

Both this and the sun-loving cultivars prefer well-draining soil and can tolerate drought conditions. Several varieties of oregano are grown for culinary or medicinal purposes, but golden oregano is the only variety that will tolerate shade. Although it only flowers for a short period in late spring into summer, this stonecrop offers an attractive ground cover throughout the year. It will spread well on its own, and you can easily take cuttings and plant them to encourage faster growth over a larger area. It will need a little water after planting but is a highly drought-tolerant succulent once established. Sedum Ternatum:Īlso known as woodland stonecrop, Sedum ternatum is native to North America and can thrive in both sun and shade. If you want a continuous blanket of foliage and flowers that goes from a sunny area of your yard into a shady area, periwinkle is a good choice, since it can thrive in either environment. As an added bonus, this is a long-blooming vine, which can have flowers from spring through fall. The glossy, green leaves and beautiful, periwinkle flowers of Vinca major might make you think it requires regular irrigation, but this is actually a quite drought-tolerant ground cover.
#THYME GROUND COVER BACKYARD FULL#
This flowering vine is native to the Mediterranean region and can thrive in part or full shade in Southern California. This is also a great way to have the look of a living ground cover in areas where nothing will grow or in areas of deep shade. This is the only non-living ground cover that gives you the look and feel of lush, green grass without the required irrigation that makes natural grass lawns a poor choice during times of drought. You may want to use a little water to spray the dust off of your synthetic turf every once in a while, but that is all the water you will need with this low-maintenance ground cover option. Wood chips or bark can also help inhibit weed growth, can help the soil retain moisture and is an attractive way to cover bare earth inexpensively. You may need to rake leaves out of your bark every once in a while or replenish it every couple of years to keep it looking new and fresh, but that is just about all it takes to keep this option looking great. Bark or Wood Chips:īark and wood chips are also no-water ground covers that require very little care. Often seen in driveways, walkways or patio areas, this no-water ground cover is an ideal option for homeowners who have very little time for yard maintenance or who need to cover a large area quickly.

Gravel comes in many colors and sizes, which makes it a versatile landscaping option with many uses. Here are 9 Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers for Shade: 1. If you are in search of drought-tolerant ground covers for shade that will beautify your yard without increasing your water bill, here is a list of nine living and non-living options to help you find the right choice for your landscaping needs.

Walking on should be avoided when the ground beneath is laying very wet.Will happily take moderate foot traffic - but would not be suitable for excessive use by boisterous young children or pets.Ensure weed growth is kept under control until the lawn is well established.Plant 6" x 6" (15 x 15 cm) apart - that's 36 plants per square metre to metric people (or you can divide up our chunky plug plants and grow on in small pots before planting out).Prefers a well drained soil, and most certainly should not be planted in waterlogged conditions.Recommended by the RHS to be an excellent attractant and nectar source for bees and other beneficial insects. Thriving in full sun and drier soils, an established thyme lawn will always fare better than conventional grass in times of drought and needing just a couple of trims a year it is also less labour-intensive to keep tidy! In midsummer, delicate pretty pink flowers dot the surface, making the lawn all the prettier. In the Edwardian era they were very popular – and rightly so, as they make a really lovely lush green 'carpet' of foliage which releases its sweet thyme aroma when crushed underfoot. Thyme lawns are seldom seen these days which is a shame.

Also known as wild thyme or Breckland thyme.
