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Browse Plants

Narrowed By:Zone: 6+ Uses: Ground Covers + Light: Full Sun Only, Part Shade Only
Displaying 1 - 20 of 118 listings   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6View AllNext > Sort By: Sort
Acaena inermis 'Purpurea' Acaena inermis 'Purpurea'
(Purple sheep's burr, Purple goose leaf)
(1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This New Zealand native subshrub has 3-inch-wide scalloped leaves and little purple-brown to pale olive leaflets. Its rhizomatous roots spread in a mat to support this plant's wonderful ground-cover form. In early summer, 3/4-inch-wide flowers appear on short stems, and brownish green sepals and white anthers contrast with the dark leaves. The rhizomatous roots of this plant spread slowly into a mat, forming a nice ground cover. Prune every five years or so for a neat appearance; little other care is required. -Gerald Gibbens, Regional Picks: Northwest, Fine Gardening issue #120

Aster dumosus 'Wood's Pink' Aster dumosus 'Wood's Pink'
(Bushy Aster, Hardy Aster)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is a short-growing aster has creeping rootstocks and pink, daisy-like flowers with yellow centers. It can be used on steep slopes for erosion control.

Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana
(Hardy begonia)
(2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This tuberous begonia bears green heart-shaped foliage with red veining and claret-stained undersides that steal the show when backlit. Pendent clusters of slightly fragrant, satiny pink or white blossoms open from midsummer until frost. It makes a good perennial companion for ferns and hostas.

Bouteloua gracilis 'Hachita' Bouteloua gracilis 'Hachita'
('Hachita' Blue Grama Grass)
(2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

'Hachita' has narrow, blue-green leaves that form dense mounds. In summer, elongated seedheads add visual interest. This tough, drought-tolerant grass thrives in sand or clay soil with full-sun exposure. It needs a setting with good drainage, as it won't thrive in wet conditions. -Scott Vogt, Native grasses, Fine Gardening issue #124

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'
(4 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This woodland plant is valued for its flowers and its heart-shaped, ground-covering leaves. Its small blue flowers go nicely with ephemeral bulbs in mid- to late spring,  as the enlarging leaves block out the ripening bulb foliage. 'Jack Frost' can take dry summers and wet winters. This cultivar is prized for its improved tolerance of heat and sun. -Marty Hair, Regional Picks: Upper Midwest, Fine Gardening issue# 127

no image available Brunnera macrophylla 'Langtrees'
(Siberian bugloss)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This woodland plant is valued for its flowers and heart-shaped, groundcovering leaves. 'Langtrees' can take dry summers and wet winters. This cultivar is prized for its improved tolerance of heat and sun.

Calluna vulgaris 'Spring Torch' Calluna vulgaris 'Spring Torch'
(Scotch heather, Ling)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

'Spring Torch' gets its name from the vibrant color of its new growth in spring. The mid-green leaves are tipped in shades of cream, orange, and red. Later in the summer, mauve-pink flower spikes cover the plant and last into the fall. As cold weather sets in, leaves acquire bronze or purple tones, adding further interest. This small, mounding evergreen shrub makes a good groundcover or rock garden plant. Bees love it. Different cultivars are beautiful woven together in the garden to form a colorful tapestry.

Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'
(Variegated sedge)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

'Ice Dance' is a dense, spreading sedge grown for its foliage. This sedge looks good year round, even in winter.The early-spring flowers are insignificant, but the white-edged leaves complement most other plants. Grow as a groundcover in woodland areas or in a shade garden. This sedge is evergreen in warm climates. -Jane Hutson, Regional Picks: Midwest, Fine Gardening issue# 127

Cerastium tomentosum Cerastium tomentosum
(Snow-in-summer)
(2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Snow-in-summer is great for rock gardens and dry areas, and also works well as a container plant. Plant it on a stone wall for a cascading effect. Snow-in-summer needs room to perform. A single plant can carpet an area as wide as a yard across. After the flowers fade, the silver/grey foliage shines on in contrast to more predictable shades of green.

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
(2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This lovely herbaceous species is versatile and undemanding. It is the star of the late-summer garden with its spiky bright red flower buds and vivid blue flowers, displaying long-lasting mahogany red foliage in fall. Spreading slowly via underground runners, this long-lived plant makes a solid mat with erect, slender red stems and bright green leaves.

Chamaemelum nobile and cvs. Chamaemelum nobile and cvs.
(Chamomile)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

A hardy perennial, chamomile has aromatic, threadlike leaves that fill the air with a pleasing apple-pineapple scent. White, daisylike blooms appear in summer. The cultivar 'Treneague' is valued because it does not flower, making an attractive lawn. 'Flore Pleno' has double flowers showier than those of the species.

no image available Claytonia virginica
(Spring beauty)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This low-growing, spring-blooming succulent touts 5-petaled, pale-pink striped flowers with strap-like foliage that continues to grow after bloom but disappears in late spring when the plants go into dormancy. It can literally carpet the ground in early spring, giving the impression of a light dusting of snow. Its flowers open when the sun is out and close when it is cloudy.

Clematis terniflora Clematis terniflora
(Sweet autumn clematis)
(7 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This deciduous, late-flowering twining vine with deep green leaves and profuse, fragrant white flowers is easy to grow and will thrive and bloom in shade. Star-shaped blossoms are 1 inch across, appearing from late August to October and maturing to attractive, plume-like seed heads. The shiny green foliage is leathery.

Clematis texensis 'Duchess of Albany' Clematis texensis 'Duchess of Albany'
(Scarlet clematis, Leather flower, Texas clematis)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This vigorous climber can easily cover a support of 8 to 10 feet tall once established. Finely textured, dense light-green foliage makes an excellent foil for dainty, pink and carmine teardrop-shaped flowers 2 inches across. Blooms appear in early August and continue well into autumn.

Coreopsis rosea Coreopsis rosea
(Tickseed)
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This plant bears a profusion of lavender-pink flowers with yellow centers from mid-summer to early autumn. This perennial has finely textured leaves that give it an airy appearance.

Coreopsis rosea 'Sweet Dreams' Coreopsis rosea 'Sweet Dreams'
(Tickseed)
(1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The bicolored, white-tipped and raspberry-centered blooms are large (1 to 1.5 inches across) and long lasting. Flowers cover the mound of grassy foliage for weeks in summer and early fall. This hybrid does not produce seed.

Corydalis elata Corydalis elata
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This fragrant, blue-flowered species is more vigorous and heat tolerant than the blue cultivars. It blooms from late spring to early summer, and its foliage persists throughout the season with adequate moisture.

Corydalis flexuosa 'Blue Panda' Corydalis flexuosa 'Blue Panda'
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The first of the coveted blue corydalises to be introduced, it produces fragrant clusters of long-spurred, azure flowers on a compact plant. 

Corydalis flexuosa 'China Blue' Corydalis flexuosa 'China Blue'
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is one of the coveted blue corydalises. It produces whorled clusters of sky-blue flowers on 18-inch tall plants. 

Corydalis flexuosa 'Purple Leaf' Corydalis flexuosa 'Purple Leaf'
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This choice corydalis produces fragrant clusters of periwinkle-blue flowers and ferny foliage infused with purple hues. It is similar to 'Blue Panda,' yet is slower to spread and blooms more reliably during the summer.


Displaying 1 - 20 of 118 listings   1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6View AllNext > Sort By: Sort