The Pretty Low-Growing Perennial Wildflower That's Perfect For Filling Empty Garden Spaces

You've chosen the eye-catching thrillers for your garden, but what about all the empty space left between those tall stalks of show-stoppers? That's where a low-growing flower can make the perfect addition by helping fill in all that empty garden space while remaining visually appealing and interesting for an outdoor space that's bursting with color and life. And, with this perennial wildflower, you can enjoy the benefits of a stunning filler flower year after year.

Also known solely as liverleaf, round-lobed liverleaf (Hepatica americana) is a low-growing wildflower, with maximum heights topping off at less than a foot. As a result, they're perfect for adding subtle details to your garden, ensuring that your thrillers aren't left surrounded by empty soil while not competing for sunlight. As an added bonus, it also attracts bees, which makes it a helpful addition when starting a pollinator-friendly garden. As far as appearances go, round-lobed liverleaf's status as a low-growing filler flower doesn't mean it has to be boring. Instead, this plant is an early spring stunner, and it blooms beginning in March with flowers that can be light blue, lavender, or white.

With its easy, low-maintenance care, liverleaf can be a top plant for beginner gardeners. However, if liverleaf sounds like the right space filler for your garden, there are just a few things to learn before planting this interesting flower. This includes the proper care, ensuring that liverleaf doesn't just survive in your outdoor space but thrives for an overall healthy, vibrant garden.

One of the reasons that round-lobed liverleaf works so well as a filler isn't only because of its short growing habits but also its little light needs. Round-lobed liverleaf commonly grows across the floors of woodlands, which means it's adapted to partial shade and dappled sunlight. As a result, when added as a filler among the taller plants in your garden, it won't struggle due to the competition for light.

Sunlight needs aside, round-lobed liverleaf is overall a low-maintenance plant. This means you'll have more time to enjoy the appearance of your garden rather than tending to it. However, there are a few key points to keep in mind that separate adequate care from optimal. For example, it prefers well-draining soil that's moist. Round-lobed liverleaf is drought tolerant, though, and, because of this, it can readily handle the occasional dry spell.

Because this low-growing wildflower is a perennial versus an annual, you'll want to brush up on your knowledge of USDA zones prior to adding it to your garden. After all, you don't want to plant liverleaf with the hopes of year-after-year blooms just to find it's not winter hardy in your climate. Fortunately, it has a wide hardiness range, from USDA growing zone 3 to 8.