A sun-baked patch of bare soil is the one thing almost every gardener tries to fix. The right ground cover for full sun handles heat, shrugs off dry spells, and turns a stubborn stretch of dirt into a living carpet. The ten picks below mix live plants and seed options, so you can match the choice to your timeline, budget, and how much patience you have for germination.
The Essentials At A Glance
Perennial Farm Marketplace Delosperma cooperi Hardy Ice Plant Quart
Creeping Thyme Seeds Dense Ground Cover 8,000+ Seeds
Purple Alyssum Seeds for Planting Survival Garden Seeds
Forget Me Not Seeds 6,000 Flower Seeds Perennial Ground Cover
Carpet Vine Seeds 200+ Dichondra Seeds Ground Cover
20,000+ Creeping Thyme Seeds Thymus Serpyllum
10,000+ White Irish Moss Seeds Non-GMO Ground Cover
18,000+ Magic Creeping Thyme Seeds Heirloom Non-GMO
20,000pcs Purple Creeping Thyme Seed Lawn Alternative
8 Pack 6 x 8 ft Army Green Tarps 5.5 Mil Heavy Duty
The Details Behind The Selections
This is the only pick in the lineup that ships as a live quart-sized plant rather than seeds, which means the wait for color is measured in weeks instead of a full season. Delosperma cooperi, commonly called hardy ice plant, sends out succulent, fleshy foliage that stores water, so it keeps its composure through stretches of dry heat that would flatten less resilient picks like the thyme seeds below.
Rosy pink, daisy-shaped blooms arrive in heavy flushes once the plant settles in, and the trailing habit makes it a natural fit for rock walls, container edges, and the gravelly seams between flagstones. The plant ships in seasonal condition, so depending on your shipping window, the foliage may arrive trimmed and dormant, which is normal and not a quality flag.
Everyday Perks
- Quart-size starter skips the germination gamble that comes with every seed option in this list.
- Drought-tolerant succulent foliage holds up in reflected heat from south-facing walls and pavement.
- Long bloom window across the warm months keeps a sunny strip looking alive without constant replanting.
- Trailing growth habit fills gaps between stones and softens hard landscape edges.
Things To Consider
- Rated for USDA zones 5 through 9, so gardeners in colder zones may see winter dieback despite the “hardy” name.
- Live plants need immediate attention on arrival, unlike the seed packets that wait patiently on a shelf.
Who It Suits Best
Anyone who wants visible coverage this season rather than next year, especially in a hot rock garden or a sun-baked border.
Where Another Pick Suits Better
Budget-focused gardeners seeding a large area should consider the Marde Ross & Company Creeping Thyme Seeds instead, since a single quart plant costs more than a packet that covers many square feet.
Thymus serpyllum, sold here as a packet of more than 8,000 seeds grown in the U.S., is the classic answer when sun meets foot traffic. It forms a low, dense mat that tolerates the kind of light stepping a side yard or paver pathway gets on a daily basis, and it spreads slowly enough to stay where you plant it.
Creeping thyme asks for patience during the establishment phase, since the first season is mostly root-building with modest top growth. Once it thickens, you get a fragrant, pollinator-friendly carpet that pairs naturally with the bold, sculptural foliage of an ice plant from a pick like #1 above.
What Stands Out
- Handles moderate foot traffic, which most flowering ground covers in this list cannot claim.
- Fragrant foliage releases scent when brushed, a small but real benefit near seating areas.
- U.S.-grown seed supports shorter supply chains and faster domestic shipping.
- Packet size of 8,000+ seeds stretches across a meaningful patch at a modest cost per square foot.
Points To Note
- Germination is slow and patchy without consistent moisture in the first few weeks, so hand-watering is part of the deal.
- Full coverage usually takes a full growing season or two, unlike the instant visual the ice plant above delivers.
Made For
Gardeners with a defined walkway, a sunny slope, or paver joints who want a fragrant, walkable finish over time.
Consider Something Else When
Shoppers who want bigger seed volumes for a large lawn-replacement project should look at the 20,000+ seed packet from Groundio, which covers more ground per dollar.
Sweet alyssum is a small-flowered workhorse that brings a steady supply of color to the front of a sunny bed. The Royal Carpet variety here leans into rich purple clusters rather than the usual white, and the honey-scented blooms pull in bees and butterflies the moment they open.
You get a single seed pack tuned for cool-season sowing, so timing matters more than effort. In hot-summer regions, alyssum tends to fade when July turns brutal, which is exactly the moment tougher picks like the hardy ice plant from #1 above hit their stride. Layering the two gives you a long shoulder season of color.
