Spring is finally here and we are all slowly waking up from the long hibernation. The garden is already waiting for us and the work in it should be done on time and well. Time to plant and sow. Today’s topic is about ground covers that need little water. If you’ve gotten that far in the garden that you can now think of adding plants to your garden, consider the idea of low-maintenance and drought-tolerant ground covers. The days in summer can vary in heat and this is exactly when you go on vacation. It is better if you remain carefree and take care of a Mediterranean flair in your own garden. So you could perhaps spend your next holiday in the garden in good company.
Ground covers that need little water can be successfully cultivated in your garden for years
Ground covers that need little water are simply easier to care for
What can be the reasons for choosing plants that need little water? Can drought-tolerant plants thrive in the German climate? You ask yourself so many things beforehand, especially when you lack experience. We try to share every little thing about the undemanding ground cover with you as detailed and simply as possible. Let’s first look at which plants are suitable for our project. Is there anything else to consider about this? Do you plant them in the shade or in the sun and what other plants do the Mediterranean groundcovers get along well with? First of all, we welcome you for choosing ground cover. Within a very short time they will spread in your garden and form a wonderful and dense carpet of plants. The ground covers improve and purify the air and absorb rainwater.
Flowering perennials in midsummer are already reminiscent of your last holiday on the Mediterranean
The resulting atmosphere is pleasant and even meditative and healing. This is because the groundcover rug blocks out ambient noise. Now we list the most well-known ground covers that use little water.
Planting ground cover automatically improves the air and creates a place of rest and enjoyment
Mediterranean atmosphere in the garden thanks to ground cover plants that need little water
There is a huge range of garden plants that can cover the ground. Get enough inspiration and design your own magnificent and Mediterranean garden! All of the ground covers mentioned can be planted in spring if the ground is frost-free.
Any flowering ground cover that tolerates drought well will attract a lot of bees, which is a great asset to your garden
catnip
Catnip is said to complete any garden or herb garden. A perennial that grows deep and is not very demanding. Not only cats love this ground cover plant, but also the bees. Catnip loves the blazing sun, needs little water and can also be used to green roofs or walls.
One can only dream of a plant as easy to care for as catnip – it grows quickly and only needs dividing every now and then
The ground-covering plants create an atmosphere that is intended for relaxation and rest
speedwell
Another ground-covering and bee-friendly plant is speedwell. This ground cover flowers from mid-May and needs nutrient-rich and well-drained garden soil. The plant is well placed in a sunny spot and even with little water it develops quickly and well and can reach a height of 15 cm.
Under speedwell you will actually find several types of plants that have a common main term, namely veronica
All speedwell species thrive in nutrient-rich and well-drained soil
From the middle of May, the speedwell flowers in blue-purple and announces the beginning of the permanently good weather
Creeping Thyme
The creeping thyme is another groundcover that can get by with barely any water. For optimal development of the thyme, you should plant the young plants next to each other about 15 cm apart. The creeping thyme blooms in late summer and delights the eye with its evergreen foliage for the rest of the year.
One of the most popular drought tolerant plants for the garden is creeping thyme
A plant that not only smells wonderful and attracts bees, but is also used as an herb and spice
Wollziest
The Wollziest is an impressive and robust plant. The velvety soft leaves are covered with fluffy wool hair. For this reason, the plant is also known by the names donkey’s ear or lamb’s ear. The wool hair protects the plant from drying out and that is exactly why it belongs on our list of ground covers that need little water.
Also known as donkey’s or lamb’s ear, this plant can go quite long without water because its leaves store rainwater
steppe sage
Another plant that you can use as a ground cover is the steppe sage. In good conditions, which are limited to nutrient-rich and permeable soil, the sage even flowers twice a year. The usual flowering time is in June and July, but it can happen that the plant also flowers in September.
Wood sage originally comes from New Zealand, but grows and thrives even in the northernmost part of East Friesland
Andean cushion
The Andean cushion is of course one of the evergreen, fast-growing and drought-tolerant ground covers. You can still enjoy the delicate, yellow flowers of the plant in April. The Andean cushion grows deep, reaching up to 5 cm in height. The plant does well in full sun and partial shade.
If you would like to have a magnificent carpet of plants in the garden, then plant Andean cushions
Blue-green prickly nutlet
Before June-July, another ground-covering plant will delight you – the blue-green prickly nutlet. But you can recognize them by their white-green foliage. Along with speedwell, both groundcovers can make your garden look amazing and classy.
If you choose impressive ground cover, you can create a magnificent and densely overgrown garden
Autumn catchfly
As the name suggests, the magnificent campion catch flowers bloom from August to October and provide late food for bees and butterflies that have not yet fallen asleep. The plant likes calcareous and sandy soil and does best in a sunny spot.
Another magnificent plant that delights our eyes and belated bees with its scent and nectar
Nodding stonecrop
Not only does the nodding sedum hardly need any water, it can also be divided every 2-3 years. Easy to care for and undemanding, the plant is becoming popular in more and more allotments.
Other ground cover plants that need little water are the toadseuil, the cushion phlox, the mountain avens and the African ring daisy. With some of the suggested plants, you can transform your garden into a Mediterranean location that will be loved by all friends and relatives.
The nodding sedum grows almost by itself and should only be regularly freed from weak and lifeless shoots and roots by attentive gardeners
We wish you every success with all the gardening in April! Your hard work will soon pay off.