Ground cover plants are very useful in the garden in stopping erosion on slopes, keeping the weeds down and providing a low growing foreground for the garden.

Creeping Wire Vine (Muhlenbeckia axillaris) is a low growing mat that spreads by rhyzomes and may be deciduous in cold winters. Can be a little invasive.

Thyme (Thymus praecox arcticus ‘Pink Chintz’)

Dwarf Thyme (Thymus polytrichus britannicus ‘Elfin’). Three months to 11 months old.

California Fuchsia (Zauschneria californica)

Carmel Creeper (Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis)

Heterotheca jonesii

Dalmatian Bellflower (Campanula portenschlagiana)

Canadian Cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis)

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Arctostaphylos edmundsii ‘Carmel Sur’

Mecardonia ‘Magic Carpet Yellow’

Tanacetum densum ssp amani

Dwarf Golden Oregano (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum Prostratum’)

Teucrium cossonii majoricum

Germander (Teucrium lucidrys). Blooms in June then is cut back in August.

Euonymus fortunei ‘Kewensis’

Groundcover Rosmary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’)

Grevillea ‘Fanfare’

Inside-out Flower (Vancouveria hexandra) Good groundcover for the shade. Native to California.

Bedstraw (Galium odoratum) Also a good shade groundcover.

Alchemilla mollis. The hairs on the leaves cause the water to bead up in this interesting pattern. For part shade.

Ficinia truncata ‘Ice Crystal’ for part or full shade.

Geranium ‘Biokovo’ part shade ground cover.

Sarcococca hookeriana humilus is a low slow growing sub-shrub.

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) Bottom photo taken in the fall. Part shade

Blue Star Creeper (Pratia pedunculata)

Marlberry (Ardisia japonica ‘Chirimen’) Low shade groundcover

Various varieties of Moss Pink (Phlox subulata)

Knotweed (Persicaria capitata) in November

New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii). This is a dwarf variety that is 12″ tall and blooms in September.

Roalia australis – very low mounding groundcover that is covered with yellow star-shaped flowers in the early summer.

Plectranthus ‘Irish Mocha’

Sonoma Sage (Salvia sonomensis) for hot dry areas.

Golden cultivar of Hypericum calycinum gets burned in too much sun.

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum calycinum) recently cut back.

Chrysocephalum ‘Desert Flame’

Burmese Plumbago (Ceratostigma griffithii)

Bramble (Rubus rolfei)

Falkia repens

Creeping Thyme (Thymus polytrichus britannicus ‘Pink Chintz’) in the winter.

Elfin ThymeWoolly Yarrow (Achillea tomentosa)

Euphorbia myrsinites

Dwarf Golden Bamboo is very invasive but beautiful.

Many landscapers are tempted to use weed fabric to keep weeds down but this is what it looks like after 5 years.

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