23 Dreamy Trailing Plants to Cascade Over Garden Walls

Do you dream of lovely leaves and fabulous flowers gracefully cascading from your garden walls? Gardening expert Melissa Strauss has a gorgeous collection of plants for adorning walls and other garden structures.

A cluster of deep blue-violet flowers with small, round petals, surrounded by dark green, glossy leaves with serrated edges, covering the dense branches in a compact mound.

Contents

Garden walls create unique spaces and interesting shapes in the landscape. They can make an outdoor space feel more lived-in and livable, creating privacy and cozy vibes. 

They truly are good for so many purposes, both aesthetic and functional. If you want to create a solid boundary between yards, build a wall. Or, if you want to create a windbreak near your outdoor dining area, these plants work, too!

If you’re going to do it right, you’ll want to incorporate your garden walls organically. What better way to do that than with trailing plants that cascade dramatically over the side of walls? Let’s take a look at some gorgeous plants to grow in this space in your own garden.

Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’

Long cascading strands of silver-green, coin-shaped leaves in thick layers, growing densely along a low hedge and catching the light with a velvety texture.
‘Silver Falls’ has silvery-green leaves that reflect sunlight and appear metallic.
BOTANICAL NAMEDichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD3’-4’
HARDINESS ZONES10-12

Dichondra is a beautiful evergreen in warm climates, and you can grow it as an annual in cooler ones. It’s a fast grower and will reach its full spread in one season. The foliage is the star here, with rounded, lightly ruffled leaves on thin, trailing vines. 

‘Silver Falls’ has silvery-green leaves that reflect sunlight and appear metallic. It produces inconspicuous flowers in the summer and will run across or drape delicately over your garden walls. It’s drought-tolerant one established, but I find it grows much faster when you water it regularly. 

Trailing Lobelia

Bright blue blossoms with five distinct petals, forming a mass of color, set against thin, bright green stems with narrow, oval leaves.
The small but plentiful flowers are in shades of blue, pink, white, and purple.
BOTANICAL NAMELobelia erinus
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun to partial shade
SPREAD6”-1’
HARDINESS ZONES2-11

Plant some lobelia for tons of color from spring through fall. Though less of a spreader than dichondra, lobelia trails nicely and would be stunning draping over a knee wall. It has finely textured foliage and blooms for an extra long season. 

Lobelia is perennial in Zones 10-11 but will grow quickly as an annual elsewhere. The small but plentiful flowers are in shades of blue, pink, white, and purple. They are attractive to pollinators, and the plant is easy-going about soil and light. 

Creeping Thyme ‘Elfin’

A low, creeping spread of tiny, pinkish-purple blooms that densely cover the ground, interspersed with small, oval green leaves and soft matted foliage.
Masses of pinkish purple flowers forming a carpet wherever it meanders make this a showstopper.
BOTANICAL NAMEThymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD1’-2’
HARDINESS ZONES4-9

There are creeping varieties of many herbs, but creeping thyme just might be my favorite. Masses of pinkish purple flowers forming a carpet wherever it meanders make this a showstopper. The plants are not large, but they will spread to a good two feet wide and have a draping quality that will spill densely over a wall. 

‘Elfin’ is attractive to pollinators, blooming profusely through the summer. The aromatic foliage is another perk, especially if you plant it high up, where you’ll smell it more easily. It also makes an excellent ground cover and is drought tolerant

Basket of Gold

Dense clusters of bright yellow blooms with delicate, rounded petals, surrounded by gray-green, lance-shaped leaves that form a thick, bushy mat near the base.
The fine, silvery foliage is evergreen, making this a plant for all seasons.
BOTANICAL NAMEAurinia saxatilis
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD1’-2’
HARDINESS ZONES4-7

Basket-of-Gold is a great rock garden plant and will spill over the edge of a bed or stone wall amazingly well. The fine, silvery foliage is evergreen, making this a plant for all seasons. Lots of light and average to sandy soil will keep this one happy and blooming. 

