10 Tough Evergreen Ground Covers for Your Garden

[@jeanmclellan1823]

Please do a video on evergreen walkable lawn alternatives.

[@sunsickokra218]

Last fall I planted a little 'Burgundy Glow' Ajuga that I got from big bloomers for $5. One year later and I was able to divide that sucker into 8 new plants. Great color, great function, AND great value. I'm still hunting for a space to put some "All Gold" juniper after seeing its glory in the Bristal Briar.

[@terrimainey4656]

Love the ground cover suggestions! I feel good knowing I have several.😃Thanks, Jim and Stephany!

[@FR-tb7xh]

Pardon my spelling, but the list is: 1. Brigadoon St John’s Wort 2. Everillo Kerex 3. Groundcover Sedums 4. Mondo grass 5. Ajuga 6. Muelenbekia 7. Liriope 8. Groundcover Junipers 9. Asiatic Jasmine 10. Native Selanginella

[@juliannetaylor9989]

Thanks!

[@aletheaprince7717]

Round leaf ragwort, aka squaw weed, is another great native evergreen ground cover for the shade!

[@bmcdonald7303]

Fantastic topic needed. Thank you.

[@julieh2935]

Perfect! I needed this video! Thanks, Jim! 😊

[@NewDimension7]

Good Morning Omg really nice showing . Nice ideas Many types plants for green garden. Thanks for sharing

[@8helenjhouston8]

Thank you Jim & Stephany - I need all the dry full sun ground covers that I can get! When you cut back Everillo Carex in March would that be the time to divide them?

[@barbarajames-higgins2059]

BEWARE! The wire vine ground cover is NOT maintenance free! I totally regret planting it. It has to be cut back to the ground every year or you will end up with it getting really woody. After I planted it in my yard, I saw it at a public garden where they had not trimmed it back. It was a bank of plant material about 3 1/2 feet high with only the foliage on the very top of it. All below it was a dense mass of thick vines about as thick as a finger. I'm glad I saw it, so I knew I had to keep it cut back before that happened to mine. I have it in several beds and it takes over. I don't think I could ever get rid of it and it's a lot of work cutting it back to the ground each year. I would love it if it wasn't so aggressive and the tendency to get woody because the leaves are really petite and pretty.

[@kevinjones2001]

I spent three days, removing Periwinkle from my parent's courtyard.....the prior neighbors thought that it was a nice touch for the grey stone brick, but every year I'm removing vines😡

[@wordswritteninred7171]

Thank you for the warning! I was thinking of buying some to put on a slope at the front of my yard!

[@barbarajames-higgins2059]

@@wordswritteninred7171 I could see it being nice if you could mow it and you didn't have to worry about how far it spreads. Like I said, the petite little leaves are so pretty.

[@wordswritteninred7171]

@barbarajames-higgins2059 yeah, the reason I want to find a good ground cover is so I don't have to mow it. It's a steep slope. We have to weed eat it. And it's 200ft X approx 15 foot! Yeah! Alot! We resort to doing half of it each mow and the other half the next mow. It's too much. Lol I am thinking maybe creeping phlox and creeping thyme. I considered English ivy. Because the area is enclosed by road and blacktop driveway. But knowing my luck, a bird will get a piece and drop it in my yard and I will drown in it. Lol but I do love English ivy!

[@Kate98755]

@@wordswritteninred7171oh not English ivy, it was at my last house…the former owners planted it…I could never get it removed.

[@EmmyUnwindWorld]

Fantastic video! I've been looking for some evergreen ground cover ideas, and this was super informative. Thanks

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thank you Jim. 🌺💚🙃

[@katherinecornette5315]

I’m a big fan of groundcovers! Liriopi, ajuga, carex are all in various forms in my garden. Trying to get the St John’s wort to spread as well.

[@freedomofreligion3248]

Remember, Jim and Stephany have turned their soil into near-perfection. That changes the texture, moisture-retention, etc. Those differences color his remarks on, say, weeding in selaginella. Plus: What variety you have changes some things, too.

[@amyp8833]

Reeaaaally need to mention which groundcovers still allow weeds to grow through. The last one you described as growing very densely and being easy to pull out any weed that might come up; I would also assume such a dense cover would not have very much weed germination -- sounds terrific! I've had weed difficulties with ground cover junipers. Pretty tough getting the weeds out from them, especially if you've overlooked it for a while and the weeds get well rooted in.

[@kso808]

I confuse liriope with mondo grass, and have had both in my garden. I also have some small periwinkle vinca in my back wooded area, which has spread over the years.

