12 Best Ground Cover Yellow Flowers to Brighten Your Garden

Most of the homeowners love to fill their garden with a splash of color, and what could be a better way than to opt for ground cover with yellow flowers. Yellow, being one of the vibrant and cheerful colors, fills the garden with warmth and freshness. The visual effect of ground cover with yellow flowers is unparalleled, as it looks like a splash of sunlight. Yellow flowers don't merely transform the garden into a lively space but create a stunning landscape. This blog covers various ground covers with yellow flowers.

Why Are Ground Cover Plants Preferred?

There are multiple reasons for selecting ground cover for gardens. Ground cover plants are easy to grow and require minimal maintenance. The most interesting feature is that certain invasive species spread rapidly, covering the entire ground without extra effort. Some of the ground covers help in controlling pests, suppressing weeds, and also help in controlling soil erosion in areas prone to it. The versatile ground covers are the best option for shady areas or for areas with rocky soil. Therefore, it serves the dual purpose of covering the garden or yard with lush yellow flowers and meeting the functional needs.

They make the areas of the garden attractive where other plants won't grow easily, such as areas between pavers.

List of Yellow Flowering Ground Covers

Here is the list of the ground covers with yellow blooms to spruce up the look of the garden.

1. Yellow Alyssum (Aurinia Saxatilis)

The herbaceous perennial is also known as a basket-of-gold or golden tuft, which provides a colorful and cheerful backdrop to the garden. It is an ideal choice even if you are a novice in gardening due to its low-maintenance features. The best feature is that it can tolerate extreme heat, dry weather, full sun, and grow well in any soil type with the use of minimal fertilizer. The blooming period is from April to May, creating an attractive visual sight with small lemon flowers.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 3a – 7b

• Propagation strategy to follow: Division, seed

• Spread: seed

• ​​Duration: It's a herbaceous perennial

• Size on maturity: 2 to 6 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Full sun

• Soil type needed: Sandy, well-drained soil

• Area where it can be used: Borders, beds, rockeries, containers

• Bloom period: Early-Mid Spring

• Maintenance requirement: Don't use soggy soil, trim it occasionally to make it look attractive, plant new plants in early spring or late winter for seeds.

2. Petunia (Supertunia Saffron Pinch)

This annual is good to grow in hanging baskets or window baskets. The bloom resembles the trumpet, which blooms from planting until frost. It can be grown as a bedding plant or along a wall or a slope. The features that attract gardeners towards these beautiful plants are a long and continuous bloom period, tolerance towards heat, and no deadheading requirement. It attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and keeps the garden lively.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b

• Propagation strategy to follow: Stem cuttings

• Spread: Stem cutting

• ​​Duration: Annual

• Size on maturity: 4 to 12 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Partial sun to full sun

• Soil type needed: Average to fertile soil

• Area where it can be used: Borders, containers, mass planting, and landscape

• Bloom period: From the day it is planted till hard frost

• Maintenance requirement: Need minimum maintenance, and the use of controlled-release fertiliser is perfect for growth

3. Angelina Stonecrop(Sedum Rupestre "Angelina")

It is a fast-growing succulent that thrives even in rocky and infertile soil. The most interesting feature is their tall blooms that match the yellow foliage. This foliage turns from yellow to copper during winter. It merely needs occasional watering, once it's settled.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 3-9

• Propagation strategy to follow: Stem cuttings

• Size on maturity: 3 to 6 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Full sun

• Soil type needed: Dry and well-drained soil

• Bloom period: Early to late summer

• Maintenance requirement: Need minimum maintenance that includes occasional watering

4. Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum Galeobdolon)

It is a plant with a unique look, and the uniqueness lies in the way the flowers sit on the top of the stalks. The silver-variegated leaves look beautiful. It spread so rapidly that in some areas it is considered a threat to the native plants.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 4-9

• Propagation strategy to follow: Stem cuttings or division

• Size on maturity: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide

• Extent of sun exposure: Partial to full sunlight

• Soil type needed: Medium moisture and well-drained soil

• Bloom period: Late spring

5. Hardy Yellow Ice Plant (Delosperma Nubigenum)

It is known as a "tough cookie" and is loved by gardeners owing to its daisy-like blooms. It is also preferred by gardeners due to its low-maintenance feature. It can grow in any situation. If you wish to add life to the garden, Hardy yellow ice plant is the smartest choice. It is a perfect option for a drier climate.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 4a – 9b

• Propagation strategy to follow: Division, seed, and stem cuttings

• Spread: seed

• ​​Duration: It's a perennial

• Size on maturity: 3 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Full sun

• Soil type needed: Sandy, sandy loam, gravelly, and well-drained soil

• Area where it can be used: Borders, beds, container garden, rock garden, and border fronts

• Bloom period: April to June (late spring to early summer)

• Maintenance requirement: Low-maintenance, regular trimming for better growth, and removing dead flowers for more blooms.

6. Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia Fragarioides)

As the name suggests, Barren strawberry offers no strawberry, but only cheerful yellow flowers. It's a native of North America that offers evergreen foliage. It's a perennial that blooms from early spring to early summer.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 4a – 7b

• Propagation strategy to follow: Via seed

• Spread: Rhizomes

• ​​Duration: It's a herbaceous perennial

• Size on maturity: 3-6 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Partial to full sun

• Soil type needed: Medium moisture and clay

• Area where it can be used: Borders, rock garden, and woodland garden

• Bloom period: April to June

• Maintenance requirement: Low-maintenance

7. Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus Repens)

It's a wildflower, spread across North America. It is highly adaptable and hence considered an invasive species. It has robust growth in moist soil; therefore, it thrives in dark and damp environments.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 4 – 9

• Size on maturity: 8-12 inches tall and 36 inches wide

• Extent of sun exposure: Partial to full sun

• Soil type needed: Rich and wet

• Bloom period: Spring to late summer

8. Perennial Peanut(Arachis Glabrata)

This plant has an interesting feature- flowers are edible and taste like peanuts, but the plant doesn't produce nuts at all. It is preferred for pastures for grazing farm animals to provide them with rich nutrients. Homeowners use it as a lawn alternative.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 8 – 11

• Size on maturity: 3-6 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Full sun

• Soil type needed: Sandy and well-drained

• Bloom period: Summer

9. Sunflower(Suncredible Yellow Sunflower)

Sunflower is one of the most loved and preferred ground cover plants due to its golden bloom. The bloom duration is also prolonged than the other variety of ground cover plants. Whether you plant it in the kitchen garden or along the border, pollinators are bound to get attracted. Even birds love sunflowers.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 9a– 11b

• Size on maturity: 2-3 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Full sun

• Soil type needed: Average soil

• Bloom period: Planting to hard frost

10. Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis)

As the name suggests, it blooms in the evening and closes in the morning. It is known for its lemon scent, which adds a pop of yellow color to the garden. It is a native of Canada and the Northern US, which can grow in any soil type.  Keep an eye on the watering requirements as plants may get damaged if they get too dry. It attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, and it's resistant to deer and rabbits.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 4a – 9b

• Propagation strategy to follow: Via seed

• Spread: Via seeds

• ​​Duration: It's a perennial and biennial

• Size on maturity: 3-5 feet tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil type needed: Sandy soil and good drainage

• Area where it can be used: Borders, beds, wildflower garden, and meadows

• Bloom period: June to September (early summer to early fall)

• Maintenance requirement: Low-maintenance and moderate water needs

11. Lady's Mantle(Alchemilla Mollis)

This perennial is popular owing to its clustered yellow flowers, creating a soothing aura in the outdoor space. It is used as a garden border.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 3 – 7

• Size on maturity: 1-2 feet tall and wide

• Extent of sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil type needed: Moist and slightly acidic

• Bloom period: Early summer to fall

12. Yellow Stonecrop (Sedum Nuttallianum)

Yellow stonecrop is a stunning addition to the garden due to its cluster of yellow flowers. Just like many succulent plants, yellow stonecrop is a non-fussy plant. With minimum effort, you get to enjoy the sight of vibrant blooms and bright green foliage. It's an ideal option for a rocky garden due to its tolerance towards drought. All you have to do is prune the plant after flowering to ensure bushy growth.

Features:

• USDA hardiness zones: 4a – 9b

• Propagation strategy to follow: Via seed, stem cuttings, and division

• Spread: Stem rooting

• ​​Duration: Perennial and annual

• Size on maturity: 4 inches tall

• Extent of sun exposure: Partial shade to full sun

• Soil type needed: Sandy, loamy, and well-drained

• Area where it can be used: Borders, container gardens and rockeries

• Bloom period: Spring to summer

• Maintenance requirement: Low-maintenance

Conclusion

No matter how the garden is, covering it with ground cover is an idea that meets the functional need as well as the aesthetic need. There are a variety of ground cover plants with yellow flowers to choose from. It's advisable to check all the features of each plant mentioned in the article and pick one for your garden.