Positive Takeaways
- Pollinator-friendly fragrance turns a quiet border into a small wildlife hub.
- Low growth habit hugs the soil, which helps suppress weed seedlings in bare patches.
- Easy to scatter along edges where taller plants leave gaps of visible dirt.
Honest Caveats
- Often grown as a cool-season annual in warm zones, so expect to replant for peak summer.
- Smaller seed pack than the thyme options above, so a wide area may need multiple purchases.
Best Suited To
Wildlife-friendly gardeners who want fragrance and pollinator activity in a sunny border or kitchen-garden edge.
Not Your Match When
You need a single planting that carries through a hot southern summer, in which case the Perennial Farm Marketplace Delosperma cooperi from pick #1 is the better fit.
Forget-me-nots are the soft blue understudy that spring bulb beds have relied on for generations. The packet here ships roughly 6,000 U.S.-grown seeds, which is plenty to weave a sky-blue carpet through tulips, daffodils, and other early risers without crowding them out.
Plants grow 6 to 12 inches tall and form clusters of quarter-inch blooms with yellow centers, opening from spring into summer. Forget-me-nots adapt to sun and partial shade, but the full-sun use case is exactly where this seed shines, especially when paired with the structural foliage of a creeping thyme or dichondra from the picks below.
The Practical Payoff
- Threads naturally through spring bulb displays without competing for attention.
- Self-seeds reliably, so a single planting tends to return in future seasons.
- Cool-blue palette balances warm-toned plantings in mixed borders.
Trade Offs
- Bloom window centers on spring, leaving a quieter look once summer heat arrives.
- Can spread further than intended if spent flowers are left to scatter seed freely.
Who Should Grab It
Anyone redesigning a bulb bed or spring border who wants a soft, romantic underlayer rather than a flat mat.
Skip It When
You want a year-round carpet that handles heavy summer foot traffic, in which case the Marde Ross & Company Creeping Thyme Seeds from pick #2 are a stronger call.
Dichondra is the quiet lawn replacement that thrives where grass struggles. This packet includes more than 200 seeds and reads as an exotic carpet plant for gardens, patios, and path edges, with a low-growing vine habit that fills in evenly when seeds are spaced about 1 to 2 inches apart.
Unlike the flowering picks above, dichondra is grown for its dense, uniform foliage rather than blooms, which makes it a strong swap for a small lawn panel. The trade-off is patience: it takes consistent moisture and warmth to really take hold, and it doesn’t tolerate the kind of foot traffic that creeping thyme from #2 can handle.
What Pays Off
- Produces a tight, even green mat that mimics the look of a traditional lawn.
- Hardy and quick to establish compared to slower perennial options.
- Helps stabilize soil and reduce erosion on gentle slopes and path borders.
A Few Limitations
- Smaller seed count than the thyme packets, so large areas need several packets.
- Not suited to heavy foot traffic, so save it for visual areas rather than walkways.
Right Fit For
Homeowners with a small sunny patch who want a low-mow alternative to a high-maintenance turf lawn.
A Better Fit Elsewhere
Pathway-heavy gardens get more use from the Marde Ross & Company Creeping Thyme Seeds in pick #2, which stands up to light walking.
When the project stretches beyond a single border, a 20,000+ seed packet of Thymus serpyllum starts to make economic sense. The seed count here is roughly two and a half times the Marde Ross & Company packet from #2, and the species is the same reliable sun-lover with a minty, slightly sweet fragrance released when the foliage is brushed or walked on.
Creeping thyme spreads along creeping or ascending stems that knit together into a dense covering layer, so a large bed of well-drained soil can transform in two seasons. It also pairs naturally with the bold texture of the ice plant in pick #1, giving you a layered look in the same bed.
A Strong Showing
- Generous seed count suits a multi-zone landscape plan rather than a small accent.
- Forms a dense mat once established, suppressing many common weed seedlings.
- Fragrant foliage doubles as a sensory feature near patios and paths.
Points To Note
- Larger packet also means a longer establishment window, so plan for a full season before judging results.
- Poorly drained or shady spots will reduce germination rates regardless of seed count.
Who Will Love This
DIY landscapers taking on a sizeable sunny slope or open bed who want the most seed volume for the spend.
Another Choice May Suit
Smaller urban beds are more economically covered by the smaller Marde Ross & Company Creeping Thyme Seeds from pick #2.
