Ground Cover Plants
The low, spreading plants that smother weeds, hold soil, and replace lawn, with the cultivars that actually held up in my clay.
Ground cover plants are low, spreading perennials that knit together into a living carpet, suppressing weeds, holding soil on slopes, and filling spots where grass struggles. The most dependable choices match the site: creeping thyme and sedum for hot, dry sun; ajuga (bugleweed) for sun-to-part-shade and fast coverage; and pachysandra or epimedium for deep shade under trees. For clay soil in zones 5 to 8, the ones that earned their keep in my own beds were 'Dragon's Blood' sedum, 'Pink Chintz' creeping thyme, and Ajuga reptans. Improve drainage with compost first, space them close, and most fill in within a season or two.
