The fastest growing ground cover plants spread by runners. The top three are bugleweed (Ajuga), creeping Jenny, and creeping thyme. They send out stems that root as they go, so a thin planting fills in much faster than a slow clumping plant. Bugleweed and creeping Jenny are the two most pushy ones here. Creeping thyme moves a bit slower but is easier to keep in check.
Watch a single bugleweed plant on bare soil and the speed makes sense. It pushes a new runner out one week, that runner roots and pushes its own runner the next week, and the mat widens a few inches at a time. A slow clumping plant would leave those same gaps open for a whole season, growing only at its center while weeds claim the edges.
Spread speed comes down to the growth mechanism, not the plant's looks. The quickest covers move by stolons, the above-ground runners that creep across the surface and root at each joint. Creeping stems work the same way. A clumping plant has no such runners, so it can only get wider at its base, which is why it takes years to close a bare patch.
This is also why a fast spreading ground cover can turn into a problem. A plant that spreads fast can spread too far. The same runners that close a gap in one season will cross into your lawn or a neighbor's bed just as fast. Bugleweed and creeping Jenny are both flagged as invasive in some areas for this reason. Check your local extension list before you plant either one.
Even the quickest spreaders need a real timeline in your head. Most ground covers reach full cover by the end of the third growing season with good soil prep. Year one looks sparse and a little bare. Year two starts to knit together across the open soil. Year three closes the last gaps and you get a solid mat. A fast runner gets you there sooner, but it still wants a couple of seasons to truly carpet a space. Do not expect a finished look in a single summer, even from the most pushy plant.
Your soil work and spacing matter more than the plant you pick. Dig the bed 8 to 10 inches deep and mix in a 2-inch layer of organic matter so roots establish fast. Set plants in staggered rows instead of a straight grid, since offset rows close the gaps between plants sooner. Both steps speed up establishment more than swapping one species for another.
Plan to edge the bed before any of these runners hit their stride. A buried strip along the border works well. So does a hard path or a row of pavers. Either one stops the surface stems from creeping where you do not want them. Each spring, lift the few runners that jump the line and the mat stays in bounds. This small chore takes a few minutes and saves you a much bigger cleanup later.
Want a quick ground cover that fills in by the third season? Bugleweed and creeping Jenny give you the most speed. Creeping thyme is the calmer pick for a sunny spot. Prep the soil deep, stagger your rows, and edge the border first. Do that and your fastest growing ground cover will close the gaps on time. It will not take over the rest of the yard.
Read the full article: Best Ground Cover Plants for Any Garden
