Are you searching for the perfect way to enhance your Australian garden with lush, low-maintenance native ground covers? Finding the ideal ground cover can transform your landscape, offering both beauty and functionality. But with so many options available, how do you choose the best plants for your specific needs?
Ground Hug™ Myoporum and Blue Horizon™ Eremophila are two new varieties of native ground cover that are revolutionising the industry. Both are incredibly resilient and better able to out-crowd weeds than other alternatives.
What Makes a Good Ground Cover
To help you make an informed decision, let’s first explore what makes a good ground cover. Essentially, we want to protect the soil with above-ground shoots, and we want to hold the soil together with below-ground roots. Understory plants are ideal, including flat spreading plants and clumping strappy plants.
A superior ground cover plant should possess several key characteristics:
- Low Maintenance: It should thrive in your specific Australian climate (and micro climate) with minimal care, requiring infrequent watering and little pruning or fertilisation.
- Dense Growth: The plant must spread quickly and form a thick mat, efficiently covering the ground to suppress weeds and reduce soil erosion.
- Adaptability: A good ground cover should grow well in various soil types and conditions, whether it’s basking in the sun or nestled in partly shaded areas. Conditions can vary throughout a garden, so a plant with wide tolerances can provide some cohesion.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Whether through vibrant foliage or striking flowers, the plant should add visual interest to your garden.
- Durability: If placed in high-traffic areas, the plant should withstand foot traffic without extensive damage.
- Pest and Disease Resistance: The ability to resist pests and diseases ensures the longevity and health of the plant.
- Environmental Benefits: Ground covers contribute positively to the environment by preventing soil erosion, conserving water, supporting biodiversity, suppressing weeds naturally, sequestering carbon, improving soil health, and enhancing air quality.
Fit For Purpose
At the end of the day, the “best” ground cover is the one that fits your exact purpose. There are many factors that can play a part in your decision, usually based on one of the factors above. But if your grandmother gave you a cutting of a particular plant, that may end up making it the best option even if it doesn’t tick many of the other boxes.
A plant that ticks all of the boxes except that it can’t tolerate the position’s level of shade is obviously never going to work. Remember the golden rule in horticulture: put right plant in the right place, for the right reason with the right aftercare.
In this article, we’re including low-growing plants but also a few taller plants that are still functional in understory and mass planting scenarios, which are both types of ground cover.
Best All-Round Native Ground Covers
The following ground-covers are all quite low in maintenance, are drought-tolerant, and are pretty much the closest thing to “bulletproof” that a plant can get without being made of plastic.
Ozbreed Zen Grass® Zoysia spp. PBR
This native hybrid low-mow turf has shown resilience in the face of extreme flooding events, drought, heat, humidity, frost, full sun, and 70% shade. It only needs to be mown once every year or two.
‘ZOY01’ PBR https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/hardy-exotic-range/zen-grass-zoysia/
Evergreen Baby™ Lomandra labill ‘LM600’ PBR
This short, compact strappy plant is male sterile, meaning that it won’t produce pollen or seeds or be attractive to insects and birds in spaces they’re unwanted.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/evergreen-baby-lomandra/
Tanika® Lomandra longifolia ‘LM300’
This classic Australian landscape plant has dominated the industry for decades because it looks amazing in extremely dry, poor soils.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/tanika-lomandra/
Lady Tanika® Lomandra ‘LM360’ PBR
With gently weeping foliage, this newly bred cultivar is tolerant of wet soils with phytophthora and is female sterile, perfect for gardens actively discouraging insects.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/lady-tanika-disease-and-ant-resistant-low-maintenance-lomandra/
Shara™ Lomandra fluviatilis ‘ABU7’ PBR
Like Evergreen Baby™ Lomandra, this variety can tolerate both periodic flooding and drought, making it ideal for poorly draining, non-irrigated landscapes and bioswales.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/shara-lomandra/
Little Jess™ Dianella caerulea ‘DCMP01’ PBR
This is possibly the best-selling Dianella with nearly a decade of proven performance in Australian landscapes.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/little-jess-dianella/
Baby Breeze™ Dianella ‘DCNC3’ PBR Intended
If you’re chasing a low-growing strappy plant that controls erosion without impacting line of sight, look no further. This plant can bounce back after being driven over on roadsides.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/baby-breeze-dianella-2/
Lucia™ Dianella caerulea ‘DC101’ PBR
This variety is probably the best low-growing dianella around. It’s a low-cost ground-cover option due to the (non-invasive) spreading rhizomes and only 4-6 plants are needed per square metre.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/lucia-dianella/
Everlasting Gold™ Anigozanthos hybrid ‘KP02’
This kangaroo paw flowers all year round in most Australian climates. Its foliage is shorter than most varieties, and its golden flowers are incredibly vibrant and abundant.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/kangaroo-paws/everlasting-gold/
Nafray® Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘PA300’
This non-invasive native grass is excellent habitat and food for insects, it’s highly erosion-controlling, and it can tolerate both periodic drought and flooding.
Kingsdale™ Poa poiformis ‘PP500’ PBR
This native blue tussock grass is highly ornamental and works perfectly with the wild native look. It tolerates a wild range of soils, provided they don’t stay wet.
Rustic™ Poa spp. ‘POL11’ PBR
If you love coppery tones, this is the perfect native ground cover. Give it a prune to the ground before spring each year, and watch the new blue foliage quickly turn a beautiful rustic colour.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-grasses/rustic-poa/
Yalba™ Imperata cylindrica
This is a grass for a very specific purpose. For bio swales and creek beds that experience erosion, this grass will catch sediment with its stems. Rhizomes are able to grow new stalks even after they’ve been buried and flooded, but beware that its strength is also its weakness. Those powerful rhizomes will take over spaces unless regularly mown or sprayed with a selective grass herbicide (Fusilade).
