Want a beautiful yard without spending every free moment working on it? Let me share my gardening secret with you!
These 7 spreading flowers have made my garden look amazing all summer, and they’re so easy to take care of.
Top 7 Summer-Blooming Ground Covers
1. Mexican Daisy
I discovered Mexican Daisies last spring, and they’ve become my absolute favorite. These sweet little flowers spread slowly on their own, popping up exactly where you need them.
The flowers start out pure white and slowly turn pink as they age, creating this gorgeous two-tone effect in your garden.
They’re perfect for filling in spaces between stepping stones or creating pretty borders along pathways.
While these tough little plants can handle dry spells, I’ve found they look their best with regular watering, especially during those scorching summer months.
2. Common Periwinkle
If you’re dealing with a shady spot that’s giving you garden grief, Periwinkle might be your answer.
These pretty vines produce the most beautiful purple, white, lavender, or blue flowers that seem to bloom forever.
Just a word of caution from my own experience – these enthusiastic growers need regular trimming to keep them from taking over your whole garden!
3. Creeping Phlox
My front yard slope was just bare dirt until I discovered Creeping Phlox, and now it’s a rainbow of colors each summer.
This North American native is as tough as they come, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil.
The only real care they need is a bit of water during dry spells and one feeding per year – perfect for busy gardeners like me!
4. Hardy Geraniums
Don’t confuse these with your typical window-box geraniums – Hardy Geraniums are the laid-back cousins that come back year after year.
I love how they’re not picky about where they grow – sun or shade, they just keep on blooming.
The lovely scent they release when you brush past them makes weeding nearby almost enjoyable!
5. Candytuft
Candytuft has become my go-to problem solver for those awkward spots in the garden.
One of my favorite tricks is controlling their height through pruning – more trimming keeps them short and tidy, while letting them grow creates lovely cascading flowers.
Plant them about 6 inches apart, and before you know it, they’ll create a beautiful blanket of blooms.
6. Yellow Alyssum
Also known as “basket of gold” (and trust me, they’re worth their weight in gold for low-maintenance gardening!), these bright yellow flowers are real showstoppers.
Their blue-tinted leaves provide gorgeous contrast even when they’re not blooming.
What really sold me on these beauties was watching the bees and butterflies flock to them – plus, the deer in our neighborhood completely ignore them!
7. Ice Plant
Don’t let the name fool you – these heat-loving succulents are anything but icy!
Their unique, almost sparkly flowers come in so many colors, it’s hard to choose just one variety.
As a chronically forgetful waterer, I appreciate how drought-tolerant they are – these tough plants actually prefer to be left alone once they’re established.
Wrapping Up
Creating a beautiful garden doesn’t have to mean endless hours of work. These ground covers have transformed my garden from a high-maintenance headache into a blooming paradise that practically takes care of itself.