Ground Cover Plants for Hills: 12 Best Options for Sloped Yards

Landscaping a sloped or hilly yard can be challenging. Mowing steep hills is difficult and dangerous. Plus the incline causes soil erosion, exposes tree roots and creates runoff issues.

Instead of leaving the slope barren or trying to force turfgrass to grow, consider ground cover plants. These low-growing perennials spread to form a dense, weed-suppressing carpet on hills.

Groundcovers offer a gorgeous, natural solution for erosion control and slope landscaping. Their roots stabilize the soil while their spreading foliage blocks weeds. Flowers add color too.

This guide shares the 12 best ground cover plants for hills. We’ll look at fast-growing low-maintenance options tailored for sun and shade.

Why Use Groundcovers on Slopes?

Groundcovers offer many benefits for landscaping steep hills:

• Prevent erosion. Their roots and stems stabilize soil. Dense foliage reduces rain impact.

• Stop weeds. A mature groundcover planting becomes a weed barrier.

• Save work. No mowing needed once established. Just occasional trimming.

• Beautify. Foliage, flowers and textures enhance aesthetics.

• Save money. Less labor and upkeep than turfgrass. Many spreads are very affordable.

• Reduce runoff. Groundcovers allow maximum water infiltration versus hardscapes.

• Define spaces. Use different plants on various parts of the yard.

For the best results, plant groundcovers from container plants or plugs. This allows tighter spacing for faster fill-in.

Now let’s look at the top recommended ground covers for erosion control, weed suppression, and beautifying sloped yards and hills.

12 Best Ground Covers for Slopes and Hills

1. Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

This popular low-growing perennial thrives in full sun. It forms a colorful carpet of needle-like evergreen foliage. Showy blooms cover the plant in spring.

• Height: 4-6 inches
• Spread: 18+ inches
• Flowers: Pink, purple, blue or white in spring
• Sun/Shade: Full sun

Creeping phlox is one of the best phlox species for slopes since it’s low and spreading. Excellent for stone walls or rocky banks too. Once established, it’s drought tolerant.

2. Ajuga (Ajuga reptans)

Ajuga delivers a fast-growing mat of color. The shiny leaves come in interesting hues like burgundy, chocolate, or variegated. Dense upright flower spikes add more appeal.

• Height: 4-8 inches
• Spread: 12-24 inches
• Flowers: Blue, pink, white, purple
• Sun/Shade: Part sun or full shade

This rugged perennial thrives in poor soils and tolerates some foot traffic. Ajuga needs afternoon shade in hot climates. A number of cultivars are available.

3. Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)

For a sturdy evergreen option, creeping juniper is ideal. Its dense trailing stems root down as they spread out horizontally. Blue-green needles provide year-round color.

• Height: 4-12 inches
• Spread: 8-15 feet
• Sun/Shade: Full sun

Creeping juniper handles poor soil, heat, wind, salt and slopes with ease. ‘Wiltonii’ (blue rug juniper) and ‘Bar Harbor’ are top performers. Give junipers plenty of room to expand.

4. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)

Sweet woodruff thrives in shade where many plants struggle. The pretty white spring flowers and clean fragrance are a nice extra.

• Height: 6-12 inches
• Spread: 12-18 inches
• Flowers: White, spring
• Sun/Shade: Part to full shade

Good for regions with cold winters, sweet woodruff spreads vigorously in moist, rich soil. Contains the fragrant compound coumarin.

5. Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

No slope is too steep for this trailing ground cover. Periwinkle forms a lush mat of dark evergreen leaves even in deep shade. The five-petaled flowers offer seasonal blooms.

• Height: 4-6 inches
• Spread: Indefinitely
• Flowers: Purple-blue, spring
• Sun/Shade: Shade

Avoid letting periwinkle take over flower beds, but it’s ideal for blanketing banks and slopes. Tolerates clay, drought and poor soil. Deer resistant too.

6. Deadnettle (Lamium)

Lamium blooms generously in spring and then continues spreading all season long. Its colorful leaves in silver, gold and green also dress up the garden.

• Height: 4-8 inches
• Spread: 12-24 inches
• Flowers: White, purple, pink or yellow depending on variety
• Sun/Shade: Part sun or full shade

Some of the showiest types are L. ‘White Nancy’, L. maculatum ‘Beacon Silver’ and L. ‘Pink Pewter’. Give lamium afternoon shade in hot climates.

