5. Lamium (dead nettle)
Don’t be put off by the name. Lamium is a wonderful shade-tolerant ground cover with silvery foliage and small pink, purple, or white flowers. It’s ideal for brightening dark corners. It spreads quickly, is easy to control, and creates a soft patchwork of colour and texture. Bees love the flowers, and it brings a cottage garden feel to borders or under shrubs.
6. Alpine strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Want a ground cover that earns its keep? Alpine strawberries produce edible fruits while carpeting the ground with pretty foliage and small white flowers throughout spring and summer. They’re great for partial shade and damp soil, and the fruits—though small—are full of flavour. A charming choice for naturalistic or edible gardens that need low, spreading cover.
7. Lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor)
This tough evergreen is a classic ground cover choice for a reason. It grows fast, suppresses weeds, and offers violet-blue or white flowers for months on end, usually from spring to autumn. It handles dry shade, poor soil, and general neglect like a champ. Once it’s settled, it’ll do the heavy lifting in those spaces where nothing else seems to stick around.
8. Golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’)
With its bright yellow-green leaves and trailing habit, creeping Jenny lights up shady, boggy, or awkward spots. It’s especially lovely when it spills over walls or edges. This plant thrives in damp conditions, making it ideal near ponds or water features. It spreads quickly, so it’s best used where you want full, vivid coverage fast.
9. London pride (Saxifraga × urbium)
A proper old-school cottage garden plant, London pride is brilliant for awkward corners. Its rosettes of evergreen leaves send up airy pink flower sprays in late spring. It copes well with dry shade, thrives under trees or next to walls, and requires barely any attention once established. It’s understated but charming, and a true survivor.
10. Aubrieta
This spring-flowering beauty creates cascades of purple, pink, or blue flowers that spill over walls, rocks, or borders. It’s a firm favourite for sunny slopes and raised beds. It loves well-drained soil, clings beautifully to dry areas, and makes an eye-catching patch of colour when little else is blooming. Great for injecting life into otherwise dull patches.
11. Helianthemum (rock rose)
Rock roses are low-growing, sun-loving evergreens that burst into colourful flowers—usually yellow, orange, or red—in early summer. They’re brilliant for dry, sandy spots or gravel gardens. They spread modestly, don’t need much water, and cope with exposed areas. For a Mediterranean-style ground cover that brings warmth and cheer, they’re a solid bet.
12. Woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus)
This thyme variety forms soft, fuzzy mats of silvery foliage that look lovely between stepping stones or trailing over walls. It’s drought-tolerant and thrives in full sun. Though it rarely flowers as much as creeping thyme, its texture alone adds visual interest. It’s also aromatic and hardy, which is great for adding softness to rocky, difficult terrain.
13. Hardy geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum)
Not to be confused with bedding geraniums, this perennial version forms sprawling clumps of scented foliage and colourful summer blooms, ranging from purple to pink and white. It’s one of the best low-maintenance ground covers for partial shade or dry spots, and it even deters slugs and deer. Once it’s in, it just quietly gets on with the job.