Planting place
Ground Covers
Ground covers are living mulch: they suppress weeds, cool soil, and knit awkward gaps. The right plant must actually spread or mound at the height you need without climbing into shrubs or vanishing in deep shade.
Hostas and hardy geraniums cover different light niches. Pick coverage speed honestly — slow “covers” frustrate; aggressive ones become the next weeding job.
What matters most for Ground Covers
- Match light: shade carpets fail in full sun and vice versa.
- Decide between flowering weave and foliage carpet before you buy.
- Check spread rate against the area you need to cover.
- Keep crowns clear of smothering mulch deep enough to rot them.
- Do not expect ground cover to fix slope erosion alone without anchoring shrubs.
Starter kit for Ground Covers
- Sunny flowering weave — Hardy Geranium Rozanne: covers and flowers in brighter gaps.
- Shade foliage carpet — Hyacinthine Plantain Lily: broad leaves for cooler ground.
- Bold shade cover — Plantain Lily 'Alligator Alley': strong variegation where a plain green carpet feels dull.
Compare candidates below, then open profiles for spread and light — ground cover is a job description, not a single plant type.