This is a winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. It has a four to six-week blooming season in late spring when it will produce a mass of bright yellow flowers. Pollinators adore it, and deer won’t bother it. 

Sweet Alyssum ‘Oriental Nights’

A tight mat of deep purple flowers with small clusters of four-petaled blooms, resting above narrow, soft green leaves, covering the rocky surface underneath.
Flower umbels have tiny flowers in shades of plum, lilac, lavender, and white.
BOTANICAL NAMELobularia maritima ‘Oriental Nights’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun to partial shade
SPREAD6”-12”
HARDINESS ZONES5-11

Alyssum is a garden favorite because it is sweet-smelling and has great heat and drought tolerance. It has a lovely trailing habit and an extra-long blooming season. Although it is perennial, make sure to cut it back in the spring to keep it bushy and dense. 

‘Oriental Nights’ is a wonderful purple variety. Flower umbels have tiny flowers in shades of plum, lilac, lavender, and white. They bloom from spring to frost. You’ll see in the first year why this plant is so well-loved and popular. The flowers are edible as well!

Kenilworth Ivy

Tiny lavender flowers with snapdragon-like petals grow along a rough, weathered brick wall, with delicate vines and small, rounded leaves filling in the cracks.
It’s known to grow in crevices of rock walls, trailing down the side with pretty, rounded to scalloped edges.
BOTANICAL NAMECymbalaria muralis
SUN REQUIREMENTSPartial to full shade
SPREAD12”-18”
HARDINESS ZONES5-8

If you want something to grow over the shaded wall of a structure, Kenilworth ivy is a great little trailing plant. It’s known to grow in crevices of rock walls, trailing down the side with pretty, rounded to scalloped edges. It makes a great ground cover and will spread to about a foot and a half wide

This plant does produce small, pink flowers that stand out away from the foliage initially, beckoning to bumble bees. Once pollinated, the stems drop and hide the flowers away from the sun while seeds form. This one is listed as invasive in some areas of the West Coast.

Creeping Rosemary ‘Prostratus’

Thin, dark green needle-like leaves with a hint of blue-green shine cascade over the edge of a container, interspersed with light blue, tubular flowers.
Creeping rosemary is evergreen in warm climates, maintaining its pine-like, aromatic foliage year-round.
BOTANICAL NAMERosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD2’-3’
HARDINESS ZONES8-11

It’s true: I claimed that creeping thyme was a favorite trailing herb. However, I must admit that rosemary will always have my heart. I love the scent, the flavor, and the way pollinators flock to its sweet purple flowers. Creeping rosemary is evergreen in warm climates, maintaining its pine-like, aromatic foliage year-round. 

This herb is perfectly fine with poor soil, so a rock wall is a great location. Once established, it is drought tolerant, though it needs watering to become established. It does best in full exposure but will tolerate some shade. If that shade comes in the afternoon, it’s even better.

Phlox ‘Running With Scissors

A thick mound of lavender-pink blossoms, each five-petaled with a star-shaped pattern, spread low over the ground with dense, needle-like green leaves peeking through.
‘Running With Scissors’ has sweet, lavender flowers with a spicy fragrance.
BOTANICAL NAMEPhlox ‘Running With Scissors’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD2’-3’
HARDINESS ZONES5-8

There are different types of phlox. Some grow tall, strong stems perfect for cutting, and others creep and trail only six inches off the ground. We focus on Creeping phlox here, as it will work stunningly on a garden wall or structure. 

Phlox is not picky about soil but prefers moderate moisture. It tolerates higher salinity, making it great for coastal landscapes. ‘Running With Scissors’ has sweet, lavender flowers with a spicy fragrance. Its name comes from the cleft petals, which resemble children’s scissors.

