Like regular plants, weeds have to undergo the process of seed germination and require plenty of space to spread.
However, if you plant groundcovers in that space, adequate sunlight won’t be able to reach the weeds anymore, and the dense groundcover growth will limit weed spread.
That’s why this article is so important!
I’m going to show you the 12 best groundcovers to keep weeds away from your garden! Let’s get started!
12 Fast-Growing Groundcovers For Weed Control
12) Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
Creeping jenny plants are known for their unique, round foliage and vibrant, yellow flowers that grab attention due to their simplicity and elegance.
They’re excellent as groundcover in the garden to make the landscape look fuller and limit weed growth.
Because creeping jenny is a versatile, hardy groundcover, it can thrive in any USDA Hardiness Zone from 3 to 10.
11) Bugleweed
Despite the goofy-sounding name, bugleweed forms a thick mat across the garden and limits weed production effectively.
This groundcover will be fast-growing but also relatively tall. Bugleweed also tends to do well in zones 4-10.
10) Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
If you’re looking for a groundcover that’s effective at suppressing weeds but also incredibly vibrant, creeping phlox is a solid choice.
These plants offer clusters of little flowers in shades of pink, purple, blue, and white, adding a striking element to the garden space.
Creeping phlox is hardy so it can perform relatively well in zones 4-8 but won’t be able to do its job in overly cold or hot zones (1-3 and 8+).
9) Stonecrop
Stonecrop is a relatively tough and hardy groundcover that can survive various soil and environmental conditions easily. It grows rapidly and can take over any patchy garden space in no time.
This groundcover is best suited for zones 3-10.
8) Sweet Woodruff
For shady, moist areas, sweet woodruff is the perfect groundcover. It spreads relatively quickly and can cover a lot of area within a short period of time.
Apart from being effective for weed suppression, sweet woodruff foliage and blooms look incredibly attractive and can draw positive attention to your garden.
Depending on the soil and overall climate conditions, anywhere between zone 4-8 should be ideal for planting sweet woodruff as a garden groundcover.
7) Brass Buttons (Cotula coronopifolia)
This dense, low-growing groundcover offers caterpillar skin-like foliage and small yellow flowers that resemble buttons.
It’s drought-tolerant and incredibly resilient, meaning it won’t need much babying and attention once established.
Slightly warmer climate conditions, however, are preferable here, so planting this groundcover in zone 5-10 makes the most sense.
6) Creeping Thyme
This groundcover restrains the growth and spreading abilities of wild weeds while providing a unique, colorful look in the garden.
It offers dense foliage that spreads like a mat in the garden, effectively suppressing weed growth while also beautifying the landscape.
For creeping thyme, zones 2-8 are ideal.
5) Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
Creeping juniper has a unique pine needle-like texture that can give your garden landscape a mesmerizing look.
You’ll find this groundcover spreading in a blueish-grey color and it’s a solid choice if you wish to have a productive addition to your garden that’s also visually striking.
Unlike creeping thyme, creeping juniper prefers slightly cooler conditions, so zone 2-7 planting is ideal for this one.
4) Periwinkle
Periwinkles are quick to spread and can cover large areas in no time.
They offer attractive, shiny green foliage as well as purple and blue flowers that add an element of familiarity but also subtle beauty to the garden. If soil erosion is an issue for you, planting periwinkles on slopes can help bring things under control.
Most periwinkle varieties should be able to handle zone 3-9 conditions fairly easily.
3) Hostas
For shaded or partially shaded areas, hostas can serve as an excellent groundcover to suppress weeds and add visual appeal to the garden landscape.
They offer large, colorful foliage and are relatively quick to grow, meaning they can get to work on suppressing weeds in a short period of time.
For hostas, slighter cooler zones (2-7) are perfect.
2) Clovers
Clovers are perhaps the second most popular groundcover after creeping jenny. They’re tried and tested for their resilience and usually come out on top amongst the most ideal groundcovers.
Though they don’t have any particular “visually striking” features, clovers still work wonders for limiting weed growth and have nitrogen-fixing properties that can indirectly improve your garden as a whole.
Most clover varieties would do well in pretty much all zones from 2 or 10.
1) Dichondra
Dichondra have somewhat of a similar appearance to clovers except they’re a tad bit rounder. They spread fast and can reach a decent height of about 2-4 inches, creating an appealing mat that blends in well but also works effectively for covering empty patches and aiding with weed control.