[@Krautastic]

I have an entire hillside (100x100) covered in vinca from a previous home owner. I wouldn't plant it somewhere that it's not reigned in by hardscape

[@katiekane5247]

​@@KrautasticMitchella repens is a SE native that's much better behaved. Looks very similar

[@dia9491]

These are all so lovely. I’m always down for a new ground cover.

[@stephaniesharkey3538]

Thx, I have 3 of the 10 u showed and they r doing great in zone8!

[@trishferrer8209]

#10 CLUB MOSS, I love this. In the picture shown it doesn't look like the same kind I had. Mine had individual swirls of lacy green foliage, just BEAUTIFUL. I went camping one year ago in (Patoka Lake area) Indiana, and saw it on the forest ground (in total shade). Brought some home w/me in a red solo cup of water, and planted it when I got home to west TN, 7b. Tried my BEST to keep it alive, but was unsuccessful. 😢

[@barbarawitt9989]

My favorite sedum for ground cover is called Blue Spruce!

[@galleta_2024]

I love your presentation. To see the plants in actual settings made it all more relatable for me. Not sure you can respond to my specific 'wish' because I must factor in my beautiful Birch Tree when replacing my lawn with a 'no mow green ground cover.' I wanted Dwarf Carpet of the Stars until I was told this is more a drought tolerant plant, which is great here in 93446, however the Birch tree requires water, which would kill the ground cover. From your experience any one you would recommend? Thx for the video and any help you can provide. Best wishes

[@careyjohnston4176]

Although these ground covers I'm going to mention are not tough I use them to full advantage. These ground covers I might have to buy some every year if I don't over winter some out of temperatures below freezing the colors are great contrasts to larger ornamentals. Creeping Jenny, Tradscantia all of the wandering jew types . My favorite is purple Simitar, it can be hard to find if mine don't overwinter but I can usually get from Steve's Leaves based in Texas who has the best selections of rare plants I can find . The prices from Steve's Leaves helps me to be able to order more and shipments come quickly and in great shape. I want other people to think outside the box when it comes to empty spaces in gardens. Yes sometimes I might have bare spots in spring but once these get going they grow at a phenomenal rate .

[@lilyw.1788]

Will ground covers take away more water from the perennials and shrubs? I dont have a drip system and just relying on rain water and occasional flower bed irrigation when its very hot and dry. Love your content!

[@marionallen2222]

Love groundcovers I need a bunch more 🤣… I’m using dianthus with white flowers for a border around my garden beds …. And trying to put a bunch of starts of lemon coral sedum around everywhere I hope they stay this winter lol I need some of the Carex they are a pretty sub for hakonechloa grass I can’t find … also have some chocolate chips ajuga and some Aztec grass that’s variegated in between my boxwoods with white flowers 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍 great suggestions

[@lilyw.1788]

I have quite the opposite problem! We have tons of hakonechloa grass in my local garden centers but I cant find carex! Maybe we can help each other buy these grasses and then swap lol

[@marionallen2222]

@@lilyw.1788 I’m so jealous! They are so pretty!!!! Lol

[@HandcraftedintheFoothills]

We have a small clump of black mondo grass. Love how it looks in the garden. Have 3 of the ones listed here. Not enough shade yet to install alot of ground covers I would like to plant.

[@lalaydade3364]

HI Jim! I would LOVE to know more about any Evergreen plants/shrubs that will work well in zone 7. Thanks to your videos created beds in my backyard and redid my front beds in OKC. I started with evergreen conifers and then lots of nice flowering perennials. During the heat of Summer I lost 3 evergreens: blue star juniper, dwarf Alberta spruce, and gold thread cypress. I planted them in early spring and thought I did well watering them but they all turned brown. So I am looking to shop this fall to replace them. I am trying to get the most out of my space for all season interest. Help what would you recommend?

[@karencrawford5062]

I’m wondering when planting low ground covers would they crowd out the perennials in time? Would like a mixture of both.

[@katiekane5247]

It's a bit of a learning process for me. Generally, ground covers don't root as deep but really aggressive ones can crowd stuff out.

[@thedivide3688]

Depends on the ground cover. That’s what pruning is for.

[@JacquiQ]

Wire Vine ..yay..TY

[@molliearkin7237]

I'd love to know which of these spread fastest--I have a pretty large area I'm impatient to get covered :)

[@cephalonplant4087]

Oriental Bittersweet if you ever plant it.. well you'll be sorry later

[@Earthstein]

excellent. Thank you

[@MyPetZombie84]

The ajuga in my lawn keeps trying to take over and pop up everywhere! Very invasive - 6b canaba, full sun and sandy soil!

