Save water with drought-smart ground covers - Creeping Thyme and Sedum lead the pack. Sun to part shade, quick to establish, low upkeep.
Low-water gardening does not have to mean bare soil. The right ground covers can knit planting beds together, reduce exposed soil, suppress some weeds, help protect slopes, and add color and texture with relatively little supplemental water once established.
The key is choosing plants suited not only to dry conditions, but also to your sun, soil, drainage, climate, and the amount of foot traffic the area receives. This guide groups drought-tolerant ground covers into clear categories so you can match plants to your site and watering needs.
Perennials and shrubs provide structure, while ground covers can fill the spaces between them and create a more continuous planting. Once established, drought-tolerant choices can be especially useful in dry borders, slopes, rock gardens, gravel gardens, and other areas where frequent irrigation is undesirable.
Good to know
Drought-tolerant plants use different strategies to conserve water or survive dry periods. No single feature guarantees drought resistance, but several traits are common among plants adapted to dry environments.
Gardenia tip
| Tolerances | Drought |
|---|---|
| Landscaping Ideas | Ground Covers |
How they behave: thrive in full sun, heat, and lean, well-drained soils with very low supplemental water once established.
Great choices: silver carpet, ice plant, creeping thyme, Caucasian stonecrop
Best for hot parking-strip edges, gravel paths, sunny slopes, coastal sites, and anywhere irrigation is minimal.
How they behave: handle short dry spells but prefer some moisture or part shade, especially in summer or humid climates.
Great choices: dead nettle, barrenwort, mondo grass, bearberry
Best for dry shade at tree edges, north-side strips, and mixed borders that receive occasional irrigation or regular spring rain.
| Need | Great Ground Covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full sun, reflected heat | silver carpet, ice plant, trailing ice plant, Creeping thyme, snow in summer | TRUE drought group. Lean soil and drainage keep mats tight and flowering. |
| Coastal wind and salt | creeping rosemary, shore juniper, beach strawberry | Rosemary and juniper are TRUE drought. Fragaria is moderate and appreciates some spring moisture. |
| Walkable steppables | creeping thyme, silver carpet | Best between pavers with excellent drainage. Light foot traffic only. |
| Dry shade or bright open shade | Geranium macrorrhizum, barrenwort, bergenia, dead nettle | Moderate drought group. Water to establish and during long spring dry spells. |
| Slope and erosion control | creeping rosemary, shore juniper, rock rose | TRUE drought group. Plant densely and water deeply the first 6 weeks. |
| Deer-resistant carpets | Thyme, Rosemary, snow in summer, rock rose | Aromatic or silver foliage helps deter browsing. No plant is fully deer-proof. |
Regionality matters: drought in the Southwest is not drought in the Northeast. Match choices to USDA zone, humidity, and soil. Always verify invasive status locally.
Drought-tolerant does not mean drought-indifferent. A thoughtful start pays for years.
Thyme, Iris, Lavender, Blue oat grass, Sedum, Blanket flower, California lilac
Think like a storm. Fewer, deeper drinks that reach roots.
Ground covers do more than fill space. They set mood and movement.
Find Drought-Tolerant Garden Design Ideas
Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), ice plants (Delosperma, Lampranthus), dymondia, prostrate rosemary, Santolina, Helianthemum, Sedum (esp. spurium/album), Phlox subulata, and Veronica prostrata.
Delosperma, Lampranthus, Armeria maritima, Dymondia, prostrate rosemary, and beach strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis).
Prostrate rosemary, Cotoneaster dammeri (check regional advisories), Juniperus conferta, Thymus serpyllum, and Helianthemum.
Thymus serpyllum, Santolina (in mild climates), many Delosperma, Veronica prostrata, Juniperus conferta, prostrate rosemary.
Aromatic or silver species: thyme, rosemary, Santolina, Helianthemum, many Sedum. No plant is 100% deer-proof.
Yes—most “true xeric” species prefer lean, well-drained soil and resent rich, wet conditions.
Yes while establishing. Deeply soak for 4–6 weeks; afterward water only during extended droughts or heat waves.
Yes—thyme, Helianthemum, Veronica, Delosperma, and Phlox subulata provide nectar and pollen in dry seasons.
Bergenia, Lamium maculatum, Epimedium, Veronica ‘Georgia Blue’, Carex flacca, Ophiopogon (moderate drought—needs spring moisture).
Shear thyme and Helianthemum lightly after bloom; never scalp ice plants. Junipers/rosemary can be tip-pruned to shape.
Most fill in 1–2 growing seasons if spaced correctly and watered deeply the first month.
Deep soak, pin stems to soil with garden staples, top-dress with grit, and remove weeds. Many mats re-root quickly.
For low-traffic, yes—thyme or dymondia between pavers works well. For play areas, drought-tolerant turf or native meadows are better.
Drought-tolerant ground covers turn thirsty beds into resilient, low-care landscapes. Choose species that match your sun, soil, and climate, plant high with sharp drainage, and water deeply at first. Then step back. When heat rises and rain steps out, your garden can still look composed and connected.
Updated: October 2025
| Tolerances | Drought |
|---|---|
| Landscaping Ideas | Ground Covers |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
