9 brilliant ground cover plants for every UK garden

Posted on 15/05/2025

Discover 9 Brilliant Ground Cover Plants for Every UK Garden

A well-manicured garden is a source of endless joy, and nothing enhances it quite like ground cover plants. These versatile plants fill in bare spots and add texture and color to landscapes. Below, explore nine brilliant options perfect for UK gardens.

1. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

The aromatic creeping thyme is a fantastic option for filling gaps in rocky or sandy areas. Thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, it forms a soft mat of foliage that bursts into pinkish-purple flowers in the summer.

• Sunlight: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, sandy or rocky
• Use: Excellent for pathways or rock gardens

2. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)

Ajuga reptans, also known as bugleweed, is ideal for shaded areas. Known for its dense, carpet-like growth, the plant displays blue spikes of flowers in springtime, making it a vibrant addition under trees.

• Sunlight: Partial to full shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained
• Use: Groundcover for shaded areas

3. Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata)

Moss phlox offers a stunning display of pink, purple, or white blooms. This low-growing plant is ideal for sunny rock gardens or slopes, and it provides color from early spring to early summer.

• Sunlight: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, acidic to neutral
• Use: Perfect for rocky slopes or as an edging plant

4. Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea')

With its vibrant golden foliage, Golden Creeping Jenny brightens up any shady area. This vigorous spreader can be used along pathways or to cascade over walls.

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained
• Use: Groundcover under shrubs or trailing over walls

5. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

Sweet woodruff is a shade-loving plant with whorls of fragrant white flowers that bloom in late spring. Its lacy green leaves provide a lush cover in densely planted areas.

• Sunlight: Partial to full shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained
• Use: Ideal for woodland gardens

6. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum)

Sempervivum, also known as hens and chicks, are hardy succulents perfect for sunny, well-drained spots. They form dense mats of attractive rosettes and require little maintenance.

• Sunlight: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, sandy to rocky
• Use: Ideal for small patches in rock gardens

7. Snow-In-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)

The silvery foliage of snow-in-summer is topped with a wave of white blooms, offering a striking contrast. This plant is perfect for covering sun-drenched banks and rocky terrains with its trailing habits.

• Sunlight: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, dry
• Use: Excellent in rock gardens or as a border

8. Hebe (Hebe pinguifolia 'Sutherlandii')

A perennial shrub, Hebe pinguifolia forms dense mats of attractive evergreen foliage. It blossoms with small white flowers in summer, perfect for front borders or en masse planting.

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline
• Use: Groundcover in borders

9. Vinca Minor (Lesser Periwinkle)

Lesser periwinkle is known for its robust, spreading nature and glossy evergreen leaves. It blooms with vibrant blue, purple, or white flowers, serving as a long-lasting ground cover throughout the seasons.

• Sunlight: Partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained, adaptable
• Use: Ideal for covering large areas under trees

Choosing the Right Plants for Your Garden

Choosing the right ground cover plants not only involves plant aesthetics and blooms but also assessing site conditions such as sunlight, soil type, and purpose. These nine brilliant options are sure to provide you with an array of choices to beautify and enhance any UK garden, bringing a vibrant, cohesive look to your landscape.

Invest the time to understand which ground cover options work best for your space, and enjoy a more visually appealing and maintenance-friendly garden year-round.