10 compact Australian native groundcovers for every garden
Groundcovers are some of the hardest-working plants in any garden. They suppress weeds, cool and protect the soil, reduce water loss, provide habitat for insects and skinks and soften harsh lines in beds and borders.
Unlike traditional lawn which often becomes a thirsty, high-maintenance “dead zone” for biodiversity, native groundcovers bring texture, colour, movement and ecological value to even the smallest spaces.
Whether you need something for full shade, hot sun, between stepping stones or cascading over a retaining wall, these ten Australian low-growing natives offer resilient, compact and truly beautiful options.
1. Matted Pratia / White Star Creeper (Pratia pedunculata)
Height: 1–3 cm
Spread: Fast, dense mat
Best for: Stepping-stone gaps, shady or part-shaded groundcover
Why it’s a great groundcover option
A true living carpet, Pratia forms a dense green mat scattered with tiny white star-shaped flowers through the warmer months. It tolerates light foot traffic, making it ideal between pavers and along informal paths. Spreading by fine runners and small underground nodes, it gradually weaves itself into every available gap which is why it works so well as a lawn alternative in low-use areas.
Where it thrives
Native to south-eastern Australia, Pratia is naturally found in cool to temperate regions, often in damp grassy areas and open woodland. It performs best in semi-shade to shade with moist, well-drained soil. Particularly useful beneath open-canopy trees that allow filtered light but do not compete heavily for surface moisture.
Best placement for White Star Creeper
Tuck it between stepping stones, plant beneath shrubs, or use in small courtyard gardens where you want softness without height.
2. Cushion Bush (Scleranthus biflorus)
Height: 3–10 cm
Spread: Neat rounded mounds
Best for: Rockeries, modern minimalist gardens, textural contrast
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Cushion Bush forms dense, moss-like domes that look sculptural in every season. Rather than spreading outward quickly, it grows as tight rounded mounds. The foliage is so compact and springy that it rebounds when lightly pressed, giving it a distinctive resilience. It’s a groundcover chosen as much for form as for coverage.
Where it thrives
Native to alpine and subalpine areas of south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, Cushion Bush is naturally adapted to cool climates and exposed conditions. It prefers full sun to part shade and sharply free-draining soil. Excellent in coastal gardens or elevated sites where drainage is reliable and humidity is low.
Best placement for Cushion Bush
Nestle among rocks, repeat through gravel gardens, or use as a structured edging in contemporary landscapes. It works particularly well where clean lines and restrained planting are the goal.
3. Kidney Weed (Dichondra repens)
Height: 1–5 cm
Spread: Fast creeping
Best for: Shade, underplanting, soft green carpeting
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Kidney Weed produces a dense mat of small rounded leaves that read as a seamless green carpet. It establishes quickly and handles light to moderate foot traffic better than many native groundcovers. Because it stays naturally low and rarely needs mowing, it’s one of the most reliable lawn alternatives for shaded spaces. Its creeping stems root as they travel, helping it knit soil together.
Where it thrives
Native to eastern and southern Australia, Kidney Weed grows naturally in open forests and grassy woodlands. It prefers shade to part shade with consistent moisture and well-drained soil. Particularly suited to temperate and subtropical climates, it performs best where the soil does not dry out completely.
Best placement for Kidney Weed
Use beneath trees, around stepping stones or to soften shaded courtyards. It also works well between pavers in areas that receive filtered light rather than full sun.
Tools for Australian Gardeners
4. Woolly Grevillea (Grevillea lanigera ‘Mt Tamboritha’)
Height: 20–30 cm
Spread: 1–1.5 m
Best for: Coastal gardens, slopes, hot dry positions
Why it’s a great groundcover option
This low, spreading grevillea forms a dense shrub-like carpet with soft grey-green foliage and vivid red to pink spider flowers. The blooms are rich in nectar, drawing in bees and small birds through the cooler months. Its fine leaves are coated in tiny hairs that capture moisture from dew and sea mist, a natural adaptation that helps it cope with exposed conditions. Tough, compact and flowering generously, it brings both coverage and wildlife value.
Where it thrives
Originating from coastal Victoria, this selection is well suited to temperate climates with cool winters and dry summers. It performs best in full sun and well-drained soil. It's particularly reliable in coastal gardens, elevated sites and windy positions.
Best placement for Wooly Grevillea
Allow it to spill over retaining walls, stabilise slopes, or spread through hot, open garden beds. It works well where you need colour and resilience in one plant.
5. Yellow Buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum ‘Desert Flame’)
Height: 15–30 cm
Spread: 40–60 cm
Best for: Colour impact, pollinator-friendly gardens
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Yellow Buttons brings long-lasting colour with golden blooms above soft silver foliage. The contrast is striking, especially in dry or sun-drenched gardens. Its papery flower heads are adapted to hot conditions, protecting developing seeds from moisture loss and allowing the plant to continue flowering through heat. It provides coverage while also acting as a magnet for pollinating insects.
Where it thrives
Naturally occurring across inland and southern Australia, this species is adapted to arid and semi-arid climates. It performs best in full sun with sandy or sharply well-drained soil. It's particularly reliable in heat-reflective spaces where rainfall is irregular and drainage is excellent.
Best placement for Yellow Buttons
Plant in drifts along borders, weave through native grasses, or use to brighten dry garden beds. It also works well in gravel gardens where bold colour is needed without extra water.
