Collection: Ground Cover Plants for Sun & Shade

Ground cover plants fill open soil, soften garden edges, cover slopes, and knit larger plants into a more cohesive scene. Our selection includes flowering and foliage groundcovers, succulents, herbs, grasses, and low-growing shrubs for conditions ranging from sunny, dry sites to shaded areas with more regular moisture. Habits may be trailing, clumping, or mat-forming, with evergreen foliage, seasonal flowers, pollinator appeal, or delicious texture depending on the plant.

Choose ground cover by function as well as looks. A dense planting can help shade soil, suppress some weeds, and slow surface erosion once established, but not every selection tolerates foot traffic or spreads at the same pace. Match each plant to your light, soil, drainage, water, climate, expected use, and desired mature spread. For slopes or difficult sites, select plants with root systems and growth habits suited to those particular conditions rather than asking one pretty plant to perform every garden chore.

Explore more: Browse plants for shade or explore plants by type.