Ground covers are dependable plants that we count on to blanket the soil with dense foliage, adding beauty and variety to the garden and suppressing weeds at the same time.

Lawn is the best-known ground cover, unsurpassed as a surface to walk or play on. But in areas where foot traffic is infrequent and in sites inhospitable to lawn grasses — in the shade under large trees or on hot, steep banks, for example — ground covers offer the neatness and uniformity of a lawn for considerably less maintenance and water.

These plants run the gamut of foliage textures and colors, and many are noted for their bright flowers. Height varies, too: some are low mats, while others are knee-high or even taller. Some spread by underground runners or root on top of the ground as they grow. Others form clumps and should be planted close together to produce a tight cover.