Irish moss brings a different texture to the sunny ground cover conversation. The packet here includes 10,000+ non-GMO seeds, and the resulting plants form a cushy, walkable green mat that looks at home in a fairy garden, between stepping stones, or at the front of a rock border.
Unlike the fragrant, pollinator-friendly thyme picks above, this one is grown for texture and uniformity rather than scent. It germinates best in a warm, moist environment, so timing your sowing for late spring gives the seedlings a strong start. In hot southern summers, you may find it appreciates a touch of afternoon shade, even though it is sold for full-sun use.
Standout Benefits
- Soft, spongy mat feels as good underfoot as it looks in photos.
- Non-GMO seed packet aligns with organic-leaning garden plans.
- Useful for erosion control on gentle slopes and lawn-replacement micro-patches.
Where It May Fall Short
- Moisture needs are higher than the drought-tolerant thyme options in this list.
- Slow to fill in compared to the carpet vine seeds from pick #5.
Perfect Match For
Detail-oriented gardeners building a small ornamental bed, fairy garden, or contemplative courtyard nook.
Look Elsewhere When
You need a tough, low-water mat for a hot slope, which is exactly the brief that the 20,000+ Creeping Thyme Seeds from pick #6 were designed for.
This heirloom, non-GMO Thymus serpyllum packet comes in at roughly 18,000 seeds, sitting between the smaller Marde Ross option and the larger Groundio pack. The “Magic” branding hints at the cottage-garden reputation of creeping thyme, and the sowing guidance is unusually specific: press seeds onto the soil surface and cover with only a thin layer, since light is required for germination.
Loose, well-draining sandy soil suits this seed best, and a minimum of six hours of direct sun keeps growth tight and flowering heavy. The packet works well as a bridge between the smaller and larger thyme picks in this list, especially if you want heirloom character without committing to a 20,000-seed volume.
Where It Excels
- Heirloom seed appeals to gardeners preserving traditional varieties.
- Mid-size packet suits a moderate bed or a mix of lawn and border zones.
- Compatible with light, sandy soils that other ground covers find too dry.
Things That May Matter
- Surface-sowing requirement is less forgiving than simply scattering and raking, so preparation matters.
- Waterlogged soil will quickly undo germination, so drainage should be checked first.
Built With In Mind
Cottage-garden enthusiasts who want a traditional thyme variety and are willing to mind the sowing details.
Swap It Out When
You want a deeper color show, in which case the 20,000pcs Purple Creeping Thyme Seed from pick #9 brings stronger visual impact to the same genus.
The BuggyBeds offering brings color into a category dominated by subtle greens. Twenty thousand seeds of purple-flowering Thymus serpyllum cover a meaningful footprint across rock gardens, between stepping stones, or as a fragrant lawn alternative where turf grass refuses to cooperate.
Compared to the white-bloom alyssum in pick #3, the bloom palette here reads richer and the foliage handles drought with more authority once established. The plant is perennial, so a successful sowing keeps delivering blooms year after year, which makes the upfront effort easier to justify.
Real-World Strengths
- Purple blooms create a strong visual impact that the green-only picks cannot match.
- Drought tolerance after the first season reduces summer watering chores.
- Large seed count covers generous ground or several smaller projects.
Where It Is Less Suited
- First-year watering and weed control are non-negotiable for a full, even mat.
- Bloom-heavy growth can attract bees in noticeable numbers, which is a feature for some and a concern for others.
The Right Fit
Color-focused gardeners with a sunny rock garden or path who want fragrance and purple blooms in the same package.
Reach For A Different Pick When
You want a quieter, all-green texture, in which case the Carpet Vine Seeds from pick #5 or the White Irish Moss from pick #7 fit the brief better.
Tarps are not a ground cover in the botanical sense, but they earn a spot here as the prep tool that makes every seed in this list more successful. This eight-pack of 6-by-8 foot, 5.5 mil polyethylene tarps covers 48 square feet per sheet, which is enough to smother weeds, solarize soil, or stage materials during a renovation.
Used across a sunny bed for a full growing season, the dark surface heats the soil and kills weed seeds and rhizomes before you sow your thyme, alyssum, or dichondra. That kind of preparation is what separates a patchy result from the kind of dense mat advertised on the seed packets above.
Real Benefits
- Eight-pack format covers a full prep project or supplies multiple smaller beds.
- 5.5 mil polyethylene resists tearing during a full season of sun exposure.
- Useful beyond the garden for camping, storage, and equipment covers.
- Dark surface supports soil solarization, a passive way to clear weed pressure.