Veronica ‘Whitewater’

A dense covering of small, heart-shaped green leaves with deep veins, speckled with tiny blue flowers, each having four petals and a white center, forming a vibrant ground layer.
The small, white blossoms appear for an extended season, from mid-spring to early summer.
BOTANICAL NAMEVeronica peduncularis ‘Whitewater’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD1’-2’
HARDINESS ZONES4-7

Veronica is commonly called speedwell, and most varieties are tall with tapered flower spikes. Prostrate veronica has a creeping habit and finely cut, evergreen foliage that turns bronze in the fall, making it great for autumn colors as well as flowers. 

‘Whitewater’ naturally has white blooms. The small, white blossoms appear for an extended season, from mid-spring to early summer. It’s tolerant of drought, salt, and most soil types. Plant it in groups for maximum effect. 

Rock Soapwort

A mass of small, bright pink, five-petaled flowers cascade down a low stone retaining wall, surrounded by a mix of soft, oval green leaves.
In early summer, rock soapwort bursts into bloom with clusters of candy-pink flowers at the end of every branch.
BOTANICAL NAMESaponaria ocymoides
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD1’-2’
HARDINESS ZONES2-9

Rock soapwort does this job splendidly. Fine, dense, semi-evergreen foliage is olive green and ovate. The Royal Horticultural Society recognized this pretty trailing plant with its prestigious Award of Garden Merit. It self-seeds well and makes a nice spiller-turned ground cover. It’s not aggressive or invasive, though. 

In early summer, rock soapwort bursts into bloom with clusters of candy-pink flowers at the end of every branch. For three to four weeks, the entire plant is covered in the pretty blossoms. After blooming, cut this one back hard to maintain the density of the foliage

Creeping Jenny ‘Goldilocks’

Bright, golden-green, coin-shaped leaves with smooth edges hang densely in a thick mass, creating a vibrant curtain of foliage that drapes over the edge of a stone surface.
It has chartreuse to gold-colored leaves on long, graceful stems.
BOTANICAL NAMELysimachia nummularia ‘Goldilocks’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun to partial shade
SPREAD1’-2’
HARDINESS ZONES3-10

If you want something brightly colored, ‘Goldilocks’ creeping Jenny will do a great job in your space. This trailing perennial plant is native to Europe and makes an excellent ground cover or spiller over a wall. It has chartreuse to gold-colored leaves on long, graceful stems.

Creeping Jenny is not picky about soil or light. It does like a fair amount of water, though. It spreads easily and is invasive in some places. If you can’t grow it in the ground, it works well in containers, too!

Sedum ‘Lidakense’

Fleshy, round, gray-green leaves form a low-growing, succulent mat, dotted with clusters of small star-shaped pink flowers atop thin red stems.
This is a late summer and early fall bloomer, producing deep red blooms as the temperatures peak and begin to cool.
BOTANICAL NAMESedum cauticola ‘Lidakense’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD8”-1’
HARDINESS ZONES4-9

Another award-winning trailer, ‘Lidakense’ sedum, works excellently in rocky areas and has an attractive, mat-forming habit. Pink stems hold succulent silvery leaves in a trailing fashion but turn up at the ends, adding more interest. 

This is a late summer and early fall bloomer, producing deep red blooms as the temperatures peak and begin to cool. Its succulent nature makes it easy to care for and drought-tolerant. Tuck pieces of it in between rocks where it will grow nicely, filling in and spilling out of spaces. 

Rock Cress ‘Snow Peak’

A tightly packed, white blanket of tiny, four-petaled flowers grows along a low stone wall, with small, dark green, lance-shaped leaves underneath.
‘Snow Peak’ forms mounds of pure white flowers in spring.
BOTANICAL NAMEArabis alpina subsp. caucasica ‘Schneehaube’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD1’-1.5’
HARDINESS ZONES3-8

When you plant rock cress, you’ll get a lot of foliage for very little effort. This easy-going perennial is drought-tolerant and loves plenty of light. The plant is mat-forming and has a trailing habit, so it will drape dramatically over any wall it tops. 

‘Snow Peak’ forms mounds of pure white flowers in spring. The blooms are so dense that it’s difficult to see the foliage beneath. The icing on the cake is a sweet, pleasant fragrance that will attract pollinators and drift through the garden. 