Warmer zones between 8-11 allow dichondra to thrive and spread effectively throughout the garden.
Planting Groundcovers – Some Tips That Will Help!
Avoid This Simple Groundcover Mistake That Could Ruin Your Garden!
In the race to plant the “fastest growing” groundcover, don’t forget that there are invasive species out there that grow and spread too fast which could ruin the overall harmony and visual balance of your garden.
They might also snatch away nutrients and resources from your main plants, making them weaker as a result.
Always remember to choose the right groundcover for the type of land you have and be careful that it does not become invasive.
I hope this helps! If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
I find with any ground cover plants i have loads of snails and slugs i just cant get rid of them.i also still get certain weeds coming through the middle of the plants
Hi Jessie! 😊 I’ve had the same problem! Slugs love hiding under dense covers. 😅 I usually sprinkle crushed eggshells or use copper tape around the edges, and that helps a lot. For weeds, I just pull any that sneak through while they’re small before they get established.
Also, diatomaceous (dia-toe-ma-sha-us) earth – is a good tool to use around and underneath these ground covers. To human hands it feels like regular soil but to snakes, snails and slugs with soft under bellies, the sharp edges of this siliceous material is to be avoided. They will not cross it.
Hi Sue 🙂 Diatomaceous earth can help a little when it’s dry, but it loses effectiveness once it gets wet and it can also affect beneficial insects. I’d use it carefully rather than relying on it as the main fix.
Put a can of beer out in a swallow pan
I think you meant “Shallow “ not swallow. Probably predictive text got you.
Are these ground covers suitable to grow in sub tropical zones?
Hi Margherita! 😊 Some of these can handle subtropical zones. Vinca and sedum usually do well, and creeping jenny will thrive if it’s kept moist. Creeping thyme can be a bit fussier with humidity though, so I’d only try it in a really well-drained, sunny spot.
Are any of these ground covers deer resistant?
Hi! 😊 From my list, creeping juniper, stonecrop (sedum), and creeping thyme are usually safe from deer, they tend to avoid those because of the scent and texture. The rest might need some protection if deer are a problem in your area.
im in a deer populated area… the deer are not bothering sweet woodruff or creeping jenny.
Never plant Bishop Weed! It does not die. I covered it with cardboard and compost, next year it started coming back and spread rapidly. I sprayed it with Roundup. The plants looked dead but started growing again..from the dead part stems! Brush killer was much the same. I finally removed everything from the bed and dug up the entire bed, removing every root and leaf that I saw. Replanted, watching carefully and quickly removing any starts.
Hi Dianne! 😊 Oh I know exactly what you mean!!!! My friend had bishop’s weed take over her shady bed and it was a nightmare to control. Digging every bit out was the only thing that worked for her too. It’s definitely one I’d never plant on purpose!
I am plagued by it also. I can’t afford to replace the earth six feet down all around my property and it is the most ignorant plant I’ve ever heard of. For some reason, not an invasive weed on the list in my area. Ridiculous. It is resistant to Roundup – it just kills the top, but does not absorb to the roots. I have used black plastic and tarps, but it comes from the bush behind my place, so it’s too much work to try to lay that on uneven rocky and treed ground. They say all you can do about it is move away. Surely there must be something to kill the demon that it is.
I know what mean you mean. Bishops weed is a nightmare to control. It spreads everywhere and is really hard to get rid of.
Which options will look alive in winter? Nashville TN is ~zone 7 and I’m envisioning a sunny area that is irrigated but still quite dry. Thx!
Hi Jennifer! 😊 In Zone 7, creeping thyme and vinca minor will both stay green through winter, even if they slow down. My mom grows ajuga too, and it keeps its foliage year-round in her sunny beds. They’ll all handle that irrigated but dry spot pretty well.
I live in Milwaukee County, WI (not sure what zone it is) and my Pacasandra stays green all winter, right through the snow! It’s growing in the shade under a huge maple tree. Filtered sun. My sweet Woodruff is fabulously doing it’s best at keeping weeds at bay in filtered shade! My Hostas are growing crazy and HUGE in full sunshine. Looking forward to trying some of your suggestions this year!
Hi Judy 🙂 That sounds like a great shade setup! Pachysandra and sweet woodruff can both do really well under trees, and it’s always helpful to hear what’s working in a real garden.
Love the idea of ground covers to help with weeds that grow in our gardens.
Hi Barbara! 😊 Same here, once I added creeping thyme and vinca around my beds, the weeds had a much harder time sneaking through. Plus, it makes the garden look so much fuller!
