Tired of Watering the Lawn? Gardeners Are Replacing Grass With These 5 Low-Maintenance Ground Covers

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Whether you’re considering replacing turfgrass in your garden or any outdoor area you regularly maintain, deciding which options are best might feel overwhelming. The good news is that several visually appealing groudcover options are also low-maintenance.

“Replacing turfgrass with groundcovers offers practical benefits, including reduced water usage, lower labor demands and fewer fertilizer and pesticide inputs,” says Michael Masucci, the Florida-friendly landscaping community association outreach and public educator for UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. “Homeowners choose to shift from traditional lawns to ground covers by a desire for a smarter, more sustainable yard.”

Additionally, different types of ground covers can have other benefits. “Beyond the environmental benefits, native and climate-adapted ground covers can support insects, birds and other wildlife, helping the garden become part of the local ecosystem rather than separate from it,” says Nahal Sohbati, landscape designer and co-founder of Topophyla.

In addition to Masucci, we chatted with gardening experts, horticulturists and landscape designers to learn about different low-maintenance ground covers you can use to replace traditional turfgrass in your garden or outdoor areas.

5 Low-Maintenance Ground Covers

Think of all the maintenance tasks a traditional lawn requires: regular deep watering, regular mowing, fertilizing, reseeding…now imagine you no longer need to do any of it. That’s what you’re looking for in a low-maintenance ground cover: once established, it should require little to no care at all. Fortunately, all of the ground cover plants on our list will give you that.

1. Dutch White Clover

Linda Langelo, Colorado State University extension and horticulture specialist and author of Plants Are Speaking. Are You Listening? and Jim Lapic, master gardener with the Penn State Master Gardener Program, note that Dutch white clover is one of the best low-maintenance ground cover picks. “It fixes nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, and stays green even during dry spells,” he explains. It also doesn’t require too much mowing, which is a bonus.

2. Creeping Thyme

You may not be surprised that several of our experts recommend using creeping thyme as a ground cover. “What makes creeping thyme such a reliable lawn alternative is that it thrives in exactly the conditions where turf starts struggling: hot, dry, sunny spots that never seem to hold moisture,” says Tabar Gifford, partnership cultivator and master gardener at American Meadows and High Country Gardens. “Once established, it requires very little supplemental water and almost no mowing.”

When it comes to installing this ground cover, Zachary Westall, landscape and exterior designer at Zachary J Westall Studios, advises keeping between eight and 12 inches between each plant. That said, Gifford notes that you need to ensure this ground cover has access to the sun more often than not, as well as a reliable drainage system for the best results. Westall adds that this ground cover can be particularly suitable if you’re looking to cover an area that doesn’t endure too much foot traffic.

As if that wasn’t enough to make you want to plant this ground cover as soon as possible, this perennial emits a pleasant fragrance and offers many vibrant colors, including purple, pink and white.

3. Creeping Sedum

As far as succulent ground covers go, Westall recommends creeping sedum. “[It’s] one of the best choices for hot, dry locations,” he explains. “[Plus, it’s] extremely resilient in harsh conditions.” Similar to creeping thyme, you’ll want to make sure you’re putting creeping sedum in areas that receive a lot of sun, are well-drained and aren’t frequently walked on. That said, once your creeping sedum is in place, you don’t have to do much to maintain it.

4. Pennsylvania Sedge

If you’re seeking a ground cover that resembles a lawn, consider Pennsylvania sedge. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, this ground cover can withstand more foot traffic than some of the other options we mentioned above. Both Gifford and Westall note that this evergreen native perennial is a solid choice if you’re looking to cover some ground underneath trees. “It needs regular watering while becoming established, but very little afterward,” says Gifford. “Mowing isn’t really part of the routine either. A simple cleanup in early spring is usually all it needs to look fresh for another season.”

5. Perennial Peanut

Masucci notes several reasons why perennial peanut makes for a good ground cover. “It is a highly resilient ornamental ground cover that thrives in poor soils,” he explains. “It produces flowers that are bright yellow/orange and bloom continuously from spring through the first frost of winter.” Moreover, he notes that despite often being expensive and slow to grow, this ground cover is well-equipped to protect against pests. “Once established, it naturally prevents weeds, controls erosion and acts as a legume that fixes its own nitrogen to eliminate the need for fertilizers.”

Not only that, but this ground cover can liven up an outdoor area with its yellow blooms.

Sources:

Nahal Sohbati, Landscape designer and co-founder of Topophyla

Linda Langelo, Colorado State University extension and horticulture specialist and author of Plants Are Speaking. Are You Listening?

Tabar Gifford, Partnership cultivator and master gardener at American Meadows and High Country Gardens

Related: 20 Best Aromatic Plants for a Home Garden Design

This story was originally published by Dengarden on Jul 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Gardening section. Add Dengarden as a Preferred Source by clicking here.