7. sedum (Sedum spurium)

Stonecrop sedum makes a wonderful sun-loving groundcover thanks to its colorful foliage and drought tolerance. The late summer flowerheads attract butterflies.

• Height: 3-6 inches
• Spread: 18-24 inches
• Flowers: Pink, red, white, yellow
• Sun/Shade: Full sun

Sedum grows in poor, rocky or sandy soil. Top performers for groundcover include ‘Dragon’s Blood’ and ‘Tricolor’. Leave some open space between plants to allow air circulation.

8. Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

For a lush carpet in shade, wild ginger is a natural choice. This hardy North American native spreads slowly by rhizomes to form a low mat.

• Height: 6-12 inches
• Spread: 12-18 inches
• Flowers: Deep red, ground level
• Sun/Shade: Part to full shade

The unusual flowers hide at ground level under the heart-shaped leaves. Wild ginger grows well under trees and shrubs. Deer tend to avoid it.

9. Lilyturf (Liriope spicata)

Lilyturf resembles a compact, clean-looking grass but it’s actually an easy-care perennial. The strappy arching foliage stays green or variegated year-round. Late summer flowers rise above the leaves.

• Height: 6-12 inches
• Spread: 12-24 inches
• Flowers: Purple
• Sun/Shade: Part sun or part shade

For slope coverage, look for spreading varieties like ‘Silver Dragon’ or ‘Monroe White’. Tolerates heat, humidity, salt, drought and poor soil.

10. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)

Bugleweed thrives in moist shady sites where other groundcovers struggle. The multicolored leaves carpet the ground while blue flower spikes add seasonal interest.

• Height: 3-8 inches
• Spread: 12-18 inches
• Flowers: Blue
• Sun/Shade: Shade

Many types of bugleweed are available with foliage in green, purple, tricolor and more. Give plants afternoon shade in hot areas. May spread aggressively.

11. Epimedium (Epimedium spp.)

Also called barrenwort, epimedium delivers airy bouquets of flowers held above the foliage. Its leaf colors range from green to red and bronze depending on variety.

• Height: 8-15 inches
• Spread: 12-18 inches
• Flowers: Yellow, white, pink or purple
• Sun/Shade: Part shade

Epimedium does best in well-drained soil. Top performers include E. x rubrum, E. grandiflorum, and E. x youngianum ‘Roseum’.

12. Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

The sweet berries aren’t the main reason to grow wild strawberry. This hardy perennial makes a lush groundcover that spreads vigorously by runners.

• Height: 4-6 inches
• Spread: 12-18 inches
• Flowers: White
• Sun/Shade: Part sun or part shade

Wild strawberry grows under trees and shrubs where turfgrass struggles. The trifoliate leaves have a nice fall color. Tolerates poor soil.

Tips for Planting Groundcovers on Slopes

Here are some top tips for successfully establishing groundcovers on hills:

• Prepare the site well by clearing weeds, debris and overgrown vegetation. Add compost to improve poor soil.

• Space plants closer than normal, about 8-12 inches apart. This enables faster spreading to create a dense cover.

• Plant in fall or early spring when the weather is cool and rainfall plentiful. Avoid summer.

• Water the plants consistently until established. This usually takes 1-2 growing seasons.

• Use erosion control blankets/matting to protect plants and prevent soil runoff.

• Mulch new plantings to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. But avoid excessive mulching once mature.

• Be patient. Most groundcovers take 1-3 years to fully fill in an area and do their job controlling weeds and erosion.

Combine Groundcovers for Beauty and Function

The best approach is to use 2-3 complimentary groundcovers on a slope for visual interest. For example, use cool-season spreader like ajuga or lamium for the shady base and sedum or creeping phlox for the sunny upper bank.

You can also mix in ornamental grasses, bulbs and perennials. Leaving some pockets of gravel or boulders adds texture. The end result is an attractive, natural-looking hillside that requires minimal upkeep.

Groundcovers offer a versatile solution for erosion control, weed suppression and beautifying sloped yards or hills. Low-maintenance options are available for both sun and shade exposures.

Combining 2-3 complimentary spreading plants creates an appealing slope planting. Proper preparation and spacing ensures the groundcovers establish quickly to control runoff and stabilize the soil on hills.