Busy Gardeners, You’ll Love These Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants

For gardeners, ground cover plants have a way of transforming any yard into a cottagecore dream. Because these low-growing plants spread extensively, blanketing grounds with their dazzling colors and eye-catching textures, they give off the appearance of a romantic woodland carpet.

But these plants aren’t just pretty to look at (although, they definitely are visually striking)—growing these lush layers actually makes your job as a gardener easier, and they provide many solutions to common landscaping challenges. Ground cover plants have the natural ability to suppress weeds, prevent erosion, retain soil moisture, and attract pollinators without much maintenance. Whether you’re looking for an eco-friendly lawn alternative, an aesthetic way to fill bare spots, or a gorgeous addition to garden beds and borders, ground cover plants will get the job done, both functionally and beautifully.

While these low-growing plants are inherently unfussy, a few varieties are a bit more resilient than others. Once established, some ground cover plants will handle a bulk of the yard work themselves, which reduces the need to water, mow, prune, replant, and weed them as frequently. Wondering which ones are the right fit for your yard Before you make your decision, familiarize yourself with these 10 low-maintenance ground cover plants that basically care for themselves.

Gardeners, find more inspiration:

1) Creeping Phlox Photo credit: ullstein bild - Getty Images

Brimming with pretty petals in shades of pink, purple, blue, or white, these ground cover plants shine in early springtime. Their flowering carpets often spread out over slopes, borders, rock gardens, and other sunny spots. They just need a bit of watering at first, and they’ll eventually reward you with striking texture and weed-fighting powers.

Zones: 3 to 9
Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

2) Golden Ragwort Photo credit: DEA / E. MARTINI - Getty Images

Since these ground cover plants thrive in partial or full shade, they’ll brighten up sparse, shady spots with their bright yellow blooms. In the off-season, though, they have glossy green foliage that’s just as stunning. Aside from keeping them in moist or wet soil, their upkeep is minimal.

Zones: 3 to 9
Care requirements: Partial to full shade; moist to wet soil

3) Hosta Photo credit: Roberto Machado Noa - Getty Images

With their shiny leaves, hostas are some of the lowest-maintenance ground covers for a shady garden. Planted beneath trees and shrubs, these hardy perennials will help crowd out pestering weeds. Whether you grow deep green or blue-gray varieties, these leafy plants will return year after year without much effort.

Zones: 3 to 9
Care requirements: Partial to full shade; moist, well-drained soil

4) Creeping Thyme Photo credit: imageBROKER/AnnaReinert - Getty Images

In early summer, this ground cover’s sweet-smelling fragrance and deep pink hue come to life. Their delicate flowers will look especially charming planted between stepping stones or along pathways. Aside from their aesthetic benefits, they’re drought-tolerant, sun-loving, pollinator-friendly plants that can handle a lot of foot traffic.

Zones: 4 to 8
Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

5) Candytuft Photo credit: ullstein bild - Getty Images

Candytuft produces clusters of white flowers that dreamily trail across garden edges and retaining walls in spring. Outside of their growing season, these ground covers boast evergreen foliage that keeps garden beds looking neat and tidy. Wherever you plant candytuft, be sure to give them plenty of sunshine.

Zones: 3 to 9
Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

6) Lamb’s Ear Photo credit: REDA - Getty Images

Thanks to its fuzzy texture, this low-maintenance ground cover is a favorite with kids. Coupled with their silky exterior, their large green leaves with a silver finish will add a burst of freshness and softness to your garden. Not only are these perennials drought-tolerant, but they’re also deer-resistant.

Zones: 4 to 9
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-drained soil

7) Ajuga Photo credit: REDA - Getty Images

This low-maintenance ground cover plant produces spiky blue-purple flowers and glistening foliage at a rapid pace in the spring. Whether you plant this densely packed plant in the sun or shade, it’ll quickly cover bare grounds while repelling deer and keeping weeds under control.

Zones: 4 to 9
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil with medium moisture

8) Snow-in-Summer Photo credit: Arterra - Getty Images

Featuring dainty white petals that create a snow-like effect in late spring and early summer, these ground cover plants are hardy, versatile, and low-maintenance. Once they’re finished blooming, they leave behind silver foliage that’ll make your grounds sparkle year-round. Snow-in-summer fare particularly well in rock gardens and slopes.

Zones: 3 to 8
Care requirements: Full sun; neutral, acidic soil

9) Pachysandra Photo credit: DEA / RANDOM - Getty Images

One of the most common ground cover plants, pachysandra is durable, shade-tolerant, drought-tolerant, and deer- and rabbit-resistant. What’s more, their evergreen leaves stay green throughout the year. Plant these dense, leafy carpets in shady areas beneath trees and shrubs, and they’ll block weeds without asking you to hunch over and yank them out.

Zones: 4 to 8
Care requirements: Full to partial shade; well-drained soil

10) Liriope Photo credit: DEA / RANDOM - Getty Images

Marvelously low-maintenance liriope is a tough ground cover that can withstand droughts, heat, and humidity, and they protect gardens from soil erosion. With grassy foliage and spiky purple flowers, these plants look striking along borders, pathways, and garden edges.

Zones: 5 to 10
Care requirements: Partial shade; well-drained soil