Asiatic jasmine is the ground cover for spots where grass won't cooperate: a dense, evergreen mat of small glossy leaves that stays under a foot tall and knits together tightly enough to shade out most weeds. It's grown for that carpet of foliage rather than flowers.

It takes full sun or heavy shade, any reasonable soil, and real drought once its roots are down, which usually takes a season. Deer and rabbits pass it by. Edge it once or twice a year with shears or a string trimmer to keep it in bounds.