Tired of struggling with bare patches under your trees where grass just won’t grow? Many Georgia homeowners face this same challenge, especially in yards with mature oaks and pines casting heavy shade.
Fall is actually the perfect time to replace those struggling grass spots with beautiful ground covers that love the shade. These alternatives will transform those problem areas into attractive, low-maintenance spaces you’ll actually enjoy.
1. Mondo Grass
This evergreen ground cover forms thick, carpet-like mats that stay green year-round in Georgia gardens. Unlike traditional turf, it thrives in deep shade where regular grass gives up completely.
The dark green blades grow slowly, which means less maintenance work for you once established. It handles foot traffic reasonably well, making it practical for pathways through shaded areas.
Plant divisions about six inches apart this fall, and they’ll fill in beautifully by next summer.
2. Creeping Jenny
With its cheerful chartreuse leaves, this fast-spreading plant brightens up even the darkest corners of your yard. The round, coin-shaped foliage creates a soft texture that contrasts nicely with other shade plants.
Georgia gardeners appreciate how quickly it fills in bare spots, sometimes spreading several feet in a single growing season.
It tolerates occasional foot traffic and even handles some moisture better than grass. Small yellow flowers appear in summer, adding an extra touch of color.
3. Ajuga (Bugleweed)
Glossy leaves in shades of green, bronze, or purple make this ground cover a standout choice for shaded spaces.
Come spring, spikes of blue or purple flowers shoot up, creating a stunning display that lasts for weeks. It spreads through runners, gradually forming a weed-suppressing mat across your Georgia landscape.
The foliage stays attractive through winter, providing year-round interest in areas where grass would go dormant. Deer tend to leave it alone, which is a bonus for many homeowners.
4. Liriope (Lilyturf)
Often called lilyturf, this tough plant looks similar to ornamental grass but handles shade like a champion. The arching, grass-like leaves create texture and movement in your landscape design.
Purple or white flower spikes emerge in late summer, followed by black berries that birds enjoy. Georgia’s climate suits liriope perfectly, and it requires almost no maintenance once settled in.
It’s drought-tolerant after establishment and resists most pests and diseases, making it ideal for busy homeowners looking for reliable solutions.
5. Pachysandra
This classic ground cover has been solving shade problems for generations of Southern gardeners. The glossy, evergreen leaves form a uniform carpet that looks neat without any mowing required.
Small white flowers appear in spring, though the foliage is really the main attraction throughout the year. It spreads steadily through underground stems, eventually creating a dense mat that keeps weeds at bay.
Georgia’s humid climate suits pachysandra well, especially in areas with rich, slightly acidic soil beneath established trees.
6. Mazus
Standing only two inches tall, this tiny powerhouse creates a living carpet that can handle being walked on regularly. The small, scalloped leaves hug the ground tightly, creating an almost moss-like appearance.
In spring, purple or white flowers blanket the foliage, turning your shaded areas into something special. Georgia gardeners love how it fills in between stepping stones and along pathways.
It spreads quickly once happy, and fall planting gives it time to establish before next year’s growing season begins.
7. Wild Ginger
Native to Georgia’s forests, this ground cover features beautiful heart-shaped leaves that create a lush woodland feel. The foliage emerges in spring and stays attractive through fall, providing months of coverage.
Hidden beneath the leaves, unusual reddish-brown flowers appear close to the ground, though they’re more of a curiosity than a show-stopper.
The roots have a ginger-like scent when crushed, giving the plant its common name. It prefers rich, moist soil and spreads slowly through rhizomes, making it perfect for naturalized areas.
8. Japanese Spurge
Whorls of glossy leaves create interesting patterns in this reliable shade lover that stays green through Georgia winters. The plant grows about eight inches tall, creating enough height to add dimension without needing trimming.
It spreads through underground stems, gradually forming colonies that suppress weeds effectively. Small white flowers appear in spring, adding a delicate touch to the evergreen foliage.
Once established, it handles drought better than you’d expect and requires minimal care, making it perfect for low-maintenance landscapes throughout the state.