Edible ground covers: the top 10 for your garden

Some ground covers not only beautify your garden, but also your plates. Here we show you which ground covers are edible.

Weeds really aren't among our favorite visitors to the garden, after all, it means we invest a lot of time in weeding or even have to resort to chemicals so that our beds are cared for appearance. If you don't feel like it, you're welcome ground covers: With their low, dense growth, the plants reliably suppress unwanted guests and are also extremely decorative. Conveniently, many types not only look good, but also taste delicious. Whether it's crunchy leaves, sweet berries or aromatic spices - you shouldn't miss these ten edible ground covers.

Edible ground covers: Our top 10

Edible ground covers are not only delicious, but also practical. We have put together our top 10 for your garden.

1. New Zealand spinach

The New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) is a real insider tip for anyone who wants to harvest fresh vegetables without much effort: the annual leafy vegetables sow themselves and are considered very easy to care for in sunny locations. However, the plant only remains a ground cover if it is harvested regularly, otherwise it grows up to two meters high. The harvest of the New Zealand spinach is rewarded with delicious leaves which – similar to real spinach (Spinacia oleracea) – good for salads, but also taste good steamed.

2. woodruff

woodruff (Galium odoratum) with its unique aroma is a popular ingredient for sweet dishes, desserts, punch bowls and ice cream and is also popular with young and old. The plant does not look bad in the garden either: with its brilliant white flowers, it is a wonderful groundcover. Even shady spots in the garden are enchanting shade plant with its unique charm. However, the woodruff should only be consumed in moderation: the coumarin it contains can lead to symptoms of poisoning in large quantities.

3. Chickweed

Only a few plants feel comfortable in damp, shady spots - not so them Chickweed (Stellaria media). Even in these unloved places, the herbaceous plant spreads without any problems. The leaves of the plant are ideal for salads and are not to be scoffed at when steamed. At the same time, chickweed is full of vitamins and minerals and is not only popular with people, but also with birds.

4. Creeping Rosemary

Mediterranean herbs can be found in every garden and spoil us with their wonderful aroma. So why not combine the beautiful with the useful? The creeping one rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‚prostrate') does exactly that: Due to its creeping growth, the plant is ideal as a ground cover - at the same time it spoils However, creeping rosemary also has the usual great, intense aroma and is a wonderful spice for fish and Meat.

5. purslane

Hardy, undemanding and with creeping growth - the purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is also very suitable as a ground cover for beginners and also looks great with its white and light pink flowers. At the same time, purslane is also a great addition to the kitchen, it is perfect as a winter vegetable. You can enjoy purslane as a fresh salad or prepare it like spinach, which has given the plant the name "winter spinach". In addition, purslane is considered to be extremely healthy: with its many minerals and vitamins, the vegetable is the perfect addition to any diet.

6. Creeping mahonia

Beautiful yellow flowers and a heavenly scent are offered by the creeping mahonia (mahonia repens). With its bright flowers, mahonia is a real eye-catcher, which is used not only by humans but also by beneficial organisms such as bees. The berries of the plant are edible, but not everyone's taste, because they are considered to be very acidic. To soften the acidity a bit, the berries are also often processed into jelly or jam and are then real delicacies.

7. Groundman

The is wonderful as a ground cover Groundman (Glechoma hederacea): It stays small, is relatively sturdy and also very robust. The plant with its small violet flowers is also not to be sneezed at visually. The leaves of the plant also impress with a great, intense taste: They are perfect for herb butter or salads.

8. Sweet Violet

Many think that ground covers look boring - an outdated prejudice, like us Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) shows impressively. With their uncomplicated nature and creeping growth, the violets are perfect as ground cover but anything but dull: blue-violet flowers make for an impressive eye-catcher, while the smell the scented plant bewitched the nose at the same time. But the violet is not to be scoffed at in the kitchen either: candied, as a dessert, but also in salads Sweet violets are popular and not only ensure the right taste, but also a beautiful one Decoration.

9. Nasturtium

If you are looking for an all-rounder for your bed, you will find the Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) the right decision: Pretty flowers in bright colors make the plant a real one A feast for the eyes, at the same time weeds are well suppressed, and the nasturtium is still considered extremely easy-care. It is also not to be scoffed at from a culinary point of view: the leaves and flowers of the plant not only taste wonderfully spicy, you can also insert the seed pods as a substitute for capers.

10. wild strawberry

Who could resist this treat? the wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is a great ground cover for those with a sweet tooth. Slightly smaller than the usual cultivars, the wild strawberry impresses with beautiful flowers and feels particularly at home in the shade. Although their fruits are also somewhat smaller than those of the Garden Strawberry but they make up for it with a much more intense, sweeter taste. The leaves of the wild strawberry can also be used - for example, you can use them to make tea.

If you want to know, which flowers are edible and should definitely find its way onto your plate, then have a look here at our special article.