Ground cover should usually cover areas as quickly and densely as possible. It is all the more important that the vigorous ground cover can withstand severe frost.
Which gardener doesn't know the situation? It's only been a week since the last weeding and already green tips are showing up again from pesky couch grass (Elymus) or unyielding bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) . Before the back suffers severe pain from further maintenance rounds, intelligent planting that covers the area densely can help. And here “ground cover” is the magic word. In this article, we will introduce you to particularly hardy plants with ground-covering growth, which will still provide dense and effective protection from unwanted bed dwellers in your bed even after harsh winters.
Winter-hardy ground cover: 5 particularly robust species
In harsher areas you should definitely use hardy plants that can cope well with difficult weather conditions. However, caution should be exercised when the term “hardy” is used. The classification is usually in winter zones, which cover a very large temperature range from Z11 (above +4.4 °C) to Z1 (below -45 °C). In addition, the winter hardiness can vary slightly depending on the region. In Germany you should choose plants with a winter hardiness of at least Z7 (about -15 °C) for your garden. Below we show you a selection of various particularly hardy plant genera and species, so that you may be able to gain new, creative ideas for your bed areas.
- Pillow Aster (Aster dumosus)
The cushion aster is originally from North America, is extremely robust and not only beautiful to look at when they are in bloom. The cushion aster owes its name to its cushion-like growth. It forms closed carpets of flowers very quickly and should therefore be cut back regularly.
- Bergenia (Bergenia)
The evergreen bergenia inspires all year round with colorfulfoliage and are also extremely hardy. Depending on the variety, the ornamental perennial usually blooms in beautiful pink or red tones in spring. As a rule, Bergenia are very easy to care for and do not even have to be cut back. - Himalayan Cranesbill (Geranium himalayense)
Plants of the genus Geranium are used in many different ways in the garden. In its original homeland, the Himalayan cranesbill grows in alpine meadows at altitudes of up to 4,440 meters and is therefore very robust. Down to -20 °C does not bother him in winter. The bright blue flowers appear from May to June.
- Upholstery Phlox (Phlox subulata)
The variety ' Emerald Cushion Blue' is a speci alty among the Phlox subulata-species. It is coarser in all parts than its relatives and forms dense cushions of coarse-needled leaves that are very long-lived. In addition, the bright, lavender blue flowers from May to June are also very pretty to look at. - Carpet Sedum (Sedum spurium)
This perennial makes a very good small-scale, evergreen ground cover. Unfortunately, the carpet sedum rarely flowers. Originally from harsh areas of the Caucasus and the Middle East, this plant tolerates cooler, wetter conditions than most other Sedum species.
Hardy ground covers: 5 particularly beautiful species
In addition to their mere function as ground cover, these plants can of course also aesthetically enchant your garden. The selection of scents, leaf positions, flower shapes and colors is almost immeasurable. We now present the most beautiful hardy ground covers:
- Pratia pedunculata (Pratia pedunculata)
This fast growing groundcover comes from New Zealand. It is characterized by its long flowering period from May to October. The small, porcelain-blue flowers form dense mats. Here, the creeping cushion plant is usually hardy, but should be covered under certain circumstances to protect it from the winter sun.
- Mock Woodruff (Phuopsis stylosa)
The Mock Woodruff flowers beautifully in various shades of pink and red. The robust perennial is also veryvigorous and forms real mats if it likes it where it is located. The flowering period is from June to August. In this, the flowers and leaves also exude a wonderfully tart scent. - Silver immortelle (Anaphalis triplinervis)
This attractive perennial with the small white flower heads is also known as the pearl basket. The silver immortelle does not show its flowers until August, but then until October. Due to its clump-like growth, it is also very suitable as a border or cut perennial.
- Double daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)
One of the most beautiful perennials is probably the daylily. It is very easy to care for and can form an impressive eyrie over the years. You can now find breeds of daylilies in many different colors. In East Asia it is not only cultivated as an ornamental form, but is also used as a medicinal plant and in the kitchen. - Carpet-Japan-Sedge (Carex morrowii foliosissima)
The Japanese carpet sedge does not need magnificent flowers to look beautiful. The sour grass plant (Cyperaceae) also appeals with its long leaves with white-yellowish edge stripes. The formation of runners quickly leads to heavy tillering, which contributes to weed suppression.
Hardy ground cover: 5 particularly vigorous species
Plants that have a high annual growth rate are suitable for covering bed areas particularly quickly. These do not have to be simply green, but can become a real feast for the eyes in the garden with their leaf colors or flower shapes - especially when many plants are standing next to each other. The following ground covers are particularly vigorous:
- Cascade Thyme (Thymus longicaulis odoratus)
This species of thyme likes to grow densely and cushion-like over dry stone walls. From June to July, the beautiful pink flowers appear and make the cascade thyme a real eye-catcher in the garden. The aromatic leaves are also used in the kitchen.
- Wild Aster (Aster ageratoides)
The species of Wild asters is verydiverse. The 'Asran' variety, for example, is relatively robust and spreading. The light purple flowers appear from August. The wild aster is also very drought-resistant and requires little care. Short spurs create large stocks very quickly. - Bluemint (Nepeta sibirica)
The bluemint, also better known as grape catnip, spreads relatively quickly and forms stocks. The lilac-blue lipped flowers open in June to July, attracting a variety of insects such as bees and butterflies. Nepeta-types are also very suitable as border neighbors for roses.
Tip: Fertilizing when planting - for example with the sustainably produced Plantura organic flower fertilizer - promotes soil life in your garden. Additional fertilization after flowering strengthens your blue mint and makes it particularly robust.
- Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)
The cypress spurge is even native to our latitudes and is spreading strong over foothills. The small, lemon-yellow flowers also smell intensely of honey. It prefers to grow in dry, lean locations, where it reaches heights of up to 40 cm. However, care should be taken when handling the plant, because the milky sap that escapes can trigger unpleasant contact allergies. - Lantern Flower (Physalis aklekengi franchetii)
The bright orange lanterns are an eye-catcher in every garden. If the perennial feels good, however, it spreads very quickly and can then become annoying. The poisonous nightshade plant should therefore be planted where the urge to spread does not disturb.
The plants presented here offer you many possibilities to aesthetically enhance the brown, bare spots in the bed. The interplay of this groundcover with other perennials is particularly worthwhile, as you can supplement weeks without flowers or bring out their flowers even more. In addition to these advantages, the maintenance effort in the form of weeding can also be significantly reduced with a closed plant cover. Caution is only required with very vigorous species, because in the wrong location they can very quickly become unpopular weeds themselves.
You can continuefind out about edible groundcover in our special article.