There are areas of the garden where you want low growing plants to act as ground cover. While there are many perennial flowers such as Aubretia and the Bellflower Campanula that can be used for this purpose, there are also several succulents that make attractive ground covers. They also benefit from being easy to grow and are drought tolerant. The ten succulents are described in this article by Noelle Johnson which I found on the Houzz website.

Succulents, with their interesting shapes and colors, have become increasingly popular in the landscape. While larger succulents are often used singly as accent or container plants, smaller succulents are getting a second look for use as ground covers. As with other succulents, they are attractive, drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. Here are 10 low-growing succulents for you to try in your garden.

The Garden Route Company

It?s important to note that all plants profiled below require well-drained soil and, in many cases, some supplemental watering. The amount and frequency of watering depend on several variables, including exposure, temperature and soil. A good rule of thumb is to water 8 inches deep and then allow the soil to dry out before watering again. Succulents need more water in spring, when they are actively growing, and very little in winter.
1. Rock Purslane
(Calandrinia spectabilis)
Gray-green leaves form a dense mound that is transformed by the appearance of magenta flowers spring through fall. The flowers are about 2 inches wide and last one day, with new ones ready to take their place the following day.
For an eye-catching combination, pair rock purslane with pig?s ear (Cotyledon orbiculata), a succulent that produces orange flowers. Rock purslane does best in Mediterranean climates but is suitable as a container plant and can be treated as an annual in colder climates.
Origin: Chile
Where it will grow: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (USDA Zone 9; find your zone)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun or filtered shade
Mature size: 1 foot tall and 3 feet wide; about 3 feet tall when in flower

Phillips Garden

2. Caucasian Stonecrop
(Sedum spurium)Succulents aren?t just for warm climates. This creeping ground cover can grow in zones 3 to 8. The beauty of this species of stonecrop lies in its tightly whorled leaves, which are often tinged in red. In late spring and summer, star-shaped pink flowers blanket the leaves and attract butterflies.S. spurium ?Red Carpet? grows in the foreground of this photo, with blue-gray S. reflexum ?Blue Spruce? in the background.
Origin: Caucasus region of Eastern Europe
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 8)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 6 inches tall and 1 foot to 2 feet wide

Go to the next page for more succulents for ground cover
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