Nasturtium ‘Spitfire’

Large, rounded leaves with prominent veining in deep green, highlighted by vivid red and orange flowers with delicate, flared petals, clinging to a rustic woven support.
‘Spitfire’ is a deep reddish-orange variety.
BOTANICAL NAMETropaeolum majus ‘Spitfire’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun to partial shade
SPREAD4’-6’
HARDINESS ZONES2-11

Nasturtiums are cheerful, bright, and edible. All parts of the plant are edible and have a peppery flavor that works nicely in a salad or as a garnish. While some varieties are mound-forming, others are trailing, growing up to six feet long, and able to climb or spill over the side of a wall or container. 

‘Spitfire’ is a deep reddish-orange variety. It’s fast-growing and certain to attract pollinators. The flowers are fragrant and glowingly bright. The foliage is attractive, but the plant blooms for a long period, so it’s rarely all green. This plant prefers poor soil to do its best flowering. 

YouTube video

If you live in the southwest, ensure this isn’t classed as invasive where you live before planting it in the ground.

Creeping Blue Blossom ‘Joyce Coulter’

A compact mound of vibrant blue, rounded flower clusters covers the ground, interspersed with glossy, dark green leaves with finely serrated edges.
From March through May, large clusters of blue-violet blossoms bloom at the ends of stems, pulling them down.
BOTANICAL NAMECeanothus thyrsiflorus var. repens ‘Joyce Coulter’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun to partial shade
SPREAD6’-10’
HARDINESS ZONES8-11

Creeping blue blossom, also called creeping mountain lilac, is a spectacular shrubby evergreen. Its dark green foliage endures year-round, but spring is when it peaks in loveliness. From March through May, large clusters of blue-violet blossoms bloom at the ends of stems, pulling them down and giving the shrub a weeping quality. 

It may grow upright in some cases, but tipping the branches downward-facing will help get the trailing effect you’re looking for. You can also grow this as a shrub or trailing ground cover. ‘Joyce Coulter’ is a drought-tolerant hybrid

Graptopetalum ‘Purple Delight’

Pale pink and silvery-blue succulent rosettes with thick, fleshy leaves, radiating from the center in a star-like formation, nestled among rocky ground.
‘Purple Delight’ has a powdery coating on the leaves that gives them a pale, frosted cast.
BOTANICAL NAMEGraptopetalum ‘Purple Delight’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD9”-12”
HARDINESS ZONES10-11

Graptopetalum is a trailing succulent similar to Echeverria that grows rosettes of fleshy leaves. Rather than forming a mat, it grows long, trailing stems with rosettes at the ends. Because it is succulent, it is excellent for growing on a rock wall. It is slow-growing but, over time, will form an impressive group of rosettes and fleshy, curving stems. 

‘Purple Delight’ has a powdery coating on the leaves that gives them a pale, frosted cast. They range in color from nearly white to deep purple and every shade of purple in between. These are best for warm climates as they are slow-growing and won’t tolerate frost

Creeping Wire Vine ‘Nana’

A mass of tiny, rounded dark green leaves grows closely to the ground, sending thin, wiry stems out in all directions, creating a thick, carpet-like covering.
 ‘Nana’ is a pretty cultivar that produces small, inconspicuous flowers followed by tiny white fruits that contain black seeds.
BOTANICAL NAMEMuehlenbeckia axillaris ‘Nana’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun to partial shade
SPREAD2’-15’
HARDINESS ZONES6-11

Creeping wire vine is a great spiller and a wonderful, tough-as-nails ground cover. For areas that get a lot of traffic, this plant is excellent. Wirey bronze stems are covered in tiny green leaves that turn bronze themselves in hot and cold weather. 

‘Nana’ is a pretty cultivar that produces small, inconspicuous flowers followed by tiny white fruits that contain black seeds. The new foliage starts out bronze and gradually becomes green and glossy. Be careful with this one as well, though, as it is invasive in some areas.

