Groundcover plants are herbaceous perennials, sub-shrubs or alpines which are ground-hugging and short in stature, so that they are good for suppressing weed growth and making a good carpet for visual enjoyment. At the same time, they are labour saving element with regard to weed control. Each genus/variety will have their own flowering timescale, so that if good choices are made, they can 'light up a dark area' if they are in shade, and tone down an area if they are in full sun. Care should be taken not to plant invasive varieties where population control is important, as they can choke out choice shrubs if allowed. Invasive varieties are marked in their descriptions, but they will have their own uses in wilder areas where other plants will not grow or you have an ugly bombsite or a vast piece of land to plant up.
