Looking for low-maintenance ground covers that thrive in full sun? Discover 15 easy-care perennial ground cover plants that add beauty and protect your garden from weeds year-round.

A garden that’s beautiful, practical, and low-maintenance is the dream for many. Full-sun spots can be tricky, often leading to thirsty plants and bare patches, but with the right ground covers, you can transform these areas into lush, carpeted greenery. Perennial ground covers are the solution, offering easy care, weed resistance, and year-round beauty. Ready to find the perfect plants? Here are 15 perennial full-sun ground covers that will elevate your garden’s look and require minimal upkeep. Let’s dig in!

1. Creeping Thyme – A Fragrant Beauty

Creeping thyme is an excellent ground cover choice for sunny areas, bringing color, fragrance, and charm to your garden. This low-growing plant features tiny purple blooms and aromatic foliage that add visual interest and appeal. Ideal for filling spaces between stepping stones or lining garden borders, creeping thyme forms a soft, lush carpet that enhances the landscape. It thrives in well-drained soil, requiring minimal maintenance, which makes it perfect for gardeners seeking an easy-care option. Beyond its beauty and practicality, creeping thyme attracts beneficial pollinators, drawing bees and butterflies to your garden and supporting local ecosystems. Its resilient nature means it can withstand full sun and handle light foot traffic, making it both functional and decorative. With its vibrant flowers and pleasant scent, creeping thyme creates a welcoming, colorful ground cover that enriches any outdoor space.

2. Sedum – The Drought-Tolerant Wonder

Sedum, commonly called stonecrop, is an exceptionally adaptable ground cover, perfect for hot, sunny areas. Known for its thick, fleshy leaves that store water, sedum thrives in dry conditions, making it ideal for low-maintenance gardens that require minimal watering. This hardy plant offers a variety of colors, from fresh greens to rich burgundy tones, adding vibrancy and texture to any landscape. Sedum varieties range in height and spread, providing versatility for use in borders, rock gardens, or as a lush carpet in open spaces. Its drought-tolerant nature makes it a favorite among gardeners looking to add both beauty and resilience to their outdoor spaces. In addition to its visual appeal, sedum attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies, enhancing the garden’s ecosystem. With its vibrant colors and easy-care requirements, sedum is a stunning and practical choice for sunny garden spots.

3. Ice Plant – Vibrant Blooms in Summer

The ice plant is a striking ground cover known for its vibrant, daisy-like blooms that bring color and charm to the garden all summer long. This low-growing plant is perfect for brightening dry, sunny areas, where its bold flowers create a stunning visual impact. With minimal water needs, ice plants are particularly well-suited for xeriscaping and drought-tolerant gardens, thriving with little maintenance in challenging conditions. Available in a variety of colors, from vivid pinks to rich purples, ice plants add both beauty and resilience to landscapes. Their fleshy, water-retaining leaves help them withstand extended dry periods, making them an excellent choice for gardeners looking for easy-care options. By incorporating ice plants into sunny spots or rocky areas, you can enjoy a long-lasting display of color that requires little upkeep, creating a lively, low-water landscape that remains eye-catching throughout the season.

4. Ajuga – Colorful and Resilient

Ajuga, also known as bugleweed, brings a lush splash of color to the garden with its vibrant foliage that ranges from deep green to striking shades of purple. This resilient ground cover spreads rapidly, filling in bare spots and effectively suppressing weeds, making it an excellent choice for low-maintenance landscaping. Ideal for full-sun locations, ajuga requires minimal care once established, thriving with little intervention. Its dense growth habit creates a lush carpet, adding texture and richness to any garden bed or border. In addition to its colorful foliage, ajuga produces delicate blue flower spikes in the spring, further enhancing its appeal. Whether used in rock gardens, along pathways, or as a border plant, ajuga’s hardiness and beauty make it a versatile choice for gardeners seeking a dynamic yet easy-to-maintain ground cover that helps keep weeds at bay and adds lasting color to the landscape.

5. Lamb’s Ear – Soft and Silvery Leaves

For a unique addition to your garden, Lamb’s Ear offers velvety, silver-toned leaves that bring a beautiful, soft texture to outdoor spaces. Known for its drought resistance, this plant thrives in full sun and requires minimal maintenance, making it ideal for low-care gardens. The plush, fuzzy leaves of Lamb’s Ear add visual interest and a tactile element that’s popular among children and gardeners alike, inviting a gentle touch and adding a cozy feel to the landscape. Its soft foliage contrasts well with other plants, enhancing the garden’s overall texture and depth. Lamb’s Ear is also perfect for edging pathways or filling sunny spots in rock gardens, where it forms dense, silvery mats that brighten up the space. With its easy-care nature and distinctive appearance, Lamb’s Ear is a delightful choice for anyone looking to add charm and softness to their garden.

