Ground cover is an important component in any garden, especially in dry climates where water conservation is crucial. Ground cover not only helps retain moisture in the soil, but it also helps prevent weeds from taking over and provides a lush, low-maintenance blanket of greenery.
But when we say “dry garden,” what does that really mean? For some, it’s a desert garden that thrives with no irrigation once established. For others, it’s a Mediterranean-style landscape—drought-tolerant but still benefiting from occasional deep watering. And for many, it means a xeriscape garden, where hardy plants survive on minimal drip irrigation.
In this article, we’ll explore ground covers suited to each of these dry garden styles.
Xeriscape Garden
Low-water-use gardens that aren’t quite desert-dry—plants here often perform better with infrequent, deep watering - often on a drip irrigation system.
Sedum "Angelina"
This low-growing succulent has bright yellow leaves that turn orange in the fall. It thrives in USDA Zones 3 to 9 and is an excellent option for those seeking low-maintenance options.
Sedum "Blue Spruce"
This blue-grey sedum forms a tight mat of foliage and is an ideal ground cover for sunny areas. It's also a great option for gardeners who prefer low-growing plants that are easy to care for.
Aloe "Zanzibar"
Aloe 'Zanzibar' is a compact, clump-forming succulent from East Africa that spreads through offsets to form a dense, tidy mass. Its upright stems are lined with short, pointed green leaves edged in bright teeth, creating a clean, architectural look. In summer, it may produce orange-red flowers on slender spikes. Though drought tolerant, this aloe will look its best with occasional deep watering during dry periods.
Achillea "Coronation Gold"
This yellow-flowering ground cover plant is perfect for sunny areas and is drought tolerant. It's also a great option for gardeners looking to add color to their garden.
Aloe classenii
Aloe classenii is a colorful, low-growing aloe from southeastern Kenya that forms tight rosettes and gradually spreads by offsets. Its leaves shift from bright green to deep red depending on sun exposure, adding year-round interest to dry borders or rock gardens. Though drought-tolerant, it looks its best with occasional deep watering. A great fit for xeriscape gardens, especially where a bold, low-maintenance accent is needed.
Mediterranean-Style Dry Garden
For summer-dry climates with some winter rainfall and periodic hand watering.
Pelargonium sidoides
African Geranium is a low-growing, evergreen perennial native to South Africa, forming compact rosettes of velvety, silver-gray leaves. From early summer to frost, it produces small, dark crimson-black, butterfly-shaped flowers on wiry stems above the foliage. Thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, it is drought-tolerant once established and ideal for rockeries, containers, or Mediterranean-style gardens.
Senecio serpens
Also known as blue chalk sticks, is a low-growing succulent ground cover that reaches about 6-12 inches in height. Its leaves are blue-grey in color with a fleshy texture and a unique trailing form that makes it an excellent choice for rock gardens, hanging baskets or as a ground cover in the dry garden. This plant thrives in USDA zones 9-11 and is known for its drought tolerance and low maintenance, making it an ideal addition to any xeriscape garden.
Prostrate Woolly Grevillea (Grevillea lanigera)
A low-growing, spreading shrub with gray-green, narrow, soft, and woolly foliage. It grows to 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide. The cream and pink flower clusters form at the stem tips in winter and spring, attracting butterflies. It grows best in full sun to light partial shade and well-draining, moist to dry soil, and can withstand short periods of drought and temperatures down to the low 20s F. The species is native to southeastern Australia and is named after its woolly leaves. 'Coastal Gem' is a particularly attractive variety with grayish-green, needle-like leaves and pinkish-red and cream flowers. It is a good ground cover for banks and dry gardens, and is not attractive to deer.
Stomatium agnium
Lamb’s Tongue is a low-growing South African succulent with gray-green, toothed leaves that resemble an open mouth. It forms dense mats and thrives in full sun with minimal water, making it ideal for rock gardens or dry borders. Though shy to bloom, it may produce fragrant yellow flowers in summer under drought stress. Hardy to around 20°F, this unusual species is both deer- and drought-tolerant.
Aloe brevifolia
Aloe brevifolia (Short-leaved Aloe) is a compact, clumping aloe from South Africa's Western Cape that spreads into tight, geometric rosettes. Its thick, blue-green leaves are edged with prominent white teeth, creating a striking architectural look. It’s exceptionally drought-tolerant and thrives in poor, rocky soil, making it ideal for desert-style or xeriscape gardens. With occasional deep watering, it will multiply into dense mats and produce orange flowers in late spring.
Salvia sonomensis (Creeping Sage)
Salvia sonomensis, commonly known as Creeping Sage, is a California native ground cover ideal for dry gardens. This low-growing perennial forms dense mats of gray-green foliage, typically reaching 4–10 inches in height and spreading 4–6 feet wide. In spring, it produces spikes of lavender-blue flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Thriving in full sun to partial shade with well-draining soil, it is highly drought-tolerant once established, making it perfect for erosion control, rock gardens, and as a border plant in Mediterranean-style landscapes.
Thymus pseudolanuginosus (Woolly Thyme)
Woolly Thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) is a low, mat-forming perennial prized for its dense, fuzzy texture and slow-spreading habit. Growing just 2–3 inches tall, it hugs the ground tightly and roots as it spreads, making it ideal for filling gaps between stepping stones or softening edges in sunny, dry gardens. In summer, it produces small pink to lavender flowers that attract pollinators. Once established, it requires little supplemental water and thrives in xeriscape or Mediterranean-style plantings.
Desert-Style Dry Garden
Ground covers for arid, full-sun spaces with fast-draining soils. These plants survive extreme drought once established.
Euphorbia antisyphilitica (Candelilla)
Euphorbia antisyphilitica, commonly known as Candelilla, is a clump-forming succulent native to the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas and northern Mexico. It produces upright, slender, blue-green stems with a waxy coating, forming tight colonies that resemble mini thickets. This plant thrives in full sun, poor soils, and extreme drought, making it well-suited for desert-style dry gardens or minimalist xeric designs. While it rarely flowers conspicuously, its sculptural form and tolerance for heat and aridity make it an excellent textural ground-level element in low-water landscapes.
Euphorbia resinifera
Euphorbia resinifera is a clump-forming succulent from Morocco that spreads into dense, geometric mounds of upright stems, making it an exceptional choice for use as a structural ground cover. Its blue-green color and bold texture add strong visual rhythm to dry landscapes, especially in full sun and fast-draining soils. Extremely drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, it thrives in desert-style gardens with little or no supplemental irrigation once established.
Mammillaria compressa
In this photo taken at the Huntington Gardens, Mammillaria compressa is used to striking effect as a dense, textural ground cover across a sun-drenched slope in the Desert Garden. The silver-white spines of the clustered plants catch the light and contrast beautifully with the darker volcanic rock and neighboring cacti, including towering Pachycereus, golden Echinocactus grusonii, and bold agaves. Massed together, the Mammillaria create a soft, undulating carpet that fills the spaces between larger specimens, unifying the scene and adding a delicate yet cohesive rhythm to the landscape. Their low, rounded forms enhance the layered planting design while helping to suppress weeds and visually anchor the more sculptural plants rising behind them.
