An evergreen ground cover should be your ultimate choice when requiring something stunning to fill in any awkward gaps or empty spots in your outdoor spaces.
This low-level plant can spread across the ground and introduce a fullness look at the bigger species base.
It is safe to say that a ground cover plant works as a carpet, offering an appealing foundation for the rest of your garden. Compared to bare soil, this also provides a much more finished and well-organized design.
Many gardeners prefer evergreen types when using ground cover since the color of their leaves tend to remain the same throughout the year. As a result, they can provide interest for a long time without requiring such high-maintenance.
The Advantages of Evergreen Ground Cover Plants
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Operating in the same way as mulch, an evergreen groundcover is capable to provide a layer of insulation as it covers the soil.
This way, the plant can help to maintain the cool temperature of your soil in the summer as well as in warm temperatures throughout winter.
As a result, your other plants can benefit from an evergreen ground cover as it aids to shield roots from low temperatures exposure in colder conditions.
Moreover, this evergreen can also trap moisture in your soil. It implies that you do not have to water your plants recurrently. Consequently, it may help to save energy and reduce water bills.
Do you not still have a good reason to add a groundcover to your garden? The following are the other benefits of this plant for reference.
Reducing Weed Production
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Not only helps with soil insulation, but an evergreen ground cover plant can also reduce weed development in two different manners.
First, a ground cover coats the soil so that it becomes much harder for weeds to germinate. Second, the plant will be mature and capable to avoid wild ones from cultivating by physically repressing them.
Thus, if you are like most people who consider weeds nuisance in your garden, using a ground cover can be a good solution to handle the issue without doing too much hard work.
Instead of spending many hours digging up weeds, you will have some eye-catching leaves growing in your garden with an evergreen ground cover.
Easy to Maintain
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More interestingly, you do not have to put much effort when growing an evergreen ground cover plant since most of them are very simple to care for.
They tend to grow properly in a range of different areas and are not fussy in terms of the type of soil.
You just need to plant this kind of groundcover in a suitable position so that it can receive enough sunlight or shade.
Furthermore, you may consider finding an appropriate evergreen ground cover in zone 7 if living in a place with such conditions.
Since it is possible to cultivate ground cover plants as an alternative to grass, the evergreen should contribute to a low-maintenance yard as well. This is because you will eliminate the need to mow the lawn.
Prevent Soil Erosion
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Ground covering plants will form a web that helps to maintain the soil together and avoid erosion. This quality is particularly useful if your gardens come with slopes.
The soil on mountainsides or hillsides will benefit the creation of the web by the evergreen. Without this plant, the areas are more likely to come loose and slip away.
Besides, an evergreen ground cover prevents erosion throughout heavy rainfall as well.
As the plant helps to defend the soil and hold it together, such profound rainfall will not wash the ground away.
Not only help to prevent erosion, but groundcover plants can also perform like natural mulch. At this point, they will increase soil quality by boosting the humus level.
An excellent quality soil with higher organic substances will lead to healthier plants, so your favorite cultivars are more likely to thrive.
Fill in Gaps While Giving Year-Round Interest
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Say goodbye to awkward spaces in your lawn or garden by growing a groundcover plant. This evergreen will happily cultivate in all courses to fill any space.
Of course, you can expect to enjoy the year-round interest of an evergreen groundcover as well since it becomes its main visual advantage.
With the right evergreen plant, your garden will not appear dead and bleak throughout winter. This can even make the outdoor space look lush during every season too.
Since most evergreen ground cover plants do not lose their healthy green leaves, your garden will stay stunning throughout the year.
Provide Habitat for Insects
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Groundcover plants can create perfect habitats for beneficial insects to live as well. Such creatures will make a home around the garden and diminish pest populations that may harm your plants.
However, groundcovers may provide ideal environments for snails and slugs that are detrimental in some regions.
On the other hand, the advantages of helpful insects and predators should outweigh the negative side of slug population improvement.
In case you are currently struggling with a slug issue, avoiding any evergreen ground cover is more advisable since this plant may worsen the condition.
Inexpensive
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If you take the size of the space they fill for the cost into account, evergreen ground cover plants are cheap.
