A carpet of cheerful yellow flowers can instantly brighten up any outdoor space. Growing ground covers with yellow blooms is an easy way to add a pop of color to your garden.

These low-growing plants spread nicely to cover slopes, fill in spaces between pavers, cascade over walls, and add visual interest to borders. With their bright colors and easy-care nature, yellow ground cover flowers are a must for any gardener looking to liven up their yard

Here are 10 of the best ground covers with yellow flowers to consider

1. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

This fast-growing perennial has trailing stems with round, bright green leaves and cup-shaped golden blooms that appear in summer. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and moist soil. Creeping Jenny grows just 3-6 inches tall but easily spreads 1-2 feet wide. It adds a pop of color when planted as a ground cover or allowed to spill from containers and hanging baskets.

2. Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’)

A variety of creeping Jenny with golden foliage that provides year-round color and contrast. The leaves emerge a vivid yellow in spring before deepening to lime-green. Occasional yellow flowers add even more summer color. It spreads vigorously, so it’s good for large areas, slopes, and cascading over walls up to 2 feet high.

3. Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

An evergreen perennial that forms a low mat covered with bright yellow blooms in spring. Its gray-green foliage provides the perfect backdrop to really make those golden flowers pop. Basket of gold thrives in full sun with good drainage and needs little care. It grows 6-12 inches tall and spreads 12-18 inches wide.

4. Yellow Alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis)

Closely related to basket of gold, yellow alyssum is another mat-forming perennial that blooms in spring. It forms a short gray-green mound just 2-6 inches tall and spreads readily. The cheery yellow flowers completely smother the foliage in April and May. This drought-tolerant plant is an easy care option for borders and rock gardens.

5. Goldmoss Stonecrop (Sedum acre)

A hardy succulent that forms a carpet of conical green leaves, spreading up to 24 inches wide. Clusters of bright yellow starry flowers cover the foliage in summer. Goldmoss is super drought-tolerant and thrives in poor, sandy soil. It grows just 4 inches tall but spreads vigorously, making it an excellent ground cover for sunny, dry spots.

6. Cinquefoil (Potentilla)

This group includes several spreading perennials that produce cheery yellow flowers. Varieties like creeping cinquefoil (P. reptans) and spring cinquefoil (P. neumanniana) have trailing stems and five-petaled blooms. They spread easily via above-ground runners and make great ground covers for full sun areas. Most cinquefoils grow 3-6 inches tall and cover plenty of ground.

7. Partridge Feather (Tanacetum densum)

A drought-tolerant perennial with delicate ferny silver-gray leaves and button-like yellow flower clusters that bloom in early summer. It maintains a tight mound shape, reaching just 5 inches tall. But partridge feather spreads steadily via rhizomes to form an attractive mat. The feathery foliage provides year-round interest.

8. Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

This perennial wildflower has trailing stems with divided leaves and bright golden flowers. It spreads aggressively via stolons and will cover large areas of moist soil in full sun to partial shade. Creeping buttercup grows 6-12 inches tall and can spread several feet wide. Its pretty yellow blooms appear in late spring and last all summer long.

9. Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon)

A fast-spreading perennial that blooms in spring with clusters of tubular yellow flowers on upright stems above aromatic green leaves. Yellow archangel thrives in shade and spreads quickly via underground runners, making it ideal for covering large shady areas. It grows 10-15 inches tall and can spread indefinitely if happy.

10. Evening Primrose (Oenothera fruticosa)

Also known as sundrops, this perennial wildflower has bright golden blooms that open in the evening. The large flowers sit atop trailing reddish stems with narrow green leaves. Evening primrose spreads via rhizomes to form colonies in full sun and sandy or gravelly soil. It grows 12-18 inches tall and spreads 1-3 feet wide. The cheerful yellow blooms appear from early summer into fall.

Choosing the Right Yellow Ground Cover Flowers

When selecting yellow ground cover plants, make sure to consider the growing conditions they need to thrive. Factors like sunlight, soil moisture, hardiness zone, and spreading habit all play a role.

• Sun Exposure – Most yellow ground covers need full sun to bloom well, but some spreads well in shade too. Choose sun-lovers for hot, dry spots.

• Soil – Check for preferences like well-draining or moist soil. Drought-tolerant sedums thrive in poor soil. Buttercups need consistently damp ground.

• Hardiness Zone – Select plants suited for your zone to ensure winter survival. Perennial choices vary by location.

• Maintenance – Low-growing ground covers usually need minimal care once established. But aggressive spreaders like ivy may require frequent pruning.

• Spreading Habit – Trailing plants like creeping Jenny are good for slopes while clumpers like sedums won’t spread as far. Control rapid growers.

Caring for Yellow Ground Cover Flowers

Here are some tips for looking after your yellow-blooming ground covers so they thrive:

• Water new plantings regularly until their root systems establish. Then you can often cut back on watering.

• Most varieties need occasional trimming or pruning to encourage dense growth and keep them in bounds.

• Fertilize lightly in spring and mid-summer to support growth and flowering. Avoid heavy feeding.

• Remove spent blooms to encourage reblooming. Deadheading also improves the appearance of most plants.

• Spreading types often benefit from division every 2-3 years to rejuvenate the planting.

• Apply fresh mulch around plants each spring to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.

• Check for pests like aphids and diseases. Treat any issues promptly to keep plants healthy.

Creative Uses for Yellow Ground Cover Flowers

Ground covers with yellow flowers offer lots of versatility in garden design. Here are some creative ways to put them to use:

• Plant a mix of gold, chartreuse, and lime varieties together for a meadow-like tapestry effect. Complement them with purple and white blooming ground covers.

• Use trailing golden bloomers like creeping Jenny to cascade attractively over stone walls and decorate fences.

• Underplant yellow ground covers below roses, shrubs, or trees. They’ll provide a bright living mulch layer.

• Edge a path, patio, or driveway with a ribbon of golden color from low-growing varieties like sedums.

• Allow aggressive spreaders like yellow archangel to naturalize in shady wooded areas.

• Feature golden ground cover plants spilling from elevated planters, window boxes, or large containers.

• Plant yellow-flowering thymes and sedums between stepping stones, pavers, or gravel walkways.

• Use golden bloomers like basket of gold and cinquefoil as colorful, low-maintenance lawn alternatives.

The possibilities are endless when you incorporate ground covers with yellow flowers into your landscape design. Let them bring a ray of sunshine to your garden!