6 GREAT GROUNDCOVERS FOR INDIANA GARDENS
Groundcover plants are the unsuspecting superheroes in the garden. They help keep weeds and erosion at bay, they help retain soil moisture, and many are much-loved by pollinators. The most common is grass, but there are so many groundcover plants to choose from that do well in the Midwest, and many of them are much prettier than grass! This list of some of the best Midwest-friendly groundcover to choose from is not exhaustive, but it will certainly get you started!
CREEPING PHLOX
An early spring bloomer, creeping phlox is a classic groundcover plant that will be more than happy to get to work filling your Midwest garden with carpets of dainty, low-growing, fragrant flowers. Well-suited to our climate, creeping phlox will attract pollinators like butterflies and bees to your garden as it blooms early in the season. Once the blooms are spent, its green foliage will remain attractive until it dies back in the winter.
In addition to providing a beautiful carpet of white, pink, or lavender flowers, creeping thyme will also bring a delectable fragrance to any garden it graces.
BARRENWORT
Barrenwort is a slow-growing, shade-tolerant groundcover plant that we absolutely love. More formally known as ‘Epimedium,’ barrenwort is a hardy perennial that produces uniquely shaped flowers in red, orange, white, pink, and yellow. Its variegated foliage will offer beautiful color and interest to your garden all season long, and you’ll be happy to learn that it is both drought-tolerant and just generally easy to care for!
ANGELINA SEDUM
Angelina sedum is kind of like the cute little ‘Goldilocks’ of groundcover plants that take well to the conditions here in the Midwest. It’s popular for good reason! This low-growing perennial sedum forms a beautiful mat of brilliant needle-like succulent foliage in golden, yellowy tones, eventually turning to a copper hue. Angelina sedum also spreads to provide a solid amount of cover, but it’s not going to take over your whole garden.
CREEPING THYME
In addition to providing a beautiful carpet of white, pink, or lavender flowers, creeping thyme will also bring a delectable fragrance to any garden it graces. This perennial herb comes in two varieties: Prostrate, which looks a little bit like a low-growing, lush moss (they do not grow any higher than three inches), and mounding, which grows into green or silver carpets with a little bit more height to them. They are beautiful among paving stones, along garden borders, and more.
VINCA MINOR
Vinca minor, more commonly known as periwinkle, is a trailing groundcover plant that forms a mat of shiny foliage that resembles ivy. Its dainty little blooms, which are most prominent in mid-spring, are perfectly described by its more common name—a light, periwinkle blue. While vinca minor, which will grow to a height of about six inches, prefers rich, moist soil and shade, it will also tolerate sunny conditions and dry soil. It can be invasive if it is not managed correctly, so it is best planted in places that are bordered by the sidewalk, your lawn, or other confined places where it can be controlled.
PACHYSANDRA
If you’ve been trying to figure out what to put in that pesky shady spot with no luck, look no further than Pachysandra. It is a groundcover plant that is much-loved among gardeners for its ability to thrive in hard-to-grow areas. Each plant will spread up to about two and a half feet via underground rhizomes, growing to a height of anywhere from eight to twelve inches. It does produce petite, creamy-white flowers in the spring, but it is mostly grown for its resiliency.
Groundcover plants are the perfect way to add color and interest to your garden while also reducing your workload—what’s not to love? If you are on the hunt for groundcover plants that will thrive here in the Midwest, stop by the nursery to see what we have in stock!