Wher can i buy these ground cover plants please. Rhonda
Hi Rhonda! 😊 You can usually find groundcovers like creeping thyme, vinca, or sedum at local garden centers or nurseries. I’ve had the best luck just picking them up at places like Lowe’s or a small family nursery nearby. If you prefer, there are lots of online nurseries that ship them right to your door too!
Where can I get creeping thyme plants?
Hi! 😊 I usually find creeping thyme at local garden centers in the herb section, but I’ve also ordered plugs online from nurseries when I needed a lot at once. It spreads quickly once you get it started!
What is the name of the ground cover used as the advertisement plant at the beginning and not identified.
Hi Lorraine! 😊 That one’s Creeping Jenny, the label is just a little further down under the photo.
Hi Rita. I am looking for ground cover plants that the deer band muntjacs will not eat. Can you advise me please
Thankyou
Hi! 😊 Deer and muntjacs can be tricky, but a few groundcovers they usually avoid are catmint, epimedium, lungwort, and creeping phlox. Those have worked best in my garden for keeping the nibblers away!
Witch ones are suitable in big frost areas, nut also good with dry conditions in Sumer
?
Hi! 😊 For cold winters and dry summers, try creeping thyme, sedum (stonecrop), or creeping phlox, they handle frost really well and stay tough through droughts too.
Hi! What works in sandy soil and cold winters in Maine?
Hi Carol 😊 For sandy soil and cold Maine winters, hardy groundcovers that usually do well are creeping juniper, bearberry, creeping phlox, and sedum. The big trick is watering the first season so they root in, then they handle the sandy drainage much better.
I enjoy this gardening info, can you add a combined picture page for reference? Makes ir handy to store & look back on. Thank you 😊
Hi Linda 😊 That’s a really good idea. In the meantime, you can use your browser Print option and choose Save as PDF, or just save the images from the post to a folder on your phone for quick reference.
What zone is Melbourne Victoria in please? I live these creepers, and can they have full sun
Hi Rosie 😊 These are American zones and they don’t apply to Melbourne. But I did a quick search and it seems like you live in a mild temperate climate, roughly similar to USDA Zones 9 or 10 depending on the exact zone. Most creepers can take full sun if they get regular water while establishing, and they’ll do best with morning sun and a bit of afternoon protection on the hottest days.
Looking for a ground cover to go around my pool. I don’t want tall
Hi Anna 😊 For around a pool, I’d look at low, tidy groundcovers like dwarf mondo grass, creeping thyme, or sedum… If you don’t want bees near the pool, skip thyme and lean toward dwarf mondo or a low sedum!
Have you considered Irish moss for around the pool.
The weeds just grow through the creeping Jenny I have planted. There is a horrible sticker bush that grows all around my house I think its root system just keeps growing and I can’t figure out how to get rid of it. Does anyone have any ideas of what to do?
Hi 🙂 Groundcovers help most once weeds are already under control, but tough sticker bushes usually need to be dug out by the roots or treated directly. I’d focus on removing that first, then let the creeping Jenny fill back in afterward.
Sadly most of the plants listed here are not native and a many are invasive. Please Check your area before buying!
Hi Joanna🙂 That’s a fair reminder. A few fast-spreading groundcovers can become a problem in certain areas, so it’s always smart to check your local invasive plant list before buying.
hi Jenny what works well in the UK climate? i have a pretty big allotment that i only recently took over, i have managed to prepare a good section for my 10 pallet collars, i am going to concentrate on these 10 for this season, the plot is some 45metres by 3metres. i have placed membrane cover over the section that i will not be using this years to supress the weeds but it would be great to have some colour i have a small section left that i have not covered as yet so any suggestions what i might plant in there as weed cover?Here in the UK i think they refer to these weed covers as “green manure” thanks for your post very informative cheers Rob west midlands – UK
Hi Robert 🙂 For the UK, green manure crops like clover, phacelia, field beans, or grazing rye can work well for covering bare soil, depending on the season. If you want some color in a smaller open section, nasturtiums or calendula could also help cover soil and brighten the space.
Last summer I had some kind of weed take over my flower bed. Don’t know what it is but I can’t seem to kill it! It killed my marigolds. I’ve dug up, covered with black plastic and it still lives 😭 . Any ideas would be great 👍! Also want to thank you for sharing, love reading your articles.
