Groundcover – Mallee Design

Light it up: Grevillea lanigera ‘Mellow Yellow’

I have mass planted Grevillea ‘Mellow Yellow in a semi shaded position in my garden and have been surprised at its tenacity and ability to cover its self in blooms for an extended period of time. The small striking spider… Read more ›

26/05/2023

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Butterfly attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Natives for containers, Naturalistic garden, Winter flowering

Autumn Flowering, bee attracting, clay soils, drought tolerant, frost tolerant, full sun, grey green leaves, ground cover, long flowering period, well drained soil, wind tolerant, winter flowering

A true carpeting ground cover: Pratia pedunculata

This is a native ground cover which sometimes gets classed as a steppable (not a real word ;)), meaning it works well between steppers and pavers and can be walked on occasionally without too much fuss. I like to use… Read more ›

08/11/2022 3 Comments

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Shade tolerant, Small garden

carpeting ground cover, clay soils, full sun, lawn pavers, lawn substitute, moist soil, native lawn, part shade, Pratia pedunculata, spring flowering, steppers, summer flowering, understory planting, well drained soil, white flower, wind tolerant

Most Memorable Planting Combinations at the National Arboretum

Every time I visit our nations lovely Capital I seem to find myself at the National Arboretum, by default I manage to eke out at least half an hour to check in on some of my favourite plantings. I have… Read more ›

19/08/2022 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Hedge, Landscape Design, Ornamental grass, Small tree, Winter flowering

Acacia baileyana prostrate, Australian Native Garden, bee attracting, Correa glabra, Eucalyptus pulverulenta 'Baby Blue', foliage contrast, grey green leaves, Lomandra confertifolia ssp Rubiginosa, Modern Australian Native Garden, National Arboretum, planting combination, understory planting, weeping habit

Inala Conservation Reserve: Bruny Island

Forty Spotted Pardalote Image above by Alfred-Schulte The Inala Reserve on Bruny Island was the highlight of my recent trip to Tasmania, we spent two nights staying in the cabins inside the reserve bird watching and exploring this natural wonderland.… Read more ›

02/02/2022

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Medium Tree, Naturalistic garden

bird-attracting, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus viminalis, Forty-spotted pardalote, Inala Conservation Reserve, nature connection, nesting boxes, small bird attracting, summer flowering, Swift Parrot, wildlife habitat

The almost native pig face: xDisphyllum ‘Sunburn’

Meet a new addition to the Australian native succulent family, well maybe more a half sibling or cousin, as technically this lovely green pig face is half south African ? shock horror! However there are so few Australian succulents I… Read more ›

25/10/2021 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Drought hardy, Groundcover, Natives for containers

bee attracting, carpeting ground cover, drought hardy, drought resistant, drought tolerant, fast growing, frost tolerant, full sun, large flower, well drained soil, wind tolerant, xDisphyllum Sunburn, year round flowering, yellow flowers

Portfolio: Helensburgh Consult

Front gardens play such an important role in most streetscapes but especially in suburbia where the repetition of built form and front lawns can become almost claustrophobic. These clients wanted something different to look out on from inside of their… Read more ›

26/09/2021

Kath Gadd

Groundcover, Landscape Design, Naturalistic garden, Ornamental grass, Portfolio, Screening plants, Small tree

Portfolio: Gardening in Wind

This is my sisters garden on ‘Windy Hill’ as we like to call it, it gets so windy here the rubbish bins get blown down the street, gates are blown off their hinges and plants find it tough! Her front… Read more ›

27/08/2021 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Hedge, Ornamental grass, Portfolio, Screening plants, Small tree

Acacia baileyana prostrate, Acacia binervia Stirling Silver, Acacia cardiophylla, Baeckea linifolia, Banksia 'Sentinel', Banksia integrifolia 'Roller Coaster', Calothamnus quadrifidus grey form, Casuarina 'Green Wave', clay soils, Eucalyptus 'Euky Dwarf', Eucalyptus pulverulenta 'Baby Blue', foliage contrast, Grevillea 'Amber Blaze', Grevillea 'Red Hooks', Grevillea banksii prostrate White, grey green leaves, Poa 'Kingsdale', weeping habit, wind tolerant

Instagram #INeedABirdbathHere Winner and Entries!

