Top 10 Australian Native Ground Covers

The Case for Native Ground Covers

Ground covers are one of the hardest-working plant categories in the garden. They suppress weeds, protect soil from erosion, reduce moisture evaporation, and — when they are Australian natives — they do all of this while supporting local insects, birds, and lizards far better than exotic alternatives. Here are ten of the best for Australian home gardens.

1. Grevillea 'Bronze Rambler'

A vigorous, sprawling grevillea that spreads 3–4m wide while staying under 50cm tall. Produces abundant red and orange toothbrush flowers almost year-round. Excellent for slopes, banks, and large areas. Full sun, excellent drainage, tolerates dry conditions once established.

2. Scaevola aemula (Fan Flower)

One of Australia's most cheerful groundcovers, producing masses of purple, pink, or white fan-shaped flowers from spring through autumn. Spreads 1–1.5m wide, 30cm tall. Full sun to part shade, drought-tolerant, excellent for coastal gardens.

3. Hardenbergia violacea (Purple Coral Pea)

A native pea with attractive dark green leaves and masses of deep purple flowers in winter and spring — exactly when ground cover colour is most needed. Spreads 2–3m, 30–50cm tall. Tolerates part shade and moderately dry conditions.

4. Brachyscome multifida (Cut-Leaf Daisy)

A delightful, fine-textured ground cover producing masses of white, pink, or purple daisy flowers throughout the warm months. Spreads 60–80cm. Drought-tolerant once established, full sun to light shade. One of the most floriferous of all ground covers.

5. Dichondra repens (Kidney Weed)

A native alternative to lawn grass in shaded areas where grass struggles. Creates a lush, fine-textured carpet of kidney-shaped leaves. Tolerates moderate foot traffic. Excellent beneath trees and in shaded garden beds.

6. Lomandra longifolia 'Tanika'

A refined, smaller form of the native mat rush, forming neat 50cm clumps of fine green foliage. Excellent for mass planting as a weed-suppressing ground cover. Extremely drought and frost tolerant. Full sun to full shade.

7. Myoporum parvifolium (Creeping Myoporum)

A fast-spreading, dense ground cover reaching 2–4m wide while staying 10–20cm tall. Small white flowers attract bees. One of the most effective weed-suppressing ground covers available. Very drought-tolerant, full sun, excellent for slopes and banks.

8. Carpobrotus rossii (Native Pigface)

The native alternative to the invasive exotic ice plants. Vivid pink flowers, succulent foliage, edible fruit. Excellent for hot, dry, coastal conditions and stabilising sandy slopes. Extremely drought-tolerant.

9. Kennedia rubicunda (Dusky Coral Pea)

A vigorous climber that also works magnificently as a ground cover, spreading 3–4m while smothering weeds. Deep red pea flowers in spring. Tolerates dry, shady conditions under trees where little else will grow.

10. Pratia pedunculata (Blue Star Creeper)

A delicate creeping ground cover with tiny star-shaped blue flowers from spring through summer. Creates a lawn-like carpet 5cm tall. Tolerates light foot traffic. Excellent for filling gaps between stepping stones and in shaded garden beds.