The term “groundcover” spans a wide variety of plants, some of which may surprise you. When most people think of groundcovers, they envision plants that are short and spread quickly. Add to that list taller plants that shade the ground as well. Plants that have squat profiles and spread out over the ground work to prevent sunlight from reaching the seeds in the ground, thereby reducing unwanted plant growth. The real benefit to installing groundcovers instead of relying on mulch is that you are keeping patches of soil open which allows a habitat for our native ground-nesting pollinators.