When it comes to a big garden, filling the area with flowering plants or shrubs can be very costly. However, leaving the soil bare is not a wise idea since your outdoor space will appear unfinished and dull.
At this point, fast-growing evergreen ground cover plants provide the perfect alternative since they can coat the soil for visual interest and make your garden look finished without breaking the bank.
Most Popular Evergreen Groundcovers to Consider
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One of the most popular evergreen groundcovers is Creeping Phlox. This striking, cascading plant plays a great role in various situations.
Aside from cultivating them as a groundcover, you can also grow Creeping Phlox in containers, hanging baskets, and even rockeries.
While the leaves look like a needle, its starry blossoms come in a pale shade of blue, pink, white, and lavender. You can enjoy these evergreen flowers in spring.
The stems of Creeping Phlox become woody over time and have a spreading habit that allows them to be a perfect flowering groundcover.
Nevertheless, if you want an evergreen ground cover that can cover your vacant space quickly, this variety is probably not the answer.
Creeping Phlox cultivates at a moderate speed and will reach around 12 cm in height. However, it is still a versatile plant to consider.
You can expect this evergreen to thrive perfectly in full sun to partial shade even though it will prefer constant sunlight.
Generally, this easy-to-grow plant can withstand various soil conditions. In maintenance terms, you will have to prune the stems to promote new blooms.
If you need another reference for the best evergreen ground cover, check this out.
Bearberry, the Fast-Growing Evergreen Ground Cover
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Scientifically named Artostaphylos uva-ursi, bearberry is originally from North America, Europe, as well as Asia. This fast-growing evergreen is very hardy to winter and makes a perfect groundcover especially in colder temperatures.
Bearberry tends to struggle to cultivate in high temperatures and moist environments. Even though it can grow well in poor, infertile soil, providing this shrub with such conditions is not as ideal.
This evergreen ground cover has a sluggish creeping habit and commonly grows up to 91 cm 1.8 m in width by rooting at notes that touch the soil.
With dark green glossy leaves, bearberry is very appealing. Throughout the spring especially in the early season, you can enjoy an abundance of clustered blooms from the plant.
Just like other evergreens, this variety promises year-round interest in your garden. You can use bearberry as a medium to extensive ground cover.
Creeping Juniper
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If you are looking for low-maintenance ground cover plants, creeping juniper can be the one. This evergreen can withstand ignored and various growing conditions.
You do not need to prune this creeping ground cover, as it is better off left. Simply let the plant to spread for the best result.
Although this plant prefers well-draining soil and full sun like another evergreen ground cover, it will still cultivate properly in dry as well as infertile soil.
Creeping Juniper discharges aromatic fragrance, making it ideal for you to plant it in spots where people can enjoy the scent.
This low-growing shrub also generates blooms and berries although both of them are not particularly interesting.
Instead, this plant is more attractive for its foliage that has a blue tint throughout warmer seasons and a purple-red one in colder months.
English Ivy
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Capable to form a dense of natural mat in a short time, English Ivy becomes a popular choice when it comes to evergreen ground cover plants.
Similar to creeping juniper, this plant also requires no maintenance at all. However, you can count on the ivy to cover your ground so heavily.
English Ivy is the one of the best ground cover plants to prevent weeds and holds the ground together for erosion prevention.
Due to its trailing, climbing, and creeping growth habit, English Ivy is perfect for many scenarios in your garden. This plant can also grow well in sheltered areas, making it ideal to cover bare soil under the trees.
If you want to grow this ivy, remember not to cultivate it near other delicate cultivars since the plant may suffer reserved growth.
Do not forget to prune your English Ivy as well to keep it well organized.
Candytuft
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Iberis sempervirens or commonly known as Candytuft is a decorative shrub that generates an abundance of showy white blossoms in late spring and at the beginning of summer.
Candytuft makes an excellent groundcover option if you are searching for something with more visual significance than usual green carpet plants.
To bear the mass of flowers, consider growing this evergreen ground cover in free-draining soil and full-sun position.
Aside from this ideal environment, Candytuft is easy to grow and care for. Nonetheless, it is going to be very rewarding to have this impressive groundcover in your garden.
Trailing Periwinkle
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Since it can grow well in any light condition, including shade or full sun, Trailing Periwinkle makes a great option for groundcover plants.
