Ground cover plants are easy to maintain and help to create a beautiful display to bring boring outdoor areas to life. They can be planted between pavers, around concrete slabs and as borders around flower beds. The options are endless.
As well as looking great, ground covers have many other benefits.
Weed reduction!
No one likes weeding, but weeds will grow anywhere they can find space. The solution? Fill the space with something else. By planting ground cover plants, those pesky weeds will have to find somewhere else to thrive, rather than in your garden.
Easy to grow and maintain
Without too much effort and maintenance, ground cover plants will grow where there is soil and space. Make sure that the soil is healthy so that they flourish.
Less fertiliser
Ground cover plants are hardy and do not require nutrients or fertilisers on a regular basis. They absorb nutrients from the soil and ground water and will thrive even if you don’t have a green thumb! However, if your plants start to look a bit tired, liquid fertiliser will give them a bit of a boost.
No pesticides
If you’re not keen on using pesticides in your garden, ground covers are perfect for you. They don’t need chemicals to stay healthy, and naturally repel pests.
Fill in bare spots
For bare spots under large trees, sunny slopes, and other challenging areas, a ground cover offers an easy solution for adding colour and interest.
Living mulch
These plants act in the same way as mulch, protecting soil from erosion and drying out in hot weather.
Reduced lawn maintenance
You could even reduce your amount of lawn (and lawn maintenance) by replacing some of it with ground covers. They require much less maintenance than grass and can look even better (and definitely more interesting).
Easy care groundcovers
Thyme
Easy to care for and ideal for cramped spaces such as between stones or along paths.
Mondo grass
Drought tolerant and more closely related to lilies than grass.
Pig face
You won't find a hardier or lower maintenance ground cover. It prefers well-drained soils and produces daisy-like flowers in a variety of colours.
Australian violet
Perfect for shaded areas as it can struggle in very hot weather. It produces mauve and white flowers all year around.
Dichondra
If you have areas where you have difficulty growing plants, then this could be the solution. It’s a native creeper that spreads like a thick carpet and is great for use as a substitute lawn in shady locations.
Seaside Daisy
Forms a low mound of grey-green leaves, with small white daisies that turn pink, making a colourful ground cover which flowers for most of the year.
