7 best groundcovers for year-round flowers

By Daniel Fuller

For specifiers, flowers are important for several reasons. Of course they provide aesthetic value, but they also provide environmental support for pollinators. Flowers also attract biological pest control including the adult life-forms of predatory flies and parasitic wasps, whose larvae are incredibly effective at keeping sap-sucking and munching pest populations under control. Here are seven of the best ground-covering Australian plants in terms of year-round flowers or with long flowering seasons, including warm-season and cool-season flowers.

Carpobrotus glaucescens ‘CAR10’ PBR Trade Name Aussie Rambler™

This drought-hardy, coastal, trailing succulent flowers through the warmer months from spring to autumn. The species naturally has large flowers, but this variety has been bred for even larger and more abundant pollinator-friendly flowers.

Chrysocephalum apiculatum ‘CAP07’ PBR Intended Trade Name Aussie Reflection™

Although this yellow button variety does not flower for as long as some other varieties of the same species, it still flowers for much of the warmer season and, in my experience, is a lot tougher with a rhizomatous growth habit that provides resilience during stressful climatic events. Asteraceae flowers like this are a keystone for small pollinators like beneficial wasps and flies.

Pandorea jasminoides ‘PJ01’ PBR Trade Name Ozbreed Flat White®

This rambling climber and groundcover produces tubular, trumpet-shaped flowers, that favour long-tongued insects like butterflies and bees, throughout the warmer months. The rambling growth habit helps diversify habitat, as it cascades over retaining walls and climbs up when supported.

Grevillea rhyolitica x juniperina ‘TWD01’ PBR Trade Name Cherry Cluster™

Flowers during the cooler months can be more difficult to provide, but this ground-covering grevillea flowers right through autumn to spring. This extended season overlaps with warmer season flowerers, leaving no gaps. Birds and insects alike are supported by the steady flow of nectar and pollen.

Hibbertia scandens ‘HBS01’ PBR Trade Name Groundswell™

This rambling groundcover has a prostrate habit that will climb where allowed. It flowers steadily all year round, supporting beneficial native bees, beetles and ants without being very attractive to European honey bees or wasps. Very few long-lived, large-flowered Australian plants will flower year-round like this.

Scaevola humilis ‘PFS200’ PBR Trade Name Pink Fusion™
Another groundcover that can flower all year, this variety will not climb structures but will continue to spread. I grow it in my own garden and constantly see native bees, butterflies and tiny wasps drinking from the small, tubular, fan-shaped flowers.

Scaevola humilis ‘PFS100’ PBR Trade Name Purple Fusion™ has a similar flowering period and is nearly as tough as our (almost) bulletproof pink-flowering variety.

As specifiers and consumers become more conscious of their environmental impact, long-flowering Australian groundcovers are a force for dependable, ecological stability. These cultivated varieties were selected because, out of already-strong species, these varieties displayed increased toughness and improved performance.