Low-maintenance Ground Covers Instead of Grass

Choosing to cover a bare area in the backyard with grass is the easy option—but it’s not your only choice

Maintaining a lawn requires regular care, weeding and fertilizing. Alternatively, a carefully selected ground cover requires little upkeep and reduces the impact on the environment.

Here are some ground covers to consider for your garden…

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Vinca minor (Periwinkle)

• Popular groundcover
• Rapid spreading once established
• Evergreen
• Soft foliage
• Attractive purple flowers
• Dependable for sun or part shade
• Possible lawn substitute for visual areas
• Hardy to Zone 4

Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese pachysandra)

• Good for tough areas
• Lush evergreen foliage
• Creamy white flowers in spring
• Good solid ground cover
• Moderately slow to fill out
• Possible lawn substitute for visual areas
• Hardy to Zone 4

Trifolium repens (white Dutch clover)

• Grows well in areas with clay subsoil
• Low growing (4-8” high)
• Stays green through drought periods
• Attracts beneficial insects
• Be wary of bee allergies
• Will tolerate mowing
• Hardy to Zone 4

Gaultheria shallon (Salal)

• Native evergreen groundcover
• Full lush foliage
• Medium growing up to 1m
• Good as small accent groundcover
• Good for large areas
• Can be aggressive when established
• Drought tolerant
• Edible berries
• Hardy to Zone 6

Arenaria balearica (Corsican sandwort)

• Fine textured 2” high
• Thick mat of bright green leaves
• Small flowers in mid to late spring
• Very hardy
• Adaptable to shady places
• Possible lawn substitute for low
• traffic or between pavers
• Hardy to Zone 4

Sedum acre ‘Aureum’ (golden stonecrop)

• Vigorous and spreading
• Ground hugging carpet
• Bright golden leaves in spring
• Yellow flowers June to August
• Drought tolerant
• Possible lawn alternative for large spaces
• Hardy to Zone 4