Candytuft ‘Rose Cardinal’

A low mound of small, white, four-petaled flowers with bright green, narrow, linear leaves clustered underneath, spreading along the edge of a garden bed.
‘Rose Cardinal’ is a rare variety with beautiful blooms in shades of pink, purple, and white.
BOTANICAL NAMEIberis sempervirens ‘Rose Cardinal’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD1’-2’
HARDINESS ZONES3-9

Candytuft is shrubby, but its significant spread makes it great for sprawling across the top of a rock wall. It’s not picky about soil and can tolerate a bit of drought as well. It’s semi-deciduous in cool climates and evergreen in warm ones. In late spring, the foliage is nearly obscured with flowers, making this a showstopper in the garden.

‘Rose Cardinal’ is a rare variety with beautiful blooms in shades of pink, purple, and white. The blooms are fragrant, and pollinators adore them. If you can find it, expect this variety to bloom for longer than average!

Creeping Juniper ‘Golden Carpet’

Dense golden-yellow foliage with needle-like leaves that grow horizontally, covering a rocky surface with a bright, cascading effect that spills over the stone’s edge.
Its finely cut golden foliage performs well in full exposure or with some light shade.
BOTANICAL NAMEJuniperus horizontalis ‘Golden Carpet’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
HEIGHT3’-4’
HARDINESS ZONES3-9

Creeping juniper is a true evergreen that provides color and interest all year. It’s flexible about soil, drought tolerant, and won’t entice deer or rabbits into your garden. This is an elegant and classic plant with a trailing habit. It’s tough as nails and long-lived. 

‘Golden Carpet’ is a winner of the important Award of Garden Merit from the RHS. Its finely cut golden foliage performs well in full exposure or with some light shade. It won’t need regular pruning and grows slowly. 

Ice Plant ‘Fig Fusion’

Bright, neon purple flowers with thin, daisy-like petals and a yellow center, surrounded by fleshy green leaves, growing tightly in a vivid ground cover.
Ice plants produce a ton of blooms throughout the summer.
BOTANICAL NAMEDelosperma Hotcakes® ‘Fig Fusion’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD10”-1’
HARDINESS ZONES6-10

You can beat ice plants in hot, dry climates for their drought tolerance and ease of care. This evergreen succulent doesn’t mind poor soil as long as it has good drainage. It needs little water, and soil pH is not a matter of great concern. 

‘Fig Fusion’ has flashy pink and white flowers. Ice plants produce a ton of blooms throughout the summer. They attract pollinators and make a great addition to any waterwise garden. 

Snow in Summer

A thick mat of white, five-petaled flowers sits above silvery-green, velvety leaves, forming a soft, cushion-like layer over a rocky edge.
In summer, the small white flowers cover the foliage, giving it the appearance of a snowdrift!
BOTANICAL NAMECerastium tomentosum
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREAD9”-1’
HARDINESS ZONES3-7

Snow in summer is another floriferous evergreen that looks charming, spilling over a wall in the garden. It has a cascading habit when allowed to spill over the edge of a wall or container. This versatile plant is easy-going when it comes to soil and has low water needs. Don’t worry about attracting unwanted deer; this one won’t attract them. 

The silvery, evergreen foliage forms a dense mat and bursts into bloom in late spring. In summer, the small white flowers cover the foliage, giving it the appearance of a snowdrift!

Rose ‘New Dawn’

Soft pink petals with a delicate gradient towards white at the center, forming large, fully open blooms, surrounded by dark green, glossy leaves with serrated edges.
The vines grow up to 15 feet long and produce clusters of large, fragrant baby pink roses.
BOTANICAL NAMERosa ‘New Dawn’
SUN REQUIREMENTSFull sun
SPREADUp to 15’
HARDINESS ZONES5-9

All roses are welcome in my garden, but climbing roses are my favorite type. Those slender, sturdy vines and glossy green leaves look so wonderful stretched out over a trellis, arbor, or climbing a wall. Roses are not the most low-maintenance answer to this need, but they certainly are beautiful. 

