Beautify Your UK Garden with These 9 Ground Cover Selections

Posted on 19/06/2025

Beautify Your UK Garden with These 9 Ground Cover Selections

Transform your garden into a lush paradise with stunning ground cover options that not only fill in bare spots but also enhance the overall aesthetics of your outdoor space. Choosing the right ground cover plants can make your garden both eye-catching and low-maintenance. Here are nine fabulous selections that are perfectly suited for UK gardens.

1. Thyme (Thymus praecox)

Thyme is a charming and versatile plant that offers a delightful aroma and beautiful blooms. As an added bonus, many varieties are edible, adding a pleasant taste to your culinary creations.

Benefits of Using Thyme

• Low-growing: Ideal for rock gardens or between stepping stones.
• Aromatic: Releases a pleasant scent when walked upon.
• Drought-tolerant: Perfect for drier climates.

2. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

Creeping Jenny is a fast-spreading plant bearing vibrant yellow-green foliage that thrives in a variety of environments, including partial shade.

Reasons to Plant Creeping Jenny

• Bright Color: Its golden hue brightens any garden space.
• Adaptable: Grows well in both sunny areas and partial shade.
• Versatile: Ideal for trailing over walls or edging pathways.

3. Sedum (Stonecrop)

Sedum, also known as Stonecrop, is a tough and resilient ground cover plant that comes in many shapes and sizes, catering to varied garden designs.

Why Choose Sedum?

• Low-maintenance: Requires minimal watering and care.
• Variety: Available in several colors and forms.
• Attracts pollinators: Encourages bees and butterflies to visit.

4. Irish Moss (Sagina subulata)

With its velvety green appearance and delicate white flowers, Irish Moss makes for a fantastic addition to any garden layout, especially for those seeking a lush, verdant look.

Features of Irish Moss

• Soft Texture: Feels like carpet beneath your feet.
• Compact Growth: Forms a dense mat, ideal for pathways.
• Deer-resistant: Unlikely to be affected by local wildlife.

5. Ajuga (Ajuga reptans)

Also known as Bugleweed, Ajuga provides gardens with rich, deep blue blooms that seem to carpet the ground during the blooming season.

Advantages of Ajuga

• Rapid Spreader: Quickly covers open ground.
• Color variety: Offers foliage in shades of bronze, purple, and green.
• Shaded areas: Thrives in shaded spots where other plants may struggle.

6. Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

Periwinkle is a staple in UK gardens due to its hardiness and pretty lavender-blue flowers that bring a pop of color to shaded areas.

Why Periwinkle Stands Out

• Evergreen: Maintains its leaves year-round.
• Erosion control: Excellent for stabilising slopes.
• Shade-tolerant: Grows well in areas with limited sunlight.

7. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

Sweet Woodruff is an enchanting plant known for its sweet-smelling leaves and dainty white blossoms, adding both beauty and fragrance to garden landscapes.

Pros of Sweet Woodruff

• Luxurious Scent: Emits a lovely fragrance, especially when dried.
• Ground Cover: Forms a dense carpet that suppresses weeds.
• Shady Delight: Does particularly well in shaded or wooded areas.

8. Lamium (Lamium maculatum)

Also referred to as Dead Nettle, Lamium features striking foliage and bright flowers that bring vibrance to even the shadiest corners.

Benefits of Incorporating Lamium

• Colorful Leaves: Variegated foliage with silvery hues.
• Flower Show: Produces lovely purple or pink flowers.
• Competitive: Outcompetes weeds effectively.

9. Evergreen Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)

Evergreen Candytuft is characterized by its stunning snow-white flowers, offering a crisp and clean look to any garden design. It remains vibrant throughout the year.

Why You'll Love Evergreen Candytuft

• Year-Round Interest: Retains greenery even in winter.
• Floriferous: Blooms profusely in spring.
• Compact Form: Grows in neat mounds ideal for borders.

Conclusion: Enhancing Your Garden Beauty

Incorporating ground cover plants into your UK garden not only helps fill empty spaces but also aids in inhibiting weed growth, retaining soil moisture, and enhancing biodiversity. By selecting one or several from this list, you'll be able to craft a vibrant, healthy, and visually appealing garden that requires less maintenance over time.

Which ground cover option will you be adding to your garden this year? Whether you choose colorful foliage or classic greenery, your garden is sure to be more captivating and resilient.