6. Creeping Jenny – Bright Green Ground Cover

Creeping Jenny is a vigorous ground cover known for its vibrant, bright green foliage that adds a splash of lush color to any garden. This fast-growing plant is perfect for filling gaps around other plants, creating a dense carpet of greenery that complements a variety of garden styles. With its trailing habit, Creeping Jenny also cascades beautifully over borders, adding a soft, flowing effect to edges and pathways. Its rich green color stands out in sunny spots, bringing brightness and life to areas that need a touch of vibrancy. Low-maintenance and resilient, Creeping Jenny thrives with minimal care—simply provide it with ample sunlight, and it will flourish. Ideal for gardeners looking for an easy-to-grow ground cover, this plant spreads quickly, enhancing both texture and color in the landscape while requiring only occasional upkeep.

7. Creeping Phlox – Spring Blooms Abound

Creeping phlox is a stunning ground cover that shines in spring, producing clusters of starry flowers that create a vibrant carpet across the garden. Known for its hardiness, this perennial remains green throughout most of the year, offering consistent coverage and color even when not in bloom. In full sun, creeping phlox thrives, providing a reliable, low-maintenance option for brightening up open spaces. When it flowers, its rich shades—ranging from purples and pinks to whites—add a cheerful and eye-catching burst of color that transforms any landscape. Perfect for borders, rock gardens, or filling in gaps, creeping phlox brings both beauty and resilience to the garden. Its low-growing habit and vivid blooms make it an ideal choice for those seeking a dynamic yet easy-to-care-for ground cover that keeps the garden lively and attractive year-round.

8. Blue Star Creeper – Tiny, Starry Flowers

Blue star creeper is a charming, low-growing ground cover adorned with delicate, star-shaped blue flowers that add a soft touch to any garden. This plant is perfect for filling gaps between stepping stones or edging along pathways, where its gentle blooms bring subtle color and charm. Thriving in full sun and spreading easily, blue star creeper creates a dense, attractive mat that enhances the landscape without overwhelming other plants. Its low-maintenance nature makes it ideal for gardeners seeking an easy-care solution, as it requires minimal attention to flourish. Once established, this resilient ground cover tolerates a variety of conditions, adding year-round greenery and seasonal flowers with little effort. Blue star creeper’s petite blossoms and lush foliage make it an excellent choice for adding texture and interest to sunny areas while keeping the garden low-key and visually appealing.

9. Snow-in-Summer – White Blooms in Sunlight

Snow-in-Summer is a hardy ground cover known for its cascade of bright white flowers that add a refreshing touch to any garden. Blooming in early summer, this resilient plant thrives in full sun and dry conditions, making it ideal for low-maintenance landscapes. Its silvery, soft foliage creates a beautiful contrast against green plants, adding texture and brightness throughout the season. Snow-in-Summer is especially suited for rock gardens, borders, or sloping areas where other plants may struggle, as it forms a dense mat that spreads easily across tough terrain. The combination of its striking white blooms and silver-toned leaves makes it a standout choice for adding elegance and durability to challenging spots in the garden. With its ability to withstand heat and minimal water needs, Snow-in-Summer brings beauty and resilience to sun-drenched areas with little upkeep.

10. Irish Moss – A Soft Green Carpet

Irish moss is a charming, low-maintenance ground cover that creates a lush, vibrant green carpet in the garden. This soft-textured plant is ideal for filling in pathways and adding color to rock gardens, bringing a natural elegance to any landscape. Thriving in full sun with adequate moisture, Irish moss spreads gently, forming a dense mat that requires minimal care to stay healthy. Its fine texture provides a beautiful contrast to larger plants and flowers, offering a soft backdrop that enhances surrounding blooms. Perfect for edging borders or filling small spaces, Irish moss adds a refined touch to garden designs while remaining easy to manage. With its resilient nature and rich green hue, this ground cover brings a fresh, polished look to both formal and informal settings, making it a favorite for gardeners seeking an effortless, visually appealing addition to sunny areas.

11. Rock Cress – Perfect for Slopes

Rock cress is an ideal ground cover for sunny slopes and rock gardens, where its cascading habit creates a lovely, flowing effect over edges and borders. This resilient plant blooms in vibrant shades of pink and purple, adding a cheerful splash of color to sun-drenched areas. Known for its hardiness, rock cress is exceptionally low-maintenance, making it a perfect choice for gardeners seeking beauty without intensive care. Its dense, spreading growth helps stabilize soil on slopes while adding texture and visual interest to the landscape. Rock cress pairs well with other rock garden plants, enhancing the overall design with its soft mounds of colorful blooms. With its easy-care nature and striking floral display, rock cress brings charm and vibrancy to sunny spots, effortlessly brightening areas where other plants may struggle to thrive.

