Ground covers have a bit of an image problem.
People hear "ground cover" and immediately picture something boring.
Something you plant when you've run out of ideas.
The landscaping equivalent of plain toast.
But here's the funny thing.
Some of the most beautiful gardens we've ever seen rely heavily on ground covers.
Not because they're exciting on their own.
Because they solve problems.
They soften hard edges.
Cover bare soil.
Reduce weeds.
Keep moisture in the ground.
And connect all the bigger plants together.
Without them, gardens often feel unfinished.
A bit like a house with furniture but no rugs.
You can live there.
But something feels missing.
Why ground covers are becoming more popular
Australian gardens are changing.
People want:
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lower maintenance
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less mowing
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less watering
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fewer weeds
Ground covers tick all those boxes.
And unlike traditional lawn, many of them actually improve with age.
The longer they grow, the better they look.
🌿 1. The Australian survivor
Aussie Rambler (Pig Face)
If you've ever driven along the coast and seen masses of succulent foliage covered in bright flowers, chances are you've seen a pig face.
And honestly?
Few plants are better at handling punishment.
Aussie Rambler thrives in:
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coastal conditions
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poor sandy soil
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hot banks
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exposed sites
Its fleshy leaves store water, which means once established it handles dry conditions incredibly well.
One thing many people don't realise is that pig face has traditionally been used for stabilising sandy areas because of its spreading growth habit.
It doesn't just look good.
It works hard.
👉 Best for:
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coastal gardens
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retaining walls
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slopes
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hot sunny positions
🌿 2. The shady problem solver
Native Violet - Viola banksii
Every garden has that awkward patch.
Under a tree.
Beside a fence.
Somewhere nothing wants to grow.
Native violet is often the answer.
It spreads gently through garden beds and creates a soft carpet of foliage with small purple flowers appearing throughout the year.
Unlike many flowering ground covers, it doesn't feel demanding.
It quietly gets on with the job.
And in dry shade gardens, that's worth its weight in gold.
👉 Best for:
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under trees
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dry shade
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cottage gardens
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softening pathways
🌿 3. The fast filler
Dichondra Repens
This is one of those plants people discover and then immediately start imagining where else they can use it.
Because it spreads.
Quickly.
The soft rounded leaves create a lush green carpet effect that works beautifully around stepping stones and pathways.
One thing we often explain to customers is that dichondra isn't trying to be lawn.
That's not the point.
It's a ground cover.
Treat it like one and you'll be much happier.
👉 Best for:
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stepping stones
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informal pathways
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larger areas needing coverage
🌿 4. The flowering workhorse
Vinca Peri Winkle White
Some plants spend half the year looking amazing and the other half recovering.
Vinca isn't one of them.
This is one of the toughest flowering ground covers around.
Glossy foliage.
White flowers.
Fast coverage.
And surprisingly adaptable once established.
It's especially useful where people want colour without creating more maintenance.
👉 Best for:
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difficult spaces
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cottage gardens
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underplanting shrubs
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low maintenance colour
🌿 5. The sunny superstar
Gazania Double Gold
There are plants that tolerate heat.
And there are plants that seem to enjoy it.
Gazania falls into the second category.
The bright golden flowers seem to glow in full sun and keep performing when many softer flowering plants have already given up.
This is one of our favourite options for:
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hot banks
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exposed gardens
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difficult sunny areas
Because it genuinely thrives where other plants struggle.
👉 Best for:
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sunny slopes
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dry gardens
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rockeries
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low maintenance colour
🌿 Ground covers are more important than people realise
Here's something interesting.
When landscapers design gardens, they're often thinking about what the space will look like in five years.
Not five weeks.
And one of the biggest differences between amateur gardens and professional gardens is usually the use of ground covers.
Professionals understand that ground covers create cohesion.
They connect the larger plants together.
Without them, gardens can feel sparse and disconnected.
With them, everything feels intentional.
🌿 Which ground cover is right for you?
The answer depends entirely on your conditions.
Dry shade?
Native violet.
Hot sunny bank?
Gazania.
Coastal garden?
Aussie Rambler.
Fast green coverage?
Dichondra.
Flowering colour?
Vinca.
This is exactly why we built our Plant Finder.
Instead of guessing, it helps match plants to:
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sunlight
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climate
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soil conditions
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garden style
👉 Find The Right Plant - First Time! – The Plant Hub