Groundcovered
Sue Harris
I read the article on "Groundcovers for a dry continent" in a recent issue of the Garden Design Study Group newsletter and wholeheartedly agree that the best groundcover we have is Myoporum parvifolium. There are several forms - one to suit everyone. It will grow in part shade to full sun and has a most wonderful cover. Sometimes a little too vigorous for its own liking though and if one is not careful will climb over and smother smaller plants. In some places where it's extremely dry it will just sit and sulk. I believe it needs to be well watered to establish but once established, it really takes off. It looks fabulous, as you said, going down an embankment. A great plant.
Of course, there's always Brachyscome multifida - the old fashioned blue form. Not exactly a groundcover but near enough. If it's cut back fairly often it will perform brilliantly. If left untouched it can look a tad untidy. But the upturn is that it's so easy to propagate. There's always more in the nursery to replace the scruffy existing ones. I have the white brachyscome too but find it a tad tricky. It seems to prefer the more shaded spots whereas the mauve loves the sun.
Tree litter can also suppress groundcovers and eventually wipe them out. A light sweep of the broom every so often brings them to the surface again (no, I'm serious). Scaevolas, especially S.ameula and S.humilis, are very effective groundcovers for our garden. These small plants tolerate sun and semi-shade and will quietly sucker through the garden. The hybrids, although more showy, are shorter lived. 'Purple Fanfare' and 'Zigzag' to name a couple, look great for a few seasons but flower their hearts out, only to finally expire. Again, these plants are easily propagated.
Kennedia prostrata is another groundcover that sometimes goes unnoticed. It was one of the first plants to re-establish itself after fires and has since disappeared at our place under leaf litter but I managed to obtain seed and now these seedlings will be going back into the garden. This little plant, with its bright red pea flowers deserves a second chance as it's unfortunately classified in the same league at the VERY vigorous K.rubicunda. Another useful plant but is too vigorous for the average garden.
Another plant that sometimes goes unnoticed but is endemic to the south coast of New South Wales is Rulingia hermanniifolia - a small rigid plant that could be classified as a small shrub but I like to refer to it as a groundcover. These can be massed planted to form a living carpet. With its glossy deep green leaves and dark red venations and small creamy flowers in spring make this little plant worth putting in the garden. Rulingia hermanniifolia is native, or rather endemic, to this region so likes the conditions but it still can drop dead overnight.
Groundcovers perform the duty of mulch when their leaves eventually fall and serve to nourish the soil
underneath. A living mulch! Wonderful!
From the newsletter of the Garden Design Study Group, February 2007.
Australian Plants online - 2007
Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants
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