[@galleta_2024]

Would love your opinion on Delosperma cooperi aka Ice Plant for low maintenance ground cover? Thx

[@hamigakisan7094]

Anyone have any luck with Mother of Thyme or "Creeping Time" in USDA 8a or similiar? I love the idea of having that or other perennial aromatics in my lawn and smelling them when I trim borders and edges. So far my attemtps to start from seed have been lackluster. I start with thousands of tiny seeds started indoors in containers before last frost, 3 or 4 make it full plants and moved outside in container to grow out, then they just get fried by the heat while in containers waiting to grow out for transplant or don't take if I try to transplant into prepped bed.

[@Burrmajesty]

I threw a bunch of seeds outside in a shaded area and they are growing great. I don’t wanted them or anything.

[@katiekane5247]

They need excellent drainage, the golden thyme (aura) seems easier than wooly thyme for humid areas.

[@hamigakisan7094]

@@Burrmajesty maybe I’ll get the 10,000 seed pack or several of them from different sellers and overseed like crazy and also start some indoors. I think a single live plant was like $7 at one of local nurseries. 50k or more seeds would be like $14 online.

[@carlaephotography7096]

I bought 2 small containers last year and divided them in half. They are doing well, but didn’t spread quickly. But they are spreading! And survived the Texas heat and the freeze this winter. I would suggest putting them in the ground. As mine started looking poorly when in container for a month while I was trying to decide where to put it. And after a couple months they started to flourish. Hope for you success this spring!

[@lambertfever]

To germinate thyme seeds: do not cover the seed with soil. They must have light to germinate. So a clear cover to keep moist.

[@dawndawn6946]

Hi, Jim! I’ve been searching for selaginella palescens. Can you help me, please?

[@burntorangehorn]

Golden oregano/marjoram is evergreen in many zones, and makes a great spreading groundcover. Bonus: we have immense deer and rabbit pressure, and they've yet to touch it.

[@junelee4919]

Thank you!

[@chriscoogan2736]

LSU AgCenter highlighted some kind of fig leaf ground cover one time. I thought it might be a good choice in the landscape.

[@llamawizard]

I’m zone 8, Tuscaloosa, AL, and need an evergreen ground cover-border plant. Needs to be somewhat resistant to dogs. Low growing. I’m looking at phlox versus stonecrop (sedum).

[@elissaschoening8621]

Thank you for you video! I'm looking for a low/no maintenance, evergreen lawn alternative that can hold up to light to moderate dog use. Any recommendations for a part to mostly shaded yard in NE PA? Thanks!

[@lindajhambleton4955]

Hi. I recently moved from middle Tennessee to Fort Wayne In. You and Linda Varter were my go to video gardeners. Could you recommend gardener video sites for up here in the north?

[@juliannetaylor9989]

Check out: the southerners northern garden - Ohio Y garden - NJ Impatient gardener- WI Garden addiction- Maryland Garden Answer- Oregon Soil and margaritas- Indiana? Wise guide-Iowa

[@maidiedolan7629]

Hi - do you have any suggestions for a fast growing evergreen ground cover (full sun).... my problem is there are layers of small rocks embedded in the soil from the previous owner and I am not able to remove them. Hope you can help! Thank-you!

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

You didnt mention one if my favorites for sun (and probably for some shade also): geranium macrorhyzome.

[@dianasmith6254]

How does Mazus grow here in zone 7b? I'm trying to find something to plant between my flagstone pathway. Always great content! Thanks!

[@deannahaworth7666]

I have mazus I’m in 6b and it grows great and it is tough can take foot traffic

[@nccrchurchunusual]

Zones for each?

[@glgardener4972]

I like that last ground cover...is it available from any nurseries in the great lakes?

[@Flower_hoarder]

💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

[@YokaiHitodama]

Hey if you have a 4k iphone that would probably be higher res. Cool content though

[@janiewilliams5803]

Question from beginner gardener - For some of the plants he specifically said ,"groundcover sedum" or "groundcover something else." Does this mean there are varieties of plants of the same name that are not groundcover? Thank you!

[@lisajelle714]

There are taller sedums and shorter ones. Generally the shorter ones are used as groundcovers.

[@janiewilliams5803]

Thank you so much for answering!

[@sterlgirlceline]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@flowerpixel]

My entire backyard is liriope spicata and I can't get rid of it 💀

[@theoneyoucomefor5074]

none of them are lower than grass😔

[@burntorangehorn]

While it's true that they don't usually remain shorter than grass without maintenance, you can keep them shorter than grass with far less maintenance than it takes to maintain grass at any height.

[@dylan8285]

Beautiful ground covers of course being zone 6 in the Midwest your best bet for evergreen ground cover is juniper. as ajuga desiccates real bad if it doesn’t have snow cover and sedum is hit n miss as they tend to rot or become thin and then early season weeds grow

[@nccrchurchunusual]

What does desicate mean?

[@Melanietucker]

Thank you for this video! Super helpful.