We’ve been simply blown away by the beautiful garden entries we received in our most recent birdbath competition #INeedABirdbathHere. We asked our followers to send us photos of their gardens for the chance to win a Freshly Spun Medium Copper… Read more ›

12/08/2021

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Naturalistic garden, Ornamental grass, Small tree

bird-attracting, birdbaths, birdsinbackyards, habitat garden, nativegarden

Portfolio: St Ives Landscape Design

This garden in the leafy north shore suburb of St Ives was designed last year and built only 7 months ago, by Ash from ‘Living on the Hedge’. Part of the brief for this garden was to have plenty of… Read more ›

07/06/2021 7 Comments

Kath Gadd

AILDM, Bird attracting, Butterfly attracting, Groundcover, Hedge, Landscape Design, Medium Tree, Ornamental grass, Portfolio, Screening plants, Small tree, Uncategorized, Winter flowering

Portfolio: Bundeena Tree House

This an amazing house which spills over a sandstone outcrop and is placed underneath a giant fig tree. It is sheltered by a stand of Casuarinas and hidden from the street by its rapidly growing native garden. The garden has… Read more ›

02/06/2021

Kath Gadd

AILDM, Bird attracting, Coastal, Groundcover, Hedge, Naturalistic garden, Ornamental grass, Portfolio, Screening plants, Shade tolerant

Banksia 'Sentinel', Callistemon 'Pink Champagne', Calothamnus quadrifidus grey form, Casuarina 'Green Wave', Cissus antartica, Ficinia nodosa, Ficus, Grevillea 'Gin Gin Gem', Grevillea flexuosa Grafted, Leptospermum laevigatum 'Foreshore', Lomandra 'Tanika', Maireana oppositifolia 'Smokey', Microlaena stipoides, Poa 'Kingsdale', Sydney Sandstone

But what’s the difference? Banksia spinulosa Dwarfs

There are so many different cultivars now of Banksia spinulosa that it is difficult to know which to choose… although they all look similar independently when you see them next to each other whilst they are flowering they really do… Read more ›

28/04/2021 2 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Natives for containers, Small garden, Winter flowering

Autumn Flowering, Banksia 'Birthday Candles', Banksia 'Cherry Candles', Banksia 'Coastal Cushions', Banksia 'Honey Pots', Banksia 'Stumpy Gold', banksia spinulosa cultivar, Banksia spinulosa dwarf, Banksia spinulosa Dwarfs, bee attracting, dense habit, drought tolerant, large flower, low mounding shrub, low spreading habit, slow growing

Portfolio: Woolooware Rejuvenation

This native garden in Woolooware has a new owner, someone who is keen to be the new caretaker of the space and is looking forward to maintaining the native plants and learning more about them along the way. Someone who… Read more ›

19/03/2021 7 Comments

Kath Gadd

AILDM, Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Hedge, Landscape Design, Portfolio, Screening plants, Winter flowering

Bee Friendly Gardening

Bees play an important role in our ecosystem and we rely heavily on them to pollinate our food crops and our native bushland, not to mention supply us with delicious honey. There are over 1,500 native bee species in Australia… Read more ›

05/02/2021 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Groundcover, Medium Tree, Screening plants, Small tree, Winter flowering

Angophora hispida, Autumn Flowering, Banksia oblongifolia, banksia spinulosa, Bauera rubioides, bee attracting, blue flower, blue-banded bees, Brachyscome sp., Bracteantha sp., carpenter bees, Conostylis candicans, Correa alba, Correa glabra, Dampiera spps, Eucalyptus leucoxylon, Eucalyptus paniculata, Gahnia sieberiana, Goodenia ovata, Guichenotia macrantha, Hakea laurina, Hardenbergia violacea, Hibbertia sp., Jasminum suavissimum, Lambertia formosa, Lomatia myricoides, Lomatia silaifolia, long flowering period, Melaleuca thymifolia, Micromyrtus ciliata, Myoporum parvifolium, native bees, Oleraria sp., Ozothamnus diosmifolius, Persoonia pinifolia, Phebalium squamulosum, Philotheca difformis 'Starsprite', Plectranthus sp., pollination, Prostanthera sp., purple flowers, Scaevola Mauve Clusters, Scaevola spps., Senna artemisoides, summer flowering, Tecomanthe hillii, Tetragonula, Viminaria juncea, Viola hederacea, white flower, winter flowering, year round flowering, yellow flowers

The densely layered Leptospermum rotundifolium ‘Julie Ann’

It’s no secret that I love tea trees, I forgive them for their short flowering periods and sometimes sporadic and un reliable floral displays, and this particular Tea Tree has really tested my patience. This is Leptospermum rotundifolium ‘Julie Ann’ a… Read more ›

12/10/2020

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Drought hardy, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Winter flowering

bee attracting, carpeting ground cover, coastal garden, dense habit, fast growing, frost tolerant, native insect attracting, pink flowers, wind tolerant

Screening with Hardenbergia violacea

This climber always surprises me every year with how aptly it lives up to its common name of Happy Wanderer. The little pea flower spikes really do have tiny smiling faces with bright green eyes. Hardenbergia violacea is a local… Read more ›

23/08/2020

Kath Gadd

Groundcover, Illawarra natives, Screening plants, Shade tolerant, Uncategorized, Winter flowering

climber, dense habit, Hardenbergia violacea, native insect attracting, privacy screen, prolific flowers, purple flowers

The Grevillea that ticks all the boxes: Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’

This low growing shrub is one of my favourite Grevilleas, it covers itself in pinky red flowers all through winter to attract the birds and the bees. It has a naturally dense habit which can only be improved with a… Read more ›