Things To Weigh
- Storage space for eight folded tarps can be a hurdle in small sheds or apartments.
- Grommets and tie-down points are not always emphasized on this style of multipack, so securing may require your own accessories.
Whose Shelf It Belongs On
Gardeners planning a serious bed renovation who want a single purchase that handles prep, solarizing, and future project coverage.
Where A Sibling Pick Shines
Anyone ready to plant immediately without site prep should start with the live Delosperma cooperi in pick #1 instead, since a quart plant goes straight into the ground.
What To Weigh Before Picking A Sunny Ground Cover
Match The Plant To Your Soil And Climate
Full sun is only half the story. Soil type, drainage, and winter low temperatures quietly decide which ground cover actually thrives. Creeping thyme wants loose, well-draining soil and resents wet feet, while Irish moss prefers consistent moisture. A quick check of your USDA hardiness zone (the geographic region defined by average minimum winter temperature) narrows the list fast: the Delosperma cooperi in pick #1 is rated for zones 5 through 9, while tender annuals like the purple alyssum in pick #3 behave as cool-season flowers in warmer zones.
Decide Between Instant Color And A Patient Mat
Live plants deliver a finished look in a single season but cost more per square foot. Seeds ask for a full season or two before the carpet looks like the photos, and they need steady early watering. For a small accent, a quart plant like the ice plant in #1 makes sense. For a wide bed, a 20,000-seed packet like the thyme in #6 or #9 stretches further per dollar.
Plan For Maintenance Before You Sow
Foot traffic tolerance, mowing needs, and self-seeding behavior all change how a planting performs after year one. Creeping thyme in picks #2, #6, #8, and #9 handles light walking, while dichondra in pick #5 does not. Forget-me-nots in pick #4 reseed freely and may need deadheading (removing spent flowers) to stay put, and a tarp pre-treatment with the pack in #10 reduces the first-year weed competition every seed on this list faces.
Key Considerations Across These Picks
Where Shoppers Go Wrong
The most common mistake is buying a sun-loving plant for a spot that gets fewer than six hours of direct light, then watching it stretch and fade. Equally common is skipping site prep: even the toughest thyme seed struggles in a bed full of perennial weeds, which is exactly why the tarp pack in pick #10 earns its place on a serious project list. Finally, gardeners often plant drought-tolerant species like Delosperma cooperi or creeping thyme in heavy, water-retentive soil and wonder why crowns rot in winter.
When Paying More Pays Off
A larger seed packet like the 20,000-seed thyme in #6 or #9 makes sense for any bed over about 100 square feet, since the per-square-foot cost drops sharply. A live quart plant like the Delosperma cooperi in #1 is worth the higher unit price when you want this season’s color, when the planting area is small, or when the soil is too rough for reliable seed germination. Spending a bit more on a quart to anchor a bed while seeding the rest with thyme is a common way to combine both approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Fastest-Growing Ground Cover For Full Sun?
Creeping thyme, in the several seed packets on this list, is among the fastest once soil warms, though “fast” still means a full season for full coverage. For same-season results, the live Delosperma cooperi in pick #1 skips the germination wait entirely.
Can Ground Cover For Full Sun Handle Foot Traffic?
Some can. Creeping thyme tolerates moderate walking, which is why the Marde Ross & Company packet in pick #2 is popular between pavers. Dichondra and Irish moss are softer and best kept for visual areas.
Do These Plants Need Fertilizer?
Most ground covers on this list thrive in average soil without regular feeding, and over-fertilizing creeping thyme actually reduces flowering. A light compost top-up in early spring is usually enough for the lot.
Will Creeping Thyme Choke Out Weeds?
A mature, dense thyme mat suppresses many weed seedlings by blocking light at the soil surface, but the first season still requires weeding while the cover fills in. Pre-treating the bed with a tarp, as in pick #10, reduces that early workload.
Is Full Sun The Same As Six Hours Of Direct Light?
For most of the picks above, full sun means at least six hours of unfiltered daylight, ideally during the warmer midday hours. Anything less and the mat tends to loosen, flower less, and invite moss or weed pressure.
The Takeaway
The right ground cover for full sun depends on your patience, your soil, and how much space you want to fill. Live plants like the Delosperma cooperi in pick #1 give you color right away, while seed packets like the creeping thyme options in #2, #6, #8, and #9 reward a longer view with a fragrant, walkable carpet. Start with a clear sense of sun hours, drainage, and traffic, and the rest of the choice tends to make itself.
