59 Low-Growing Perennial Plants for Stunning Garden Edges and Borders

If you’re seeking the perfect finishing touch for your garden paths, flower beds, or borders, consider incorporating low-growing perennial plants. These compact wonders come back year after year, providing texture, color, and interest without overwhelming your landscape. From sun-drenched walkways to shaded woodland areas, there’s a short perennial suited for every garden space and style. Below, we explore a diverse selection of perennials ideal for creating lush, perennial edges that require little maintenance once established.

Why Choose Short Perennials for Borders?

• Consistent Coverage: Low-growing perennials quickly form dense mats or clumps, naturally suppressing weeds and reducing the need for frequent mulching or maintenance.
• Year-Round Interest: Many offer evergreen foliage or long-lasting blooms, ensuring your garden edges remain attractive in every season.
• Design Flexibility: Their petite stature makes them perfect for edging formal beds, softening hardscape transitions, or filling gaps in rock gardens.
• Diverse Selection: From shade-loving ground covers to sun-hardy trailing bloomers, options abound for every climate, light, and soil condition.

How to Choose the Right Low-Growing Perennial

• Sunlight: Evaluate how much sun your border receives—options range from full-sun lovers to deep-shade specialists.
• Soil & Moisture: Note if your site drains quickly, stays moist, or is somewhere in between, as some perennials are drought-tolerant while others prefer damp conditions.
• Hardiness: Always check the USDA hardiness zone to ensure your selection thrives in your region.

Top 59 Short Perennial Plants for Garden Edges and Borders

Below we highlight a wide variety of low-growing perennial plants, each with unique attributes, care needs, and garden design benefits.

Creeping Mazus (Mazus miquelii)

• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Height: 3–6 inches
• Zones: 5–8
• Notable for: Hardy, soft-feeling foliage that tolerates light foot traffic; remains green year-round in warmer climates. Adaptable to most soils, as long as not waterlogged.

European Wild Ginger (Asarum europaeum)

• Sun: Partial to full shade
• Height: Up to 6 inches
• Zones: 4–8
• Notable for: Tropical-looking, round glossy green leaves that form a dense, attractive mat. Prefers moist, rich, slightly acidic well-drained soil.

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

• Sun: Partial to full shade
• Height: 5–12 inches
• Zones: 3–8
• Notable for: Fast-spreading foliage and charming racemes of star-shaped white flowers. Thrives in moist, humus-rich, neutral to acidic soil.

More Excellent Short Perennials

• Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina): Fuzzy, silvery foliage only 6–12 inches tall.
  • Sun: Full sun
  • Zones: 4–9
  • Great for: Softening borders, child-friendly gardens.
• Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata): Carpets the ground with needle-like leaves and spring flowers.
  • Sun: Full sun
  • Height: 4–6 inches
  • Zones: 3–9
• Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum): Tough, aromatic, and adorned with pretty purple-pink blooms.
  • Sun: Full sun
  • Height: 2–3 inches
  • Zones: 4–9
• Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum): Whorled leaves and scented white flowers, ideal for shaded spots.
  • Sun: Shade
  • Height: 6–12 inches
  • Zones: 4–8
• Pussytoes (Antennaria dioica): Silvery mats and subtle blooms, perfect for rock gardens.
  • Sun: Full sun
  • Height: 2–4 inches
  • Zones: 3–9

Standout Species for Sunny Spots

• Rock Cress (Aubrieta deltoidea): Mounds of purple flowers along walls and banks.
• Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum): Cascading white flowers and silvery foliage, thriving in poor soils.
• Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis): Dainty pale-blue blossoms, handles light foot traffic.
• Low-Growing Sedums: Succulent mats with bursts of yellow, pink, or white flowers.

Perennials for Shade Borders

• Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’: Miniature, round-leaved hosta reaching just 6–7 inches.
• Japanese Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis): Glossy evergreen ground cover; thrives in deep shade.
• Barrenwort (Epimedium x versicolor): Heart-shaped foliage with delicate spring flowers.

Dwarf Grasses and Sedges

• Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca): Silvery-blue tufts for sun banks and dry locations.
• Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica): Fine-textured, semi-evergreen grass for dry shade.

Other Versatile Ground Covers

• Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia): Golden-green foliage that brightens shadier beds (beware, can be invasive).
• Ajuga (Ajuga reptans): Shiny purple-green leaves and spikes of blue flowers, tolerant of moderate foot traffic.

Design Tips for Using Short Perennials

• Layered Borders: Place low perennials at the front, with progressively taller plants behind, to create dimension and seamless transitions.
• Edging Walkways: Mix foliage textures and flower colors for vibrant, living edges along paths.
• Rock Gardens: Tuck short, drought-tolerant perennials between stones for a natural look.
• Containers: Combine compact perennials as spiller plants for pots and raised beds.

Growing and Maintenance Tips

• Initial Watering: Keep young perennials consistently moist until well established; many become drought tolerant as they mature.
• Mulch: Use organic mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture, but avoid burying crowns.
• Divide as Needed: Every few years, split crowded clumps to maintain vigor and expand your plantings.
• Clean Up: In late winter or early spring, trim back dead foliage to encourage fresh new growth for the coming season.

At-a-Glance: Popular Low-Growing Perennials Comparison Table

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Short Perennials

Q: Are low-growing perennials suitable for heavy foot traffic areas?

A: Some, like Creeping Mazus and Blue Star Creeper, handle light to moderate foot traffic well, making them excellent choices for paths and between stepping stones. Most others prefer less disturbance.

Q: How do I keep my low border perennials from spreading too much?

A: Regular division and edging help keep more vigorous spreaders like Creeping Jenny and Ajuga in check. Physical barriers can also help contain more aggressive varieties.

Q: What’s the best way to plant a perennial border?

A: Prep the soil by removing weeds and incorporating compost for healthy growth. Plant in masses, staggering varieties for continuous color and texture throughout the seasons.

Q: Which perennials bloom the longest?

A: Moss Phlox, Creeping Thyme, and Ajuga offer extended bloom times, especially when deadheaded. Pair with evergreens like European Wild Ginger for year-round interest.

Q: Are there deer-resistant options among these?

A: Yes! Many options—including Lamb’s Ear, Ajuga, and Foamflower—are generally avoided by deer, though local preferences may vary.

Conclusion

Short perennial plants are the unsung heroes of garden design—providing texture, color, and interest at ground level while demanding little from the gardener in return. Whether edging a sunny walkway, brightening deep shade, or filling a rocky crevice, there’s a low-growing perennial to suit every corner of your garden. Choose a mix of species for a dynamic and maintenance-friendly landscape that rewards you year after year.

Author

medha deb

 

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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