If you look at price and growth rate you may want to scale down the square footage you want to cover.

Mike

If left untrained/unstaked, Picea abies 'Gold Drift' makes an excellent, if slowly spreading, ground cover.

Gold drift was actually one of the ones I had in mind when making this post. Does it need any special care?

Mine doesn't :-) But it IS growing in a container so growth/spread is even slower than it would be if planted inground.

Not sure if it will grow well for you but Sequoia sempervirens 'Prostrata' (or 'Kelly's Prostrate') is one of the nicest and fastest growing groundcover conifers I have encountered. And then there are scores of junipers that act as ground covers as well.

Thanks gardengal. I always know I'm getting good info when you and Mike help me out. I'm going to check out the Sequoia. I have a biased, probably unwarranted, dislike for junipers, so I am trying to avoid them if possible.

What would say is the average growth rate of the Sequoia, Gardengal? I'm seeing lots of conflicting reports. Also, is full sun too much for it?

Kyle, I'd guess growth to be somewhere around 6-8 inches annually in my neck of the woods, perhaps somewhat less in colder areas. One planting at a local horticultural college arboretum is about 8' across and has been in place maybe 15-20 years. Here, it is quite happy in full sun (with adequate summer irrigation) but not sure how well it responds to full sun in other parts of the country. Some late afternoon shade may be advisable in a hot summer area.