10 Ground Cover Plants That Bloom All Summer (2024)

Think of ground cover plants as the alluring, low-lying stars of your garden's show.

Not only do they dress your landscape in vibrant hues and textures, but they also serve a purpose that's as practical as it is pretty.

They're your front line defense against pesky weeds and are masters at conquering those hard-to-cultivate corners of your garden.

From charming vines and resilient grasses to compact shrubs and bloomers that stop you in your tracks, the variety of plants you can use as ground cover is simply delightful.

Now, if you've clicked here, it means you're on the hunt for ground cover plants that will not just bloom, but positively burst with color, adding an extra layer of pizzazz to your already flourishing garden.

You're in luck! We've donned our gardening gloves, troweled through tons of research, and come up with a list of ground cover plants that promise to keep your garden glowing all summer long.

These ten ground cover stars will not only charm you with their unique blooms throughout the warm months, but many will also stage a grand comeback once winter waves goodbye.

Stay tuned as we delve into the delightful details of these blooms and reveal which one holds the record for the longest blooming time.

Ground Cover Plants That Bloom All Summer

Ground cover plants have been used to fill in the gaps at the base of shrubs, fill in gaps around fencing, cover long stems of other flowers, and more. Blooming ground covers get you the coverage you need with a little added aesthetic.

On top of being nice to look at, these ground covers are practical. Additionally, these plants keep weeds at bay and can lock in moisture and nutrients for your other plants. Let's take a closer look at each blooming ground cover.

1. Flower Carpet Roses

Flower carpet roses have been defined by roses grown in a group. These roses come in multiple colors, such as white, pink, red, or coral.

This ground cover will show off semi-double flowers from spring to autumn and has been labeled as low maintenance.

Have a look at these pink flower carpet roses here on Amazon.

2. Hardy Geraniums

There is hardy in this flower's name for a reason. Hardy geraniums grow in sun or shade and in most types of soil.

Moreover, this flower will come back every year to offer great ground coverage and an aromatic environment well into the fall.

Learn more on our blog post, “Creeping Geranium Plant Guide [Care, Tips, Pictures And More].”

3. Creeping Phlox

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) can be planted using a combination of colors. These flowers love full sun, well-drained soil, and require a trim here and there to maintain growth.

Moreover, you can find this North American native flower as both a perineal and annual.

You can get a pastel color seed mix of Phlox here on Amazon.

How Do You Keep Creeping Phlox Blooming?

Creeping Phlox does not need a ton of care, but the care it does require is crucial for blooming.

You keep Phlox blooming by utilizing fertilizer and deadheading spent flowers regularly. Fertilizing can be planned for late winter for previously planted Phlox, and late spring.

4. Candytuft

Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) is a perfect ground cover for just about any landscape.

You can manipulate the legs of these flowers by pruning. For instance, more pruning gives you shorter legs.

Prune less for longer flowers that are placed behind structures in the yard.

This flower does best in full sun and gravel soil conditions.

You can find a mixed color seed packet of Candytuft here on Amazon.

5. Yellow Alyssum

Yellow alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis) is a perennial ground cover and is also referred to as basket-of-gold, made popular by its bright yellow flowers and blue-colored leaves.

Deadheading and consistent pruning will keep this flower blooming.

Get yellow alyssum seeds here on Amazon.

6. Common Periwinkle

If you are looking for a vine ground cover that does well in the shade, periwinkle is a great choice.

Common periwinkle (Vinca minor) bloom beautiful flowers colored purple, white, lavender, or blue.

Furthermore, this vine will bloom in spring and again through the summer. You must be vigilant with cutting this vine back to prevent it from becoming invasive.

You can find periwinkle vines here on Amazon.

7. Lily Of The Valley

Lilly of the valley (Convallaria majalis)enjoys shade and can make a great base for many types of shrubs.

This ground cover blooms bell-shaped flowers with a sweet smell starting in spring.

Equally important, this flower grows best in a woodland setting with moist soil.

8. Aubrieta

This flower is part of the cabbage family and offers bright blue and purple blooms starting in spring, spilling out through summer. Aubrieta or rockcress will often be found growing over retaining walls or cascading over rocks.

Get seeds for large aubrieta flowers here on Amazon.

9. Mexican Daisy

Mexican Daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus) is a slow spreader and a self-seeder. Producing daisy-like flowers, this ground cover is great for covering stones or creating borders.

You will see blooms from May through November with flowers that change from white to pink.

10. Ice Plant

The ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) bloom unique, long-peddled, flowers. These flowers grow rapidly in full sun and well-drained soils. Moreover, you can pick from many colors and enjoy blooms through the fall.

You can get a mix color pack of seeds of Ice plant here on Amazon.

All of these blooming ground covers will get you the flower carpet you seek for your landscape. Play around with the varying colors and styles of flowers in different sections of your garden.

Keep in mind that most of these ground covers grow and spread quickly. In fact, keeping up with pruning and shaping is crucial maintenance when you add ground covers into your mix.

You want these plants to cover the ground and fill in spaces, but you do not want them to overrun your other plants, shrubs, and trees.

Learn more on our blog post “12 Ground Cover Plants For Clay Soil.”

Which Ground Cover Blooms The Longest?

The Mexican daisy or fleabane blooms the longest. You will see new flowers blooming from the end of April all the way through November. That is over seven months of flowers to cover your ground or cascade down a wall!

Pick a sunny spot to start growing your fleabane. Once this spreading perineal is established, they are drought tolerant and known for their longevity. Even though this ground cover prefers warmer climates, it can be grown in USDA zones 5-10.

Read more on our blog post “4 Best Ground Covers (Mulch) To Put Under Pine Trees.”

What Is The Fastest Growing Flowering Ground Cover?

Fast-spreading ground covers can border on the line of invasive. Due to this, you need to consistently monitor and cut back your ground cover to prevent it from taking over your other plants.

Occasionally, you prefer a fast grower to quickly cover specific areas of your landscape, and there are a few to choose from.

Creeping Phlox, hardy geranium, candy tufts, and rockcress are all considered fast-growing. Candy tufts is the fastest-growing flowering ground cover. Although it is the fastest-growing, this species is non-invasive, making the choice a win-win.

Read more on our blog post “14 Plants For Shallow Soil And Shade That You Should Try.”

What Is The Hardiest Ground Cover?

A hardy ground cover is one that can withstand adverse growing conditions. Having a hardy ground cover typically means less maintenance.

Moreover, these plants may have the capability to stay lush and green longer into the colder months.

If you are looking for the hardiest ground cover, hardy geranium it is. This flower grows in sun or shade, varying conditions of soil, and keeps flowering well into autumn. This plant will come back every year.

Furthermore, you can boost this plant's growth by mulching annually with compost.

A recap

Flowering ground covers are a beautiful addition to bring a landscape together.

You can use these fast-spreading bloomers to line pathways, fill in gaps, or cover hills and mounds within the yard or garden.

Here's our list again -

1. Flower Carpet Roses
2. Hardy Geraniums
3. Creeping Phlox
4. Candytuft
5. Yellow Alyssum
6. Common Periwinkle
7. Lily Of The Valley
8. Aubretia
9. Mexican Daisy
10. Ice Plant

We broke down flowering ground covers that will bloom all summer, but there are endless options for flowering ground covers to explore.

Do your research for your USDA grow zone and find which cover will suit you best. We hope you found this article helpful when picking out a ground cover for your surroundings, taking that extra step to perfect the landscape. Happy gardening!

Are you looking for more all-summer bloomers? Have a look at our blog post “15 Red Perennials That Bloom All Summer.”