13 Plants That Help Keep Weeds Out of Your Garden
Nurturing a vibrant garden is every homeowner’s dream. Sometimes, pesky weeds bite into the green and ruin the essence.
Weeds can harm biodiversity, taking nutrients from the soil and harboring diseases that may spread to the rest of your garden. Some are even toxic to humans and animals.
A garden full of weeds may require a professional to fully cleanse it. A more long-term solution would be to use these plants that help keep gardens safe from weeds.
1. Creeping Juniper
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This attractive green shrub creeps up on weeds in no time. Junipers serve as lush green ground covers, perfect for filling gaps that may be overtaken by weeds. These shrubs save you money on sprays while adding a fine touch to your yard.
Junipers tolerate both cold and hot temperatures. They thrive with minimal watering. A spot with ample sun helps them grow thick and low.
2. Bugleweed
Bugleweeds add a tinge of color to your garden as they deal with unwanted grass. They form a spiral of plain, dark leaves and delicate purple-blue flowers on a sturdy stem.
These flowers spread over like a carpet, suffocating any weeds and covering the ground densely. In full sun or part shade, they can grow up to eleven inches tall.
3. Creeping Thyme
Add a little spice to your green space with some creeping thyme. Though not consumed, it invites pollinators and adds a seasonal, peppery fragrance. It flowers abundantly at the beginning of summer.
Creeping thyme chokes out weeds as it likes to disperse over its span. Slow initial growth quickens pace after a year. It grows six times wider than it is tall under the sun.
4. Lamb’s Ear
Living up to its name, lamb’s ear looks the part and chomps out weeds like a grazer—well, not literally. This dense, green-gray foliage grows like a mat. This ground cover also sprouts gray lavender flowers in springtime.
This fuzzy foliage also packs several medicinal benefits. They are anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, and quicken the healing process for cuts and wounds. Some use them in tea or as a compress.
5. Sweet Woodruff
With flowers like snow on a bush, the sweet woodruff makes for a gorgeous natural carpet. This plant forms a thick canopy over loam. No light reaches the ground to nourish weeds this way.
This bed of straws bears white star-like blooms in early spring. Woodruff grows best in places without sun. This flower has a lot of history in herbal medicine.
6. Heuchera
Heucheras have leaves with a range of colors. They look stunning in a deep red. Growing these can add a stark contrast to your garden amongst greenery. They can even fill the gaps between other plants for this purpose.
Once planted at a close distance, heucheras leave no room for weeds to grow. They make neat bundles in the sun or a little shade. Once set up, they can even flourish without water for long periods.
7. Creeping Phlox
Creeping Phlox is a pretty carpet that can even grow from nooks and crannies. They are often planted in rock gardens. They form a packed cushion of beautiful purple or white flowers.
They bloom during late winter or early spring and leave no weeds left unchecked. Weekly or bi-weekly watering is sufficient for them. Their aesthetic appeal cannot be replaced.
8. Hardy Plumbago
Hardy Plumbago is suited for landscaping. This flowering plant is fast-growing and hardy. They can cover soil in any kind of growing conditions. They can even get up to ten inches tall.
Other than choking out weeds, they blanket the yard with rich blue blossoms and deep red leaves. They attract hummingbirds and butterflies to make your garden more lively.
9. Green and Gold
Shady regions also need some love. Green-and-gold prosper in early spring. Bright green leaves quickly support yellow blooms that resemble daisies. They look stunning as path boundaries.
Another benefit to them is that they self-seed. They can spread across land by themselves, competing against unwelcome grass. They can even tower up to twelve inches.
10. Lady’s Mantle
Lady’s mantle bundles a wonderful package. They spread wide and grow tall, giving weeds no breathing room. Their pale yellow flora offers a subtle touch. They don’t clash with the rest of your blossoms.
They are delicate and make for great additions to bouquets and vases. They can survive standing water. Typically, they are paired with roses to hide thorns.
11. Cheddar Pinks
Full sun bears bright pink clusters with cheddar pinks. They offer a contrast of shapes with thin stems and fringed petals. Many stems originate from a single point, making them look dainty and unique.
Late spring opens up their buds. Their clove-like scent can spice up your garden. The leaves appear almost bluish-green. They frequently invite bees. You also don’t have to worry about these flowers being eaten by deer.
12. Hosta
If you’re looking for a chunkier option, hostas are the best deal. They come in all sizes and have overlapping leaves. They clump at the bottom over the years and weeds hardly get a chance to surface.
Lavender, fragrant blooms can be seen in spring. They thicken in shady, dark places. The foliage is two-toned and stands out against a bunch of plain greens.
13. Crimson Clover
Crimson Clovers are like crimson pine cones. They stand tall in spring, bearing rich tones in bald spots. These plants aren’t fussy about soil. They can even improve the quality of clay soil.
You can plant them with oats for added weed-smothering effects. Crimson clovers are frequently used in crop rotations. They also serve as livestock fodder.
