9 Ground Covers to Revolutionize Your UK Garden

Posted on 18/09/2025

9 Ground Covers to Revolutionize Your UK Garden

Transforming your UK garden into a lush, vibrant space can be easily achieved by selecting the right ground covers. These versatile plants not only add visual interest but also suppress weeds and help retain soil moisture. Here are nine must-have ground covers that can truly revolutionize your garden's landscape. Let's explore these options in-depth.

1. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

_Make a fragrant impact with this aromatic wonder._ Creeping thyme is ideal for filling gaps between stepping stones or patio pavers. It forms a dense mat that releases a pleasant fragrance when walked upon, infusing charm directly into your garden.

• Light: Prefers full sun
• Soil: Well-drained
• Benefits: Drought-tolerant and low maintenance

2. Alchemilla Mollis (Lady's Mantle)

With its distinctive chartreuse flowers and fan-shaped leaves, Lady's Mantle can be a delightful addition to any cottage-style garden in the UK. It's particularly effective at softening the edges of borders.

• Light: Sun to partial shade
• Soil: Moist, well-drained
• Benefits: Excellent for cut flowers and attracting pollinators

3. Chamomile Lawn

Trade grass for the soothing, apple-scented charm of chamomile. This perennial is an excellent non-grass option that transforms your garden into a peaceful, aromatic retreat.

• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, sandy
• Benefits: Low maintenance and resilient

4. Vinca Minor (Periwinkle)

Often referred to as lesser periwinkle, Vinca minor is perfect for those shady patches in your garden. Its glossy leaves and blue-violet flowers can create a stunning carpet-like effect.

• Light: Shade to partial sun
• Soil: Moist, acidic
• Benefits: Effective erosion control and quick spreader

5. Ajuga Reptans (Bugleweed)

Ajuga reptans is renowned for its fast-growing prowess and vibrant colors. Ideal for shady areas, its beautiful purple-blue blooms add color and life to your shady spots.

• Light: Partial to full shade
• Soil: Moist, fertile
• Benefits: Attractive to bees and butterflies

6. Saxifraga (Rockfoil)

Known for their ornamental quality, Saxifraga integrates well into rock gardens or border fronts, offering mat-forming foliage with tiny, starry blooms.

• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Well-draining
• Benefits: Deer-resistant and hardy

7. Heuchera (Coral Bells)

Add dramatic textures with Heuchera's vibrant leaves, ranging from deep purples to lime greens. Its tolerance to diverse conditions makes it a garden favorite across the UK.

• Light: Partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained, enriched
• Benefits: Year-round interest

8. Leptinella squalida (Brass Buttons)

This tiny-leaved ground cover is perfect for walkway edgings and rock gardens, producing a unique texture with its fern-like foliage.

• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Humus-rich
• Benefits: Attractive and hardy replacement for grass

9. Geranium Macrorrhizum (Bigroot Geranium)

Looking for color-packed ground covers? Geranium Macrorrhizum spreads generously, creating a carpet of rich foliage topped by delicate, purple-pink flowers.

• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained, tolerates poor soils
• Benefits: Fragrant foliage that deters deer

Conclusion

From lush carpets to fragrant pathways, these diverse ground covers have the power to revolutionize your garden. Whether you aim for an ornamental look or a practical ground cover solution, these selections are adaptable to the UK climate and can bring both beauty and functionality to your outdoor space. Embrace the versatility and charm these plants can offer and watch your garden flourish into an idyllic sanctuary.