Hi Cindy 🙂 That sounds so frustrating. If black plastic didn’t stop it, it may be a tough perennial weed with deep roots or runners, so I’d try to identify it first, then keep digging out as much root as possible before replanting. Thank you for the kind words too!
Hi possibly a stupid question but will ground cover stop bulbs from growing 🤔
Hi Kev 🙂 Not a stupid question at all! Many bulbs can still push through looser groundcovers, but very dense mats may slow them down, so I’d avoid planting aggressive groundcovers directly over smaller bulbs.
I need a ground co er that I can walk on as I have raised beds im the space. If not plants, what else could I use?
Hi Jeanette 🙂 For paths around raised beds, creeping thyme can handle light foot traffic, but if you’ll be walking there often, mulch, gravel, or stepping stones may be easier to maintain.
I grew up in zone 8, with a long growing season and mild winters. But I’m getting ready to move to zone 5, shorter growing season and heavy winters. So all the garden plans I had are gone. I want to grow white clover, dandelion, creeping thyme, as well as a vegetable garden and herbs. Where do I start?
Hi 🙂 I’d start small your first year in zone 5 and learn your new frost dates first. Creeping thyme and clover can work, but choose hardy varieties, and wait on tender vegetables and herbs until after your last frost or start them indoors first.
How do I get rid of English Ivy? It has taken over..
Hi Brandy 🙂 English ivy is very stubborn. Start by cutting the vines back, then pull or dig out as much of the roots as you can. After that, keep removing new shoots as soon as they appear, because it usually takes repeated cleanup to finally weaken it.
Help!
I have a couple of tennis courts+ size area that is covered in 2-8″ of 1″ crush-er-run(?) gravel (the kind used for country driveways). We used the gravel to level off an area that had dips and slopes in it. It’s a solid shade area, since a tall shop building hides the sun from noon on. It’s never watered except by rain, so generally dry. It gets overrun with henbit & several other small plants in the spring, then field grasses & who knows what other tall weeds for the rest of our growing season in far NE Oklahoma. Chart says we’re zone 6b-7a, but we have extremes every year!
Please don’t suggest herbicides – I hate using herbicides!
a- they kill pollinators, etc.
b- even RM43 (what ranchers use) doesn’t last but a month or so, & it’s crazy expensive!
Does anyone know of anything that thrives in dry gravelly areas, (can’t add soil, that would be cost prohibitive).
My wish list:
low maintenance
2-4″ tall
won’t die completely when it gets down in the low teens for a week or so in winter, or burn up when the temps get over 98 -105 for most of the summer
can be occasionally walked on
Flowers would be nice, but beggars can’t be choosers!
Any suggestions would be most helpful!
Thanks so much!!!
JC
Hi 🙂 That is a tough spot, especially with dry gravel and shade. I’d try small test patches first with tough options like creeping thyme in the brighter areas, or sedum where it gets enough sun, but for that much gravel, keeping a mowed/trimmed “living path” or adding fresh gravel over landscape fabric may be more realistic than trying to plant the whole area.
Hi Rita. I live in zone 7. I have a partial sun to shady area where I need to plant a ground cover on a slope to stop the weeds. I need a drought tolerant version. What should I plant?
I love your blog,
Thank you
Hi Karen 🙂 For a zone 7 slope with partial sun and some shade, I’d look at tough options like creeping thyme in the sunnier spots, creeping juniper where it’s drier, or ajuga in the shadier parts. Just check local invasive lists first, especially with fast spreaders.
I love creeping thyme. Will start seeds tomorrow but will this ground cover make it through the winter in the Philadelphia area? Love your emails! Thanks. JP
Hi Judy 🙂 Creeping thyme should usually handle Philadelphia winters as long as it has good drainage. It likes sun best, so give it the brightest spot you can and avoid soil that stays soggy.
I planted dichondra and it took over everything planted within 5 ft of it. They root and grow in different directions underground. It was like trying to untangle Xmas lights, while blindfolded, when I was digging it out.
Hi 🙂 That’s exactly why it’s so important to check how a groundcover behaves in your area before planting. Some of them are wonderful in the right spot, but too aggressive in others.
I would like to plant something under my hibiscus hedges, the black birds love to look for food and at the same time push my wood bark on to my walkway.
Hi 🙂 A low groundcover could help keep the bark in place, but under hibiscus hedges I’d choose something that handles partial shade and regular leaf litter, like sweet woodruff or ajuga. You could also edge the bed to keep the bark off the walkway.