Ground Covers for Gap Filling in Australian Planting Schemes (Spreading vs Clumping)

Are you looking for a native Australian groundcover plant, but you’re unsure whether to opt for a spreading or clumping option? Choosing the right groundcover plants can mean the difference between a garden that looks amazing or struggles to inspire.

Whether you want to tame a tricky slope, soften rough edges, or tie a planting scheme together, the way ground covers grow—spreading or clumping—can completely transform your design.

Without further ado, let’s have a look at the key differences between these two growth habits and then go over a list of some high-performing cultivated varieties that are readily available to purchase through Australian nurseries (especially through larger wholesalers and online retailers).

Spreading Ground Covers

Spreading ground covers are the ideal choice for quickly covering bare patches of soil. Growing outward through runners, stolons and/or rhizomes, these plants form a dense, weed-suppressing mat while providing excellent coverage.

High-Performing Australian Spreading Ground Covers

• Dianella‘ DCNC3’ PBR Intended Trade Name Baby Breeze™
• Dianella caerulea ‘DCMP02’ PBR Intended Trade Name Little Jess™ NEW IMPROVED
• Zoysia native hybrid ‘ZOY01’ PBR Trade Name Ozbreed Zen Grass®
• Chrysocephalum ‘CAP07’ PBR Trade Name Aussie Reflection™
• Carpobrotus glaucescens ‘CAR10’ PBR Trade Name Aussie Rambler™
• Grevillea juniperina ‘H22’ PBR Trade Name Gold Cluster™
• Myoporum insulare ‘MYIN01′ PBR Intended Trade Name Ground Hug™
• Myoporum parvifolium ‘PARV01’ PBR Trade Name Yareena™
• Hibbertia scandens ‘HBS01′ PBR Trade Name Groundswell™
• Scaevola humilis ‘PFS200’ PBR Trade Name Pink Fusion™
• Scaevola humilis ‘PFS100’ PBR Trade Name Purple Fusion™
• Pandorea jasminoides ‘PJ01’ PBR Trade Name Ozbreed Flat White™
• Eremophila glabra prostrate ‘EREM1’ PBR Trade Name Blue Horizon™

Benefits of Spreading Ground Covers

• Rapidly cover large areas, making them ideal for blank or exposed spaces.
• Create a seamless, uniform appearance that integrates well with naturalistic or expansive designs.
• Spread outward through runners or rhizomes, providing excellent ground coverage with minimal gaps.
• Effectively stabilise soil on slopes and prevent erosion with their dense, spreading growth habit.
• Perfect for areas where turf struggles, offering a practical and visually appealing alternative.

Applications

Spreading ground covers are often used to fill large gaps in planting beds, especially where traditional turfgrass cannot thrive. They soften the look of steep slopes and rocky outcrops, helping blend structural hardscapes into natural surroundings.

For instance, Myoporum and prostrate Grevillea work wonderfully as underplanting beneath native trees to create a cohesive, layered effect.

Clumping Ground Covers

Unlike their spreading counterparts, clumping ground covers grow steadily in compact, upright forms. These plants are excellent for defined spaces, resisting unruly spread while still providing attractive layering and texture.

High-Performing Australian Clumping Ground Covers

• Lomandra labill ‘LM600’ PBR Trade Name Evergreen Baby™
• Lomandra ‘LM360’ PBR Trade Name Lady Tanika®
• Lomandra Fluviatilis ‘LM380’ PBR Trade Name Shara Blue™
• Lomandra longifolia‘ LM300’ Trade Name Tanika®
• Dianella hybrid ‘DP401’ PBR Trade Name Clarity Blue™
• Dianella revoluta ‘DR5000’ PBR Trade Name Little Rev™
• Dianella spp ‘DIAN04’ PBR Intended Trade name Summer Rev™
• Rhagodia spinescens ‘SAB01’ PBR Trade Name Aussie Flat Bush™
• Correa pulchella ‘COR11’ PBR Intended Trade Name Fire Bells™
• Westringia fruticosa ‘WES06’ PBR Trade Name Low Horizon™
• Westringia fruticosa ‘WES05’ PBR Trade Name Mundi™
• Westringia fruticosa ‘WES09’ PBR Trade Name White Mundi™

Advantages of Clumping Ground Covers

• Their neat, predictable growth can create structured designs.
• Maintain their shape over time, requiring less pruning and maintenance in comparison to spreading varieties.
• Perfect for tight spaces, borders, or as accents in garden beds.
• Allow better control in mixed plantings.

Applications

Clumping ground covers work well in designs where precision is important. For example, a row of Lomandra can define pathways, while a ground covering Eremophila can add vibrant colour and contrast near gravelled areas. When combined with taller shrubs or grasses, clumping groundcovers bring visual depth and focus.

How to Choose Between Spreading and Clumping?

You don’t need to choose one or the other! Both spreading and clumping plants can be used together.

While there are obvious cases where a spreading or clumping groundcover is the best choice, they can actually work well together as long as the spreading groundcover isn’t too vigorous and won’t smother the clumping plants, or if you’re able to regularly prune the spreading groundcovers once they reach the intended size and shape.

Design Ideas

• Layering: Use clumping ground covers like Lomandra towards the front of a garden bed for structure, and fill larger gaps with spreading varieties like Myoporum.
• Pathway Borders: Edge walkways with clumping Dianella for a polished look, while allowing nearby spreading Grevilleas to cascade and soften the hard lines.
• Naturalistic Slopes: Combine spreading Myoporum with clumping Lomandra on sloping landscapes to stabilise soil and create interesting textural contrast.

Key Takeaways for Australian Landscape Architects and Designers

By understanding the growth habits of spreading and clumping ground covers, you can make informed choices for your designs. Spreading plants excel at filling large, open gaps quickly and efficiently. Clumping plants, on the other hand, bring precision and order to garden designs.