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Ground Cover Plants

Flowering Ground Cover Plant
Flowering Ground Cover Plant

The idea of ground cover plants is to make gardening easier, and the best varieties solve a lot of problems.

Bare soil causes many problems and allows weeds to grow, ground cover plants can help overcome these issues.

The very nature of these plants is that they are low growing and form a dense matt of foliage. It is the dense foliage that works to help suppress weeds and conserve moisture as well as help control erosion.

Flowering Ground Cover Plant
Flowering Ground Cover Plant

The denser the foliage the better they are at performing their duty.

Best Uses for Ground Cover plants.

Besides helping prevent weeds and protecting the soil ground covers have other uses.

  • They make a great addition to any garden, and can be used to create a flowering carpet.
  • Some can be used as a lawn substitute, others provide different height levels in the garden.
  • Other uses include between pavers and in rock and crevice gardens, as well as in the general garden border.
  • Some also have great flowers, so making a colourful addition to the overall garden design.
  • They are widely used a erosion control plants

The best varieties will spread naturally without becoming invasive, some will spread by underground rhizomes, others by sending out runners. Some such as Casuarina glauca prostrate, grow from a single stem, yet are still very effective.

Choosing the right plant for the right landscaping solution is important before planting.

Characteristics of the best groundcover plants include :

  • Dense attractive mat forming foliage.
  • Creeping or spreading growth habit.
  • Non Invasive.
  • Easy care and low maintenance.
  • Insect and disease resistant.

What do Ground Cover Plants Do :

  1. They form a dense mat and help with suppressing weeds.
  2. Some create a cover of flowers near ground level.
  3. They act low growing foliage plants.
  4. They can also act as a ‘living mulch’ and help preserve moisture in the soil.
  5. They are useful as erosion control plants.
  6. Can be used as a lawn or grass alternative.
  7. Assist with decreasing garden maintenance.

Ground Cover Plants for shade:

Some of the best type for shade include : Hosta, Bergenia, Epimedium, Cornus canadensis, Parthenocissus, Potentilla, Ferns including Athyrium, Brunnera, Helleborus, Pultenea pedunculata and Tiarella all make great choices.

Best Groundcovers for sun:

Achillea, Armemaria, Arabis, Coreopsis, Dampiera Diversifolia, Euphorbia, Gazania, Nepeta x faassenii (cat mint), Stachys byzantina ( Lamb’s Ear), Low growing or Dwarf Conifers are also excellent. Thymus longicaulis or creeping thyme, Verbena and Veronica all work well.

Drought resistant Varieties:

Acacia redolens is an interesting low growing acacia, fairly dense and shrubby reaching 1m, works well as a ground cover plant.
Hardenbergia violacea can be used a sprawling cover, Rhodanthemum are from Morocco and are very tough plants, Myoporum parvifolium (Creeping Boobialla) is dense growing and tough, look for the new cultivar Myoporum parvifolium Yareena, also try Chrysocephalum apiculatum, or Yellow Buttons.

Conifers as Ground Cover Plants:

Low growing conifers such as Juniperus Squamata Prostrata make outstanding ground covers.

Ground cover plants are available for sale from the following suppliers

Tesselaar Bulbs
TESSELAAR BULBS - Phone: 1300 428 527
357 Monbulk Road SILVAN VIC 3795
Guaranteed "garden worthy" bulbs, plants and perennials. Visit the website to browse our large range of daffodils or request the latest free catalogue.
www.tesselaar.net.au
Planters Patch
PLANTERS PATCH phone : (02) 9653 3933
Specialist perennial nursery supplying quality plants in 100mm pots. All plants are grown at our nursery and deliver to your door via Australia Post.We have many new releases and favourite perennials plants available.Available by mail order. Supplying NSW, QLD, VIC, ACT & SA.
www.planterspatch.com.au
Garden Express
GARDEN EXPRESS - phone :1300 606 242
470 Monbulk-Silvan Road Monbulk VIC 3793
"Guaranteed mail order flowering bulbs, perennials, roses, trees, landscaping plants, garden accessories and community fundraising Austra lia-wide."
www.gardenexpress.com.au
Nutshell Nursery
NUTSHELL PERENNIAL NURSERY and PLANT FARM
'Umbango' 750 Humula Rd, Humula NSW 2652
Phone 0408692773 Great Range of Perennial plants available for sale by mail order.
www.nutshellnursery.com.au
Perennial plants
PERENNIALLE PLANTS - phone: 0427077798 
52 Rodd St Canowindra NSW 2804
An online nursery specialising in drought and frost tolerant perennials and fragrant, edible and herbs.
www.perennialle.com.au

Wholesale Suppliers

Downes Wholesale Nursery
DOWNES WHOLESALE NURSERY - Phone: 02 4651 0999 
111 Stanhope Road Theresa Park NSW 2570 
Offering a variety of sun hardy Australian natives and exotic trees, shrubs, groundcover's and perennials from semi advanced through to super advanced and semi-mature stock.
www.downesnursery.com.au
PlantmarkLogo2 1
PLANTMARK
email ask@plantmark.com.au 
One of Australia's largest wholesale trade nurseries. Over 30,000 species available, tubestock to advanced trees, an almost unlimited choice of plants.
www.plantmark.com.au

Ground Cover Plant Ideas and Tips

  • Most ground cover plants are not really suitable for use in high traffic areas, use stepping stones as a ‘natural pathway’ through areas of ground cover plants.
  • When establishing an area of ground cover, pay particular attention to weeding during the first few years. This will dramatically cut down on weed problems later on.
  • Mulch between plantings to prevent weeds, ground covers that will clump and spread however may need a finer mulch to allow the natural spreading process.
  • Consider mixing and contrasting species to add a variety of textures and colours where appropriate.

List of Ground Cover Plants

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