12. Dianthus – A Splash of Pink and Red

Dianthus, commonly known as “pinks,” is a delightful ground cover that brings vibrant color and a sweet fragrance to sunny areas in the garden. Its charming blooms come in shades of pink, red, and white, adding a lively pop to the landscape. Known for being low-maintenance, dianthus thrives in full sun and requires minimal watering, making it an ideal choice for those seeking an easy-care plant. The flowers are not only beautiful but also long-lasting, ensuring a colorful display that endures throughout the season. Dianthus is perfect for garden borders, rock gardens, or filling small gaps, where its rich colors and fragrance enhance the garden’s appeal. With its resilience, beauty, and scent, dianthus adds both charm and brightness, making it a versatile and attractive option for bringing life and color to your outdoor space.

13. Bugleweed – Tough and Colorful

Bugleweed is a hardy, low-maintenance ground cover that adds vibrant color and texture to sunny areas in the garden. Its eye-catching foliage, a mix of purple and green, brings depth to the landscape year-round, while in spring, it produces striking blue flower spikes that attract attention. Bugleweed is known for its fast-spreading habit, which effectively fills in bare ground and prevents weeds from taking over, making it an excellent choice for low-care landscaping. Ideal for covering slopes, borders, or pathways, bugleweed provides a lush, colorful carpet that requires minimal upkeep. Its ability to thrive in full sun while offering both foliage interest and seasonal blooms makes it a valuable addition to any garden design. With its rich tones and resilience, bugleweed enhances the landscape, creating a visually appealing ground cover that is as practical as it is beautiful.

14. Mondo Grass – Low and Lush

Mondo grass is a tough, resilient ground cover that creates a dense, lush mat of green foliage, perfect for enhancing garden aesthetics and functionality. Its low-growing habit makes it ideal for edging pathways, filling bare spots, and adding structure to landscape designs. Known for its hardiness, mondo grass tolerates full sun and requires minimal care, making it an excellent choice for low-maintenance gardens. Its rich green color and dense growth provide a beautiful contrast against other plants, while its adaptability suits a variety of garden styles, from formal landscapes to naturalistic designs. Mondo grass’s resilience and easy-care nature ensure it thrives with little intervention, bringing lasting beauty to any setting. Whether used as a border, filler, or ground cover, mondo grass adds both elegance and practicality to garden spaces, creating a cohesive, visually appealing look.

15. Golden Creeping Jenny – Adds a Golden Touch

Golden creeping Jenny is a hardy, low-maintenance ground cover that brings a vibrant splash of yellow-green to sunny areas in the garden. Its striking golden foliage adds a lively contrast against other green plants, enhancing the overall brightness and depth of the landscape. Known for its resilience, golden creeping Jenny thrives in full sun and is drought-tolerant, making it an ideal choice for gardeners looking for easy-care options. This plant’s sprawling habit forms a lush carpet that fills in gaps beautifully, making it perfect for borders, rock gardens, or adding color to open spaces. Golden creeping Jenny’s cheerful hue not only enlivens garden beds but also pairs well with a variety of plants, creating a balanced and eye-catching display. With its adaptability and bold color, this plant is a versatile and attractive choice for adding warmth and brightness to any garden setting.

Conclusion

Finding the right ground covers can transform your sunny garden areas into lush, low-maintenance landscapes. Each of these 15 perennial ground covers is well-suited for full-sun conditions, bringing color, texture, and beauty to your garden. Whether you prefer vibrant flowers, soft textures, or unique foliage, these plants offer solutions for every gardener’s taste. Ready to make your garden more beautiful with less effort? Start planting these ground covers today and enjoy a stunning, easy-care garden for years to come!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best ground cover for hot, dry conditions?

Sedum and ice plant are both excellent choices for hot, dry conditions as they’re highly drought-tolerant.

2. Which ground cover plants are best for adding color to my garden?

Dianthus, creeping phlox, and bugleweed provide vibrant colors with minimal care, making them ideal for full-sun areas.

3. Can I plant ground covers in between stepping stones?

Yes! Creeping thyme and blue star creeper are great options for filling spaces between stones due to their low height and spreading habits.

4. Are there any ground covers that add fragrance?

Creeping thyme and dianthus both add a lovely fragrance to your garden, in addition to their colorful blooms.

5. How often should I water full-sun ground covers?

Most full-sun ground covers are drought-tolerant, so watering once or twice a week is usually sufficient, depending on your climate and soil conditions.