8 Fast-Growing Ground Cover Plants That Give Your Yard Quick, Beautiful Results

Dan Williams

Thymus serpyllum, sometimes known as creeping thyme, is a perennial ground cover that grows dense mats of small, scented leaves. Its little blossoms, which come in pink, purple, or white hues

Creeping Jenny

The low-growing perennial creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummula) has heart-shaped, bright green leaves. "It often forms a dense, mat-like ground cover, producing small, bright yellow flowers in summer,"

Irish Moss

The evergreen perennial Irish moss (Sagina subulata) creates a luxuriant carpet of greenery with its dense, moss-like foliage. "In spring, it produces tiny, star-shaped white flowers," Funk explains.

Bugleweed

A perennial ground cover, bugleweed (Ajuga) has glossy, rounded leaves and spikes of tiny, tubular flowers that might be white, pink, purple, blue, or purple in color. According to Funk

Creeping Raspberry

The Rubus calycinoides creeping raspberry is a fast-growing plant with trailing branches that take root and develop a dense mat of leaf as they spread. "It features glossy, dark emerald green leaves

Blue Daze

Growing quickly, blue daze (Evolvulus glomeratus) is a ground cover that is frequently planted as an annual. According to Damon Abdi of Louisiana State University's agriculture center's Hammond Research Station

Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas, or sweet potato vine, is one of the ground covers that grows the fastest on this list. "There are varieties with different colors and a variety of leaf shapes, some heart-shaped and others with a more palmate lobed leaves

Wedelia

The little yellow flowers of Wedelia enliven the surroundings. "It can spread pretty aggressively, so use wisely it looks good in confined urban areas (i.e., parking lot islands and sidewalks) where it spreads rapidly,"