Dwarf Mondo Grass
Linda Langelo, a gardening expert at Colorado State University, says that dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus 'Kyoto Super Dwarf') is a small annual grass that stays green all year and can handle light foot traffic.
Silver Falls Dichondra
Silver Falls is perfect for places where getting to the water is hard. Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' can handle drought once it gets established. "It has a trailing growth habit with long cascading stems that gracefully spill over between pavers,"
Blue Star Creeper
Blue star creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis) is a low-growing, annual perennial that looks like a carpet. It has blue star-shaped flowers that are good for pollinators. It goes from plant to plant quickly.
Green Carpet
Herniaria glabra, or "green carpet," is a very showy evergreen ground cover that can handle a lot of foot traffic and looks nice in the winter when it turns a bronze color. Langelo says, "It has long taproots.
Creeping Thyme
Langelo says that this small evergreen plant can handle light foot traffic and is soft and pleasant to walk on. The leaves can also be used for dressing. It has small purple flowers that bloom in the summer.
English Stonecrop
Sedum anglicum, or English stonecrop, is a ground cover that grows into a thick mat with a unique feel. "It thrives in various conditions and has a tolerance for different soils, rocky terrain, and drought," he says.
Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia nummilaria, or "creeping Jenny," is a great plant to grow between bricks. "It is a low-growing showy ground cover that is evergreen," he says. It grows a mat of round to heart-shaped yellow leaves and in early to midsummer blooms bright yellow flowers.
Chamomile
Chamaemelum nobile, or fragrant chamomile, is an annual plant with fluffy, fragrant leaves and daisy flowers that grow in a mat. Langelo says, "The scent smells like a ripe apple." "
Mini Ornamental Mint
Small decorative mint (Mentha requienii) grows slowly and spreads out, which makes it perfect for growing between paving stones. "It forms a dense mat of tiny, rounded leaves that hug the ground closely,"
Platt's Black Brass Buttons
Many Leptinella trees are just plain green, like the one above. But Platt's Black Brass Buttons (Leptinella squalida 'Platt's Black') are a bright ground cover that will make the garden more interesting.