1
Japanese forest grass
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The handsome, strap-like leaves of this perennial add bright green, chartreuse, or gold color to shady areas. They tend to work best in humid areas.
Zone: 5-9
Sunlight: Part to full shade
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2
Heuchera
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Heuchera, also known as coral bells, comes in a variety of beautiful colors, from lime green to the deepest burgundy and every shade in between. Some types of these perennials can tolerate full to partial shade, so read the plant tag and description to know what you're buying.
Zone: 4-9
Sun exposure: Partial sun to full shade
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3
Sedge
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The grassy leaves of sedges come in a variety of colors, including variegated types. Carexes are perfect as low-growing, colorful perennials that require little maintenance.
Zone: 5-9
Sun exposure: Partial sun to full shade
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Four
Fern
Catherine McQueen // Getty Images
This beautiful fern makes a great ground cover when planted in large numbers. The silver and chestnut colored leaves shine in the shade. Bonus: Deer tend to leave this perennial alone.
Zone: 3-8
Sunlight: Full shade
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Five
pachysandra
Jennifer E. Wolf //Getty Images
The glossy, short leaves (bearing small white flowers) spread out to cover problem areas such as the bottom of trees. This perennial is deer resistant.
Zone: 4-9
Sun exposure: Partial sun to full shade
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6
ladies cloak
Catherine McQueen // Getty Images
Lady's Mantle, also known as Alchemilla, produces hundreds of delicate golden flowers in spring, but its most attractive feature is the way dew and raindrops glisten on its wavy leaves. It looks great when planted in a large area.
Zone: 3-7
Sunlight: Partially exposed to the sun
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7
lily turf
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There's nothing more difficult than lily turf. Also known as Liriope, this fast-growing evergreen perennial has grass-like leaves and clusters of purple flower spikes. Once established, lily grass is drought tolerant and can tolerate both full shade and full sun.
Zone: 5-10
Sun exposure: Partial sun or shade
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8
chicken and chick
Rudolf Vrcek // Getty Images
Succulents such as hens and chicks make colorful, drought-tolerant ground covers. Also called sempervivum, this perennial is a fun addition to rock gardens and other hot, sunny areas of the garden where you don't want anything else to thrive. The succulent leaves help retain moisture, so watering is rarely necessary.
Zone: 4-8
Sun exposure: full sun
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9
ice plant
Sakuraban // Getty Images
Ice plant, also known as Delosperma, has bright flowers that range in bright hues from hot pink to orange, with pink centers. This perennial is drought tolerant once established. Be sure to buy delosperma and not Carpobrotus edulis, which is also called ice plant but is actually an invasive species.
Zone: 5-10
Sun exposure: full sun
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Related: Easy-to-grow flowers perfect for gorgeous gardens
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Ten
creeping jenny
Grace Carey // Getty Images
The chartreuse leaves of this ground-hugging perennial are very attractive. Although it produces small, insignificant flowers in the spring, the main reason to plant it is because it grows very quickly. They look adorable as they crawl along the road, and can tolerate low foot traffic.
Zone: 3-9
Sunlight: Partially exposed to the sun
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11
lily of the valley
Jonah Images // Getty Images
Lily of the valley has small white flowers that resemble bells and strap-like green leaves. This sweet-smelling, old-fashioned perennial spreads easily. Some say they invade gardens. Plant it where there is a natural border, such as between a sidewalk and your house, to prevent it from spreading.
Zone: 3-9
Sun exposure: Full shade to partial sun
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12
creeping time
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Low-growing mats of creeping thyme are covered with small purple or white flowers in late spring, providing a haven for pollinators. This hardy perennial spreads rapidly, is cold hardy, grows in poor soil, and tolerates drought once established. Of course, you can also cut the leaves and cook them.
Zone: 3-9
Sunlight: Partially exposed to the sun
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13
creeping juniper
Galina Chetbatina // Getty Images
This type of evergreen comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Once established, junipers are very hardy and tolerate poor soil and drought conditions. The horizontally spreading branches of creeping junipers create a dense mat that weeds cannot penetrate.
Zone: 3-9
Sun exposure: full sun
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14
dead nettle
Pablo Baruyuk // Getty Images
Dead nettle, also known as lamium, is a low-growing perennial with silvery leaves and purple, pink, or white flowers in spring and early summer. Prefers shade, but can tolerate some morning sun.
Zone: 3-8
Sun exposure: partially shaded or sun
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15
Ajuga
Christy Carter // Getty Images
With dark green, bronze, and chocolate brown glossy foliage, this perennial is a low-growing, low-maintenance groundcover. In summer, it produces spikes of small blue, purple, pink, or white flowers. Ajuga tolerates shade and sunlight and spreads rapidly.
Zone: 4-9
Sun exposure: Partial sun to full shade
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16
aronia
mark turner
Aronia is a fairly low-growing native shrub with small white flowers with glossy green leaves. When several are planted together, they form a dense mat that grows in almost all types of soil. In autumn, you can enjoy beautiful fruits and autumn leaves.
Zone: 3-9
Sun exposure: full sun
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17
sedum
Clive Drouett // Getty Images
Low-growing varieties of sedum make easy-care groundcovers, especially since their fleshy leaves retain enough water to withstand dry periods. Some have small flowers, but the main focus is the colorful foliage, which ranges from chartreuse to bronze.
Zone: 3-9
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Sun
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18
lavender
Sylvain Sonnet // Getty Images
If you've ever seen a lavender field in Provence, you know that this sweet-smelling perennial with purple and blue flowers looks beautiful when planted all together. They don't like their feet to get wet, so choose soil that drains well. There are many different varieties, so choose one that can withstand the winters in your area.
Zone: 5-9
Sun exposure: full sun
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19
Epimedium
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This cold-hardy perennial produces large, fairy-wing-like flowers in early spring. Epimedium, also called bishop's cap because of its flower shape, can tolerate dry conditions once established.
Zone: 4-9
Sun exposure: Part sun to part shade
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20
thrift
Werner Bormann
This little-known evergreen perennial produces attractive little mounds of grassy foliage and small ball-shaped flowers from late spring to early summer. Thrift is resistant to cold and very durable!
Zone: 3-8
Sunlight: Partially exposed to the sun
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Arricca Elin SanSone writes about health and lifestyle topics such as prevention, country living, and Women's Day. She has a passion for gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with her loved ones and dogs.
Alyssa Gautieri (girlfriend) is Good Housekeeping's deputy lifestyle editor, covering all aspects of home and interior design. She joined GH in 2022 before joining BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries, in addition to creating product copy for her brands such as ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine, LODGING He has contributed to publications such as Magazine.
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