‘New Dawn’ is not just an Award of Garden Merit winner. It was also inducted into the World Federation of Rose Society’s Hall of Fame. The vines grow up to 15 feet long and produce clusters of large, fragrant baby pink roses. It’s amazing!

Creeping Hummingbird Trumpet ‘Orange Carpet’

Clusters of bright red, tubular flowers with extended stamens, growing among narrow, elongated, gray-green leaves, creating a striking contrast against a rocky background.
‘Orange Carpet’ produces many small, tubular, reddish-orange flowers that hummingbirds can’t resist.
BOTANICAL NAMEZauschneria garrettii ‘PWWG01S’
SUN REQUIREMENTSPartial shade
SPREAD15”-18”
HARDINESS ZONES5-9

Loose, sandy soil is best for this warm-climate perennial. Creeping hummingbird trumpet is drought, heat, and maintenance-free. It’s perennial in Zones 8-10, but with some protection, it will come back in Zone 7, too. 

‘Orange Carpet’ produces many small, tubular, reddish-orange flowers that hummingbirds can’t resist. This variety is extra cold tolerant and will be root hardy to Zone 5.

Share This Post
This Trumpet Creeper features fast-growing vines with vigorous, woody branches, large, pinnate leaves, and striking trumpet-shaped orange-red flowers that cluster in dense, cascading groups.

Vines

21 Beautiful, Fast-Growing Vines for Your Landscape

Vines are a great way to add a vertical element to the garden or cover up an eyesore. But waiting for vines to grow in can be annoying when you want fences, arbors, or trellises covered ASAP! In this article, gardening expert Christina Conner shares 21 top picks for fast-growing vines that will trail, tumble, and crawl at speeds even the most impatient gardener will appreciate.

An image featuring a cascade of delicate, lavender-blue blossoms hanging gracefully from long stems, creating a dreamy, romantic atmosphere against the backdrop of a clear blue sky.

Vines

How and When To Prune Wisteria: 5 Expert Tips

Wisteria is a stunning flowering vine with draping leaves, pendulous blooms, and a heavy fragrance. The wild beauty is unparalleled in mid-spring when its flowers appear. It’s also highly vigorous and can overwhelm a space without proper pruning. Explore how to prune wisteria, including American and Kentucky species, for best growth and flowering with gardening expert Katherine Rowe.

Close-up of a flowering Clematis plant characterized by a large, star-shaped pink flower with wilting stems and leaves.

Vines

Why Is My Clematis Wilting?

Awaiting the exotic blooms of clematis only to have its delicate stems mysteriously wilt is disconcerting. With some sleuthing, taking the best action to correct or reverse the causes is within reach. Explore common causes of wilting in these perennial flowering vines with gardening expert Katherine Rowe.

A close-up of Coral Honeysuckle in full bloom reveals vibrant, tubular scarlet-orange flowers. The lush green leaves and twining branches frame the blossoms beautifully.

Vines

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Coral Honeysuckle

Are you interested in growing coral honeysuckle in your garden? This beautiful flowering vine is native to the southeastern United States and a magnet for hummingbirds! In this article, gardening expert Liessa Bowen will discuss the proper care and maintenance of these spectacular plants.

Vibrant pink blooms of the Purple Bell Vine glisten with moisture, creating a vivid and refreshing sight. The blurred background showcases lush greenery, enhancing the beauty of the delicate blossoms.

Vines

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Purple Bell Vine

Purple Bell Vine is a stunning climber that blooms for a long time and won’t crowd out other plants in the garden. In this article, gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares all you need to know to grow this eye-catching vine in your own space.

Long, lavender blooms made up of clustered flowers hang from a wisteria vine.

Vines

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Wisteria

Are you wooed by wisteria? This robust plant boasts enchanting flowers that are hard to resist! In this article, gardening expert Jill Drago outlines everything you need to know about caring for wisteria and varieties to try in your garden!