Not only trail along the ground, but this plant also does so wherever you cultivate it. Thus, the evergreen can make a stunning low-level cascading feature in any garden.
If you want to cover a wide space quickly, this evergreen ground cover plant will does it perfectly. Consider planting it at the beginning of spring for the best result.
However, this fast-growing habit can be a drawback if you plant the periwinkle in a narrow space since it may get out of control very quickly.
Once established in your garden, trailing periwinkle will provide delicate and beautiful blue flowers that release a scented fragrance.
Japanese Spurge
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This groundcover is tolerant of various conditions that many plants cannot survive. It can withstand drought, though sufficient water is required when young.
As an evergreen ground cover for shade, you can count on this plant to thrive well in dark corners of the garden or any sheltered area under your trees.
It prefers an acidic soil with high level of organic substances. However, Japanese spurge can still grow properly in neglect soil including one with more clay content.
While the hardiness of this plant is beneficial, it also has some drawbacks to note. Its ability to tolerate various conditions may lead Japanese Spurge a moderately invasive in several areas.
You can keep this groundcover under control by pruning it annually in spring.
Dragons Blood
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If you are looking for an evergreen ground cover that does well in poor soil conditions, the dragon blood can be the main choice at it will adapt to such habitats.
Dragons Blood is somewhat drought-tolerant and is capable to endure a wide range of climates, making it appropriate for cultivating nearly anywhere.
Interestingly, it also comes with stunning flowers in a deep scarlet red color. Plant your Dragons Blood under the full sun to encourage the blooms becoming more vibrant.
The plant also cultivates rapidly, extending across the ground to form areas of cover. Once mature, Dragons Blood can reach up to 20 cm in height.
Creeping Jenny
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Also known as Moneywort, this evergreen ground cover comes with bright yellow blossoms and foliages, offering a pop of color to any garden throughout the year.
This plant will grow well when receives partial shade from the strong sunlight during the day and full sun in the morning.
Creeping Jenny can be a good option if you need an evergreen ground cover for sun since it will produce more foliage in vibrant yellow under such ideal condition.
In shaded area, this plant will generate a lime green leaves that do not make it much different from other varieties.
Your creeping jenny will work well as groundcover in wide areas where it has the freedom to spread. Consider avoiding this variety if you want a natural blanket in small flowerbeds or spaces.
Wintercreeper
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Cultivated as groundcover, Wintercreeper can grow up to around 30 cm in height with unlimited spread measurement.
Wintercreeper has a comparable growth pattern to Ivy. Thus, you can expect it to climb up walls, spread across the lawn, or anything the plant can hold of.
This evergreen ground cover comes with many varieties. Some of them feature dissimilar foliage colors including shades of gold and variegated green.
Although it can cultivate in almost full shade, Wintercreeper enjoys partial sheltered spaces the most. Besides, this plant prefers a regular well-draining soil to thrive in too.
Furthermore, Wintercreeper is highly durable, and it will survive in a range of temperatures as well as conditions. While it seems beneficial, the plant can be very invasive in several places.
It is capable to take over your garden area, running over lawns or other unwelcome spaces.
If you are interested in Wintercreeper but worried about its invasive growth habit, consider picking the variegated verities since they are less likely to be aggressive.
Creeping Thyme
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Thymus Serpyllum Coccineus or commonly known as Creeping Thyme is another hardy plant that can tolerate drought and high heat.
This evergreen ground cover plant is ideal for regions that suffer hotter summers than the rest and low rainfall.
Creeping thyme typically spreads low on the ground to form very intense mats of foliage. The fine leave is evergreen and can change into a bronze color during fall as well as winter.
Growing this creeping plant allows you to enjoy plenty of delicate purple blooms on its 7-cm stems at the end of June and July.
When you grow it as groundcover, the plant will create a brilliant and colorful blanket on your lawn. Then, once the flowers faded, simply prune back their stems to encourage new bloom next season.
The plant is strong to handle foot traffic as well, making it appropriate for planting along flowerbed edges and walkways.
Finally, have you found a favorite evergreen ground cover among the popular choices mentioned above? Well, there is no need to be in rush and pick the best variety for your garden once sure. Happy gardening!