We have all heard the phrase Nature abhors a vacuum, which describes the idea that something will always take the place of something else that has been removed. Any gardener that has tried to keep bare soil under their shrubbery or between their stepping stones knows that constant weeding is required. Once you remove them, something else, usually more weeds, moves in. If your shrubs are getting tall, weeds will sprout under them. There is a weed that grows in every condition, as we have all learned.

The solution is ground covers—plants that stay low and spread sideways. These low-growing wonders offer a lush alternative to traditional mulch, bringing both beauty and practicality to your garden. They don’t just fill empty spaces; they act as a living mulch, preventing weed growth by blocking sunlight. Their thick foliage creates a barrier that leaves no room for unwanted weeds. Soil-covering plants also act as insulation, keeping soil cooler in summer and warmer in winter. And they also help absorb excess water, prevent muddy patches, and reduce runoff that can wash away soil and nutrients.

Commonly planted non-native ground covers like English ivy, Pachysandra and periwinkle are aggressive spreaders. Removing them from your garden can be a huge chore but they do a great deal of harm to your home habitat and often spread to native open spaces where they grow unchecked. 

If your site is in the sun, the various cultivars of Salvia sonomensis (Sonoma Sage) are a great choice. Bee’s Bliss Sage has a beautiful spreading form and stays under 2 feet high but will quickly spread to 5 feet or more wide. It will do well in a partly sunny spot, also.

Plants in the buckwheat family tend to be upright growers; the exception is Eriogonum fasciculatum ‘Warriner Lytle’ (Low Form California Buckwheat). The branches grow very densely, which shuts out sunlight to any weeds attempting to get established under it. It gets about 2 ft tall and eventually 4 to 6 feet wide but it isn’t a fast grower. It is evergreen—another plus. Buckwheats are an important nectar source for many pollinators.

Do you have a soggy spot? You should consider Anemopsis californica (Yerba Mansa), which gets about a foot tall but spreads by rhizomes when planted in moist ground. When in bloom, it sports charming white and red coneflowers. It goes dormant and basically disappears from late summer to early winter, and re-sprouts from the roots in late winter.

If your site gets shade or part shade, there are lots of choices. A number of familiar plants also have a low growing form, as well as an upright one. These include Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Point Reyes’ (Point Reyes Bearberry), Ceanothus gloriosus ‘Emily Brown’ (Emily Brown Lilac), and Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus ‘San Bruno Mountain’ (Low Form Snowberry). All of these are found in woods, along streambanks and on north-facing slopes. Point Reyes Bearberry is a good slope stabilizer. It usually stays under 1 foot tall but will spread to 10-12 feet. At the coast, it tolerates full sun.

Salvia spathacea (Hummingbird Sage) is the ideal plant to use under a tree canopy that provides filtered shade. A favorite of many pollinators—including hummingbirds–it will turn brown by the end of summer if given no water but will revive with the fall rains. Some supplemental water will keep the foliage green. It spreads by rhizomes and over time can cover a large area.

Clinopodium douglasii, Yerba Buena. This is the go-to groundcover choice for shade. It stays about 6 inches high and puts out runners that will make a lovely evergreen carpet under your shrubs.

A number of plants aren’t technically ground covers because a single plant won’t spread but they multiply quickly under shady conditions, filling in an open space. These include Claytonia siberica (Candy Flower), Claytonia perfoliata (Miner’s Lettuce), Asarum caudatum (Wild Ginger), and Fragaria vesca (Woodland Strawberry). All of these make a delicate and lovely understory.

We hope this will inspire you to find the perfect groundcovers for your garden!