16/06/2020 4 Comments

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Small garden, Winter flowering

bee attracting, dense habit, Grevillea 'Winter Delight', grey green leaves, long flowering period, low growing, low mounding shrub, low spreading habit, part shade, pink flowers, Red flowers, small bird attracting, well drained soil, wildlife habitat

Portfolio: West Wollongong Revisit

The images in this blog post were taken of a local garden I designed a few years ago which has been filling out beautifully. The requested privacy is beginning to really take shape, the front garden has been reclaimed as… Read more ›

09/06/2020

Kath Gadd

AILDM, Bird attracting, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Hedge, Landscape Design, Natives for containers, Portfolio, Screening plants, Small garden, Winter flowering

Health Benefits of Gardening

Stress Relief, Connection to Nature, Connection to Community, Physical Health, Personal Growth ….just to name a few! I am no stranger to “stress weeding” or “stress pruning” for that matter. There is something indescribably satisfying about pulling unwanted weeds out… Read more ›

23/04/2020

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Landscape Design, Naturalistic garden, Screening plants, Small garden, Uncategorized

aildm_aus, Anigozanthos 'Landscape Lilac', Australian Native Garden, benefits of gardening, Eremohpila nivea 'Blue Velvet', Eremophila 'Nivea' Grafted, Everlasting Daisies, gardening, mental health, Modern Australian Native Garden, Native Garden Design, Rhodanthe chlorocephala ssp. rosea, stress relief, wellbeing

Portfolio: Summer Hill Garden Design

This tiny garden in Sydney’s inner west is very shady to say the least, there were three existing native trees in the garden competing for space. However, they are all relatively small and although they took up most of the… Read more ›

08/04/2020 7 Comments

Kath Gadd

AILDM, Groundcover, Naturalistic garden, Portfolio, Shade tolerant, Small garden, Small tree

Archirhodomyrtus beckleri, Carex appressa, Decomposed Crushed Granite, Dichondra repens, Leptospermum petersonii, Libertia paniculata, moraea robinsoniana, narrow habit, pathways, Phebalium squamulosum, Rhagodia spinescens, sandstone flagging, shade tolerant, steppers, Viola hederacea

Portfolio: Stanmore Landscape Design

This small garden in the inner west of Sydney is a sight to behold after the recent rains. It is hard to believe that most of these plants have only been in for 6 months, that is the beauty of… Read more ›

09/03/2020 4 Comments

Kath Gadd

AILDM, Bird attracting, Groundcover, Naturalistic garden, Ornamental grass, Portfolio, Screening plants, Small garden, Small tree

Portfolio: Garden Design West Wollongong

“In short, can’t thank you enough for the difference your design and expertise have made to our street frontage, never mind our well- being during lockdown.” September 14th 2021 The brief for this garden was inspired by another Mallee Design… Read more ›

21/02/2020 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

AILDM, Bird attracting, Groundcover, Landscape Design, Portfolio, Screening plants, Small tree, Winter flowering

Acacia 'Mini Cog', Acacia baileyana prostrate, aildm, aildm_aus, Casuarina 'Cousin It', Concrete sleepers, Corten Steel, Decomposed Crushed Granite, Eucalyptus caesia 'Silver Princess', Eucalyptus pulverulenta 'Baby Blue', Grevillea 'Amber Blaze', Grevillea 'Dorothy Gordon', Hibiscus tiliaceus rubra, Myoporum parvifolium, naturalhabitatlandscapes, Redcore Steel

Silver in the Shade: Plectranthus argentatus

If you are looking for a native understory plant to grow where no plant has succeeded before give Plectranthus argentatus a try. It will grow in the dry soil under large trees and ramble about filling in bare patches and… Read more ›

11/02/2020

Kath Gadd

Bush tucker, Drought hardy, Groundcover, Naturalistic garden, Shade tolerant

Bush Foods, Dianella caerulea, dry shade, foliage contrast, large leaves, Plectranthus argentatus, rainforest species, silver foliage, understory planting, well drained soil

Low and Large: Grevillea ‘Cooroora Cascade’

This Grevillea ground cover always looks optimistic to me, with its large sunny gold flowers and luscious green fine leaves, it scrambles around the garden filling gaps with its happy go lucky stems. Grevillea ‘Cooroora Cascade’ is a prostrate form of… Read more ›

05/02/2020 1 Comment

Kath Gadd

Bird attracting, Coastal, Drought hardy, Feature shrub, Groundcover, Natives for containers

carpeting ground cover, dense habit, drought resistant, Grevillea 'Cooroora Cascade', large flower, small bird attracting, spill over, summer flowering, weeping habit, well drained soil, yellow flowers

Are native plants really drought tolerant? Casuarina ‘Cousin It’

When someone tells you they want a drought tolerant garden, what comes to mind? or you may be told a certain plant is ‘water wise’ what does this really mean