One of the best evergreen ground cover plants vinca minor 39atropurpurea39 produces slender trailing stems with a dense covering of glossy dark green leaves from mid45spring through to autumn this delightful hardy perennial becomes smothered with dark purple star45shaped flowers happy in sun or full shade lesser periwinkle is an excellent ground cover plant beneath trees and shrubs or on difficult steep banks where it provides colour over an exceptionally long period this rhs a