Ground covers' great charm

Helpful: They trap the carbon in soil where some plants may struggle to grow

- Alice Spenser-Higgs

For a low-maintenance garden that looks good all year round, attracts pollinators and adds colour to a predominantly green garden, think ground covers.

Ground cover plants are far more than a handful of low-growing, nondescript leafy green plants. There are many that flower in spring, or throughout summer, as well as some with varied and colourful foliage.

Being perennials, they are hardy and tough, and many are water-wise. They are quick to spread, covering and cooling the bare soil around shrubs and trees. There is no need to deadhead or divide and they only need a trim with hedge clippers now and then to keep them neat.

From a climate change perspective, ground covers boost carbon sequestration because they tend to form a mat above the soil which traps the carbon in the soil, especially where other plants find it difficult to grow. Ground covers also reduce the runoff of rainwater, making them more environmentally friendly and softer than paving.

Multicolour Foliage