6. Running Postman (Kennedia prostrata)
Height: 5–10 cm
Spread: Up to several metres
Best for: Fast coverage, tough low-growing groundcover
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Running Postman is a vigorous trailing native that quickly blankets open ground with foliage and red pea flowers. It’s particularly effective for covering difficult areas where you need speed and resilience rather than precision. The bright scarlet blooms give the plant its common name, said to resemble the red coats worn by postmen in the 1800s. It’s tough, adaptable and excellent for stabilising exposed soil.
Where it thrives
Native to southern Australia, particularly Western Australia and parts of South Australia and Victoria, it is naturally adapted to sandy soils and coastal or inland conditions. It performs best in full sun to part shade and tolerates poor, low-nutrient soils with ease.
Best placement for Running Postman
Let it cascade over retaining walls, spill down embankments or roam beneath taller shrubs. Ideal for informal gardens where a natural, sprawling effect is welcome.
7. Bidgee Widgee (Acaena anserinifolia)
Height: 5–10 cm
Spread: Wide, dense carpeting
Best for: Cooler climates, erosion control
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Bidgee Widgee forms a dense, finely textured mat of divided foliage that shifts to bronze tones as temperatures cool. It spreads steadily across the soil surface, helping stabilise slopes and reduce erosion. After flowering, small burr-like seed heads dry and tighten before releasing their seeds, a subtle but effective strategy that allows the plant to colonise bare ground.
Where it thrives
Native to south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, Bidgee Widgee is naturally suited to temperate and cool climates. It grows well in full sun to part shade and prefers consistent moisture with good drainage. While it can tolerate short dry periods, it performs best where soil does not remain parched for long stretches.
Best placement for Bidgee Widgee
Plant beneath open trees, weave through woodland-style paths or use as a low stabilising layer on gentle slopes. It works especially well in cooler gardens seeking soft, naturalistic coverage.
8. Creeping Boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium)
Height: 5–15 cm
Spread: Up to 2 m
Best for: Hot, dry sites, weed suppression
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Creeping Boobialla is one of the most resilient native groundcovers available. It forms a thick, spreading mat that effectively shades out weeds while remaining low and manageable. Small white star-shaped flowers appear through the warmer months, adding light contrast against the foliage. Its fleshy leaves store water, giving it drought tolerance similar to many succulents and allowing it to endure prolonged dry periods once established.
Where it thrives
Native to southern Australia, this species is adapted to arid, coastal and inland climates. It performs best in full sun with free-draining soil and tolerates sandy, rocky or exposed sites with ease. Particularly reliable in heat-reflective areas where rainfall is limited.
Best placement for Creeping Boobialla
Ideal for road verges, embankments and sunny front gardens. Use it to stabilise slopes, spill over retaining walls or blanket open areas where hardy, weed-suppressing coverage is needed.
9. Native Pigface (Carpobrotus rossii)
Height: 10–15 cm
Spread: Wide and fast
Best for: Coastal gardens, very hot dry areas
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Native Pigface is a robust succulent that spreads quickly to form a thick, moisture-rich mat. Its fleshy leaves act like natural reservoirs, storing significant amounts of water and allowing the plant to endure prolonged heat and drought. Large vivid pink flowers open in full sun, creating high-impact colour against harsh landscapes. Exceptionally tough and low maintenance, it is often used to stabilise coastal dunes and sandy banks.
Where it thrives
Native to southern coastal Australia, Pigface is adapted to exposed, sandy and saline environments. It performs best in full sun and very free-draining soils. Particularly suited to coastal climates, dry inland gardens and areas with reflected heat.
Best placement for Native Pigface
Plant in coastal beds, raised mounds and rockeries, or use to cover sandy slopes where waterwise coverage is essential. It also works well cascading over retaining walls in hot, open sites.
10. Pale/Fan-Flower (Scaevola albida)
Height: 10–20 cm
Spread: 50–100 cm
Best for: Flower colour, edging, soft mounding form
Why it’s a great groundcover option
Pale Fan-Flower produces generous clusters of pale blue to white blooms from spring through summer, bringing extended colour at a low height. Its spreading stems form relaxed mounds rather than a flat mat, creating softness along edges and pathways. The distinctive fan-shaped flowers evolved for pollination in windy coastal environments, offering a stable landing platform for native bees. It’s an easy way to introduce movement and flowering interest without overwhelming surrounding plants.
Where it thrives
Native to eastern Australia, particularly coastal New South Wales and Queensland, it is well adapted to temperate and subtropical climates. It performs well in full sun to part shade and tolerates coastal winds and low-nutrient soils. Good drainage improves longevity, especially in humid regions.
Best placement for Fan Flower
Use as a flowering edge along pathways, weave through ornamental grasses, or soften gravel and silver foliage plantings. It works especially well in gardens that need colour without height.
Groundcovers that work with nature
Australian native groundcovers are some of the most versatile and low-maintenance plants you can grow. They fill bare soil with living coverage, reduce evaporation, suppress weeds, stabilise slopes and create habitat for pollinators. From dense lawn alternatives to flowering coastal spreaders and drought-tough succulents, native groundcovers offer practical solutions for every climate across Australia.
Planting groundcovers well makes all the difference. Good soil preparation, sharp hand tools for clean planting, quality secateurs for trimming runners and a deep watering method that encourages roots to grow downward rather than shallow are all part of long-term success. With the right foundation and the right tools, these compact natives establish quickly and reward you with resilient, self-sustaining coverage.