Ozbreed Flat White™ Pandorea jasminoides ‘PJ01’ PBR
Never before have I seen a native climber like this one, that can ramble over surfaces as well as it can climb. It’s basically a native version of Trachelospermum.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/ozbreed-flat-white/
Groundswell™ Hibbertia scandens ‘HBS01′ PBR
Unlike common hibbertia forms, this variety can tolerate frosts in most of the country, no worries at all. It flowers lightly for most of the year and will climb objects if allowed.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/groundswell-hibbertia-scandens-compact-drought-tolerant-ground-cover-with-yellow-flowers/
Aussie Rambler™ Carpobrotus glaucescens ‘CAR10’ PBR
A perfect option for stabilising coastal sand dune, this succulent native abundantly produces bright pink flowers for most of the year.
Aussie Flat Bush™ Rhagodia spinescens ‘SAB01’ PBR
One of the best coastal and dry inland plants ever bred, this salt bush can thrive on very little rainfall and no irrigation.
Blue Horizon™ Eremophila glabra prostrate ‘EREM1’ PBR
This emu bush has been bred to thrive in climates where other eremophilas can’t, such as Sydney. Its blue tones and yellow flowers are highly attractive.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/blue-horizon-eremophila/
Fire Bells™ Correa pulchella ‘COR11’ PBR Intended
This correa grows low to the ground and produces bright orange-red flowers in winter and early spring, when pollinators need them most.
Gold Cluster™ Grevillea juniperina ‘H22’ PBR
This prostrate grevillea has masses of yellow flowers in winter and spring, and is excellent at crowding out weeds.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/gold-cluster-grevillea/
Cherry Cluster™ Grevillea rhyolitica x juniperina ‘TWD01’ PBR
With cherry red flowers appearing in autumn, winter and spring, this grevillea is another very tough ground cover. Be aware that members of the Proteaceae family can be sensitive to Phosphorous, and are the reason “native” fertilisers exist.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/cherry-cluster-grevillea/
Low Horizon™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES06’ PBR
Possibly the most ornamental ground-covering westringia ever bred, this variety has extremely clean foliage, masses of beautiful white flowers, and shorter internodes meaning it has more foliage per stem.
Mundi™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES05’ PBR
This is one of the only westringias available on the market which can tolerate periodic flooding and wet feet. It’s also tolerant of almost anything else you can throw at it, from drought to heat, to humidity, to mild frosts, to poor soils.
Yareena™ Myoporum parvifolium ‘PARV01’ PBR
This myoporum is much more resilient than common forms, meaning that it’s less likely to defoliate under stress. It has crisp, clean foliage and masses of white flowers for much of the year.
Ground Hug™ Myoporum insulare ‘MYIN01′ PBR Intended
One of the best native prostrate spreading ground covers to crowd out weeds, this variety is unlike other forms of M. insulare which are usually shrubby, growing as tall as trees. This variety is unlikely to grow taller than 30cm after a decade or two.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/ground-hug-myoporum-insulare-low-fast-spreading-dense-weed-suppressing-foliage/
Purple Fusion™ Scaevola humilis ‘PFS100’ PBR
Scaevolas are the ideal long-lasting wildflowers. While other native wildflowers live only a few years, scaevolas like this especially tough variety, can just keep going and going.
Pink Fusion™ Scaevola spp. ‘PFS200’ PBR Intended
We used to think that the previous scaevola was the toughest ground cover around, until we bred this variety. I like to call it a roadside cottage plant, because it’s equally appropriate for either setting.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/plant-ranges/native-shrubs-groundcovers/pink-fusion/
Erosion Control Groundcovers
Plants can control erosion with their above-ground foliage by protecting the soil from sunlight and the direct impact of raindrops, while also providing stability below the surface with their root systems which hold particles together while providing a constant source of carbon for the microbiology. A mix of taller shrubs/trees and shorter ground-covers provides a synergistic erosion-controlling force with both deep, woody roots and shallow fibrous roots.
Ozbreed have conducted extensive research into some the best erosion-controlling plants, and you can find the research here: https://www.ozbreed.com.au/best-plants-for-erosion-control/
It turns out, some of the best ground-covers for erosion control are strappy monocots, which tend to have robust fibrous root systems. Here are the best plants that were tested:
Plant |
% Increase vs bare soil |
Shear strength kPa |
326% |
38.5 |
|
228% |
26.9 |
|
225% |
26.2 |
|
210% |
24.8 |
|
200% |
23.6 |
|
140% |
16.5 |
King Alfred® Dianella |
752% |
70 |
Nafray® Pennisetum |
475% |
50.3 |
Lucia™ Dianella |
433.75% |
49.3 |
Lomandra ‘Katrinus Deluxe‘ PBR |
366% |
39.6 |
Nyalla® Lomandra |
328% |
36.1 |
Breeze® Dianella |
297% |
33.2 |
Katie Belles™ Lomandra |
285% |
32.3 |
Agapanthus |
283% |
32 |
Tasred® Dianella |
250% |
29.6 |
Tanika® Lomandra |
250% |
29.5 |
Katrinus Lomandra |
216% |
26.9 |
Little Jess™ Dianella |
181% |
24.3 |
Carex appressa |
176% |
23.8 |
Little Rev™ Dianella |
161% |
22.8 |
Tropic Cascade™ Lomandra |
159% |
18.6 |
Conclusion
Choosing the right Australian native ground cover for your garden can provide numerous benefits beyond mere aesthetics. These plants not only create a visually appealing and cohesive landscape but also play a role in promoting environmental health and sustainability. By selecting ground covers that align with your specific garden conditions and your goals, you can enjoy a low-maintenance, eco-friendly garden that thrives in Australia’s diverse climates.