Evergreen groundcovers are a valuable aid in the garden. They help combat adventive plants, reduce soil dehydration, and fight erosion. Besides these proven functional qualities, these plants cover a wide range of uses in the garden. And since functional doesn't have to mean ugly, here are the 10 best evergreen groundcovers to have in your garden.
1 - For shade: Pachysandra terminalis
Yes, I could have mentioned ivy, epimediums, Chrysospleniums, Ophiopogons... But if I had to name just one for shade, Pachysandra terminalis is an excellent candidate. While it grows very slowly in the first few years, it's only to establish its root system and develop at an astonishing speed in the following years. It doesn't run; it gallops. Its glossy foliage, perfect all year round, and its white flowers make it an excellent perennial for cool woodlands, let's be clear!
Pachysandra in bloom in spring / Pachysandra terminalis growing at the edge of a tree (source: Pinterest)
2 - For clay soils: Ajuga reptans Catlin's Giant
Ajuga reptans (or "creeping bugle") is one of those perennials that withstand Siberian winters and grow without issue with their feet in the clay, which shows just how tough it is. Its only flaw is that it loves moisture. Heavy soils, yes, but cool or even damp. When it gets what it desires, its stems form stolons like a strawberry plant and quickly colonise.
Ajuga reptans Catlin's Giant with its superb bronze foliage and blue spikes.
3 - For arid corners: Stachys byzantina
Have you always wanted to pet a bear's ears but never could? Close your eyes and stroke the velvety foliage of Stachys byzantina. You'll feel like you're petting a bear... or a rabbit, depending on your perspective. Behind this undeniably soft foliage lies a tenacious perennial that grows without flinching under blazing sun and colonises surfaces thanks to creeping stems that root themselves. Use it at the edge or in rockeries with Armeria, euphorbias, lavenders, or carnations.
Stachys byzantina / Stachys in bloom, mixed with purple fennel, euphorbia, and rosemary - source: Pinterest
4 - For growth speed: Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor Atropurpurea)
I'm not talking about the greater periwinkle (Vinca major) with its bland foliage and chaotic growth, but its smaller sister, Vinca minor Atropurpurea, which is more refined. With finer leaves, it produces a string of small flowers whose often paler centre gives it a bicoloured appearance. As vigorous as its larger sister, it dresses semi-shaded borders with great class and restraint. Its stems elongate and root themselves here and there, so one single plant can spread and cover several square metres in just 2-3 years.
Vinca minor atropurpurea (Source: Pinterest)
5 - For calcareous soils: Thyme
No, Thyme is not just an herb confined to the edges of the vegetable garden. It is also, and above all, an excellent groundcover plant for calcareous and dry soils. It is used at the edge of a mineral path in gravel or on rocky slopes. However, not all are evergreen; opt for Thymus serpyllum or, for something more original, the stunning semi-evergreen Thymus pseudolanuginosus.
1) Thyme in bloom in early summer / 2) Thyme bordering a mineral path alongside Stachys byzantina (source: Pinterest) - 3) Thymus pseudolanuginosus - 4) Carpet of thyme on a calcareous slope (source: Pinterest)
6 - For early flowering: heather (Erica x darleyensis)
The advantage of heathers is that they thrive in challenging regions, in arid heaths swept by winds, on limestone cliffs, or at the edge of woodlands, so it's impossible to say, "Oh no, I gave up on heather; it won't grow in my garden!" Therefore, you can plant it almost anywhere in your garden, and it will grow at varying speeds. But its main asset lies in its early winter flowering, and neither frost nor a bit of snow will stop it from blooming.
Erica darleyensis Red October in bloom despite the snow - Erica darleyensis forming an impenetrable carpet, no need to plant it on a tarp! (Source: Pinterest)
7 - For its fragrance: Sarcococca hookeriana humilis
At first glance, it's not the size of the flowers that impresses in Sarcococca, as they are insignificant, but rather its sweet fragrance with floral and citrus notes that lasts a good part of winter. Then, it's its lovely glossy foliage and ability to grow in shade, even under trees, that appeals. Finally, this small groundcover shrub slips along the edge of a shaded path and suckers to form lovely colonies over time.
Sarcococca hookeriana humilis in bloom. How can such small flowers exude such a fragrance? A mystery! / Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis at the edge of woodlands (Source: Pinterest)
8 - For its abundant flowering: Phlox subulata
When thinking of flowering groundcovers, Phlox doesn't immediately come to mind. And when thinking of Phlox, one primarily thinks of Phlox paniculata known for its beautiful coloured panicles in summer. However, Phlox subulata deserves to be better known and planted because its flowering is simply stunning. This small groundcover transforms into a colourful mass from early spring. It literally becomes covered in flowers, to the point that when exposed to full light, in well-drained, rich soil, the foliage disappears beneath the flowers for three solid weeks.
1 and 4) Phlox subulata Emerald Cushion - 2) Phlox subulata Candy Stripe - 3) The Japanese have appreciated Phlox subulata for a long time and plant it in masses on hillside slopes. You either love it or hate it, but after a dreary winter, it wakes you up! (Source: Pinterest)
9 - For decorative fruit in winter: Cotoneaster Coral Beauty
It's not that I'm a huge fan of cotoneasters, but one must acknowledge at least one thing: they are the kings of fruiting. When winter comes and the light intensity decreases, the small orange-red berries take on intense colours, making winter seem less dreary. Moreover, birds feast on their providential berries in winter, so keep that in mind!
Cotoneaster suecicus Coral Beauty in fruit in autumn[/caption>
10 - For all the reasons: Geranium macrorrhizum Spessart
It was nearly impossible to finish a top 10 of the best evergreen groundcovers without mentioning Geranium macrorrhizum Spessart. It is the ultimate groundcover that grows everywhere, in sun or shade, in clay or clay-limestone soils. It is one of the few that grows in dry shade, on slopes, along paths, at the foot of trees or roses. It spreads its rhizomes across the ground and suffocates everything in its path, even ivy, which speaks to its robustness. It grows slowly but surely, has foliage with a questionable scent but blooms profusely and for a long time in spring. And when the cold arrives, its foliage turns copper and red, it may wither but does not disappear, revealing its dense network of rhizomes. It’s the best, and it’s my favourite (objectively speaking!).
Geranium macrorrhizum 'Spessart' on my slope in spring.[/caption>
And you, which is your best evergreen groundcover? Tell us why!
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