Plant groundcovers to enhance color, texture

By Kathy Hatfield
Gardening Columnist

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Where grass is not practical or desired, groundcovers can provide an alternative with more color and foliage texture, but less maintenance than the average lawn. They can reduce soil erosion, form a weed barrier mat, and add to the overall design element of a landscape. Most groundcovers spread by underground rhizomes or aboveground rooting stems. The groundcovers listed below do well in northern Colorado.

Woolly Yarrow (Achillea tomentosa)

A flat spreading mat with gray-green foliage and creeping stems, woolly yarrow will tolerate dry, sandy or clay soils. Planted in full sun, it will bloom early to mid-summer with creamy yellow flowers. Shear the flowers after blooming to keep the plant looking neat.

Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)

This vigorous and reliable groundcover is remarkably tolerant of dry poor soil, but will tolerate moisture as well. Though all have blue flower spikes, some sport metallic-looking foliage; these types will keep their color best in sun. 'Burgundy Glow' has variegated foliage of burgundy, white and green.

Pussytoes(Antennaria spp.)

This North American prairie native survives in poor clay soil and is very drought tolerant, making it a great choice to plant between flagstones. Its silvery gray-green leaves normally hug the ground, barely 1 inch high, except when the flower stalks elongate. The common name refers to the fuzzy, rounded white or pink flowers.

Table Mountain Ice Plant (Delosperma 'Table Mountain')

The blistered leaf surface of ice plants gives the illusion of icy crystals, hence the common name. This is a hardy version of purple ice plant with good winter foliage. Bright fuchsia flowers cover the plant throughout the summer, and the succulent leaves have a purple tinge to them fall and winter.

Hardy Yellow Ice Plant (Delosperma nubigenum)

Similar to its cousin, but with yellow rather than fuchsia flowers, the leaves of this ice plant are a lime green, turning purplish red in winter. This groundcover is very drought tolerant once established and is a great companion to small spring-flowering bulbs. An added bonus for those in deer country, it is rarely browsed by deer.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

One of the few groundcovers that does well in dry shade, sweet woodruff may become invasive in rich, moist soil, self-sowing and spreading by underground runners. The delicate star-like white flowers bloom in spring, but the attractive foliage makes this a great groundcover even when not in flower. Whorls of rich green leaves encircle the stems. The bedstraws are found throughout the world, and have been used for medicine, making cheese, dyeing clothes and stuffing mattresses.

Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla neumanniana)

This member of the rose family with flattened butter yellow flowers takes heavy foot traffic, making it a great choice for flagstone pathways. Spreading by runners, or rooting stems, cinquefoil can be mowed in spring to remove dead leaves and maintain a tidy appearance.

Shrubby Ice Plant (Ruschia spp.)

Though this plant has not been rated as winter hardy in our climate, it has survived in my garden and spread to at least six times its original size in three years! This South African native has beautiful reddish burgundy foliage in the winter and a mass of bright magenta flowers that cover the plant from late spring through early summer.

Tricolor Stonecrop (Sedum spurium)

This vigorous evergreen succulent has jade-green leaves delicately edged with creamy white and pink. Stonecrop thrives in dry sunny areas and provides fall and winter interest with its variegated leaves. Pinch out any green shoots to maintain the tricolor foliage.

Pink Chintz Creeping Thyme (Thymus 'Pink Chintz')

Numerous species of thyme provide a variety for almost any garden need. Pink Chintz is especially beautiful in early spring, completely covered with pink flowers. Its rich green leaves are aromatic and may be used as a seasoning. Very drought tolerant, it shows less winter dieback than woolly thyme. As a bonus, it is able to handle moderate to heavy foot traffic, so it's great between flagstones.

Speedwell (Veronica spp.)

The speedwells are another group that can handle moderate foot traffic. Most have blue flowers, although some are pink or lavender. They form a dense cover, great between flagstones or cascading over a wall. One explanation for the common name is that they were considered to be quick to cure ailments, from skin diseases and wounds to coughs and hemorrhaging.

Northern Larimer County columnist Kathy Hatfield has 25 years of gardening experience in Colorado. She owns Owl Canyon Wildflowers, which specializes in designing drought-tolerant flower gardens.