Experience the continuous enchantment of your garden with these 5 low-maintenance perennials that flourish throughout summer, enhancing beauty effortlessly.
In the quest for a beautiful and low-maintenance garden, ground cover perennials are a fantastic choice. These plants offer extended bloom periods, thrive under a range of sunlight and climate conditions, and cover USDA zones from 3 through 11 depending on the species. Here are five top picks for long-blooming ground cover perennials that will add a splash of color to your garden while providing numerous benefits.
- Cuphea (Mexican Heather) – A vibrant addition to warmer climates, this perennial blooms all summer with petite flowers. Cuphea attracts butterflies and hummingbirds and is evergreen in USDA zones 9-11 [1]. You can find it in vibrant purple at Home Depot.
- Dianthus – These low-growing perennials bloom throughout summer, offering shades of white, pink, red, and burgundy. Although specific USDA range varies by species, Dianthus is a great choice for cooler zones. A pink Dianthus can be found in a three-pack at Home Depot.
- Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) – Blooming from spring to early summer, creeping phlox thrives in full sun and is hardy in USDA zones 3-9. Although peak bloom is spring, its dense foliage remains attractive all season [3].
- Liriope (Lilyturf) – With lavender flower spikes that bloom midsummer to fall, liriope is an excellent choice for erosion control and tolerates partial to full shade. It is hardy in USDA zones 5-10.
- Dead Nettle (Lamium maculatum) – This versatile ground cover blooms from spring to early fall, tolerates full to partial shade, and is hardy in USDA zones 3-8. Its attractive silver-variegated foliage and flowers in pink, white, or purple make it a great addition to any garden.
In addition to these top five, Ajuga, Heuchera, and Aubrieta are also noteworthy long-blooming ground covers for shaded areas, and sunny zones, respectively. Ice plants, an excellent drought-tolerant ground cover choice for rock gardens and other types of water-wise landscapes, can be found at Eden Brothers.
Ice plants are well-adapted for growth in regions with warm summer weather, and ornamental, succulent leaves help them easily withstand prolonged periods of drought. Throughout summer, gardeners can expect a profusion of small, daisy-like blooms from ice plants. Campanula bellflowers, which tolerate full sun to partial shade, can be found at Walmart and offer a sweet, colorful carpet of tiny purple blooms that will last through the spring and most of summer.
These ground covers offer more than just beauty; they also help suppress weeds, maintain soil moisture, and aid in erosion control. They are suitable for various locations, including beds, sloped areas, rock gardens, pathways, and borders. Additionally, many of these plants, such as Campanula bellflowers, attract bees and other pollinators and are resistant to deer and rabbits.
For those seeking a striking bedding plant, Geum, though slightly taller than most low-growing perennials, serves as an excellent choice. Specifically, Geum coccineum produces striking single and double blooms. Geum coccineum Borisii seeds can be found in the Hazzard's Greenhouse storefront on Amazon.
By incorporating these long-blooming ground cover perennials into your landscape, you'll create a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that provides numerous benefits for years to come.
- The vibrant Ajuga, suitable for shaded areas, is another long-blooming ground cover that complements the list of top picks for gardens, providing a low-maintenance solution for those seeking additional options.
- Campanula bellflowers, suited for full sun to partial shade, are colorful additions to sunny zones and can be found at Walmart, offering a carpet of tiny purple blooms that last through spring and most of summer, contributing to the charm and benefits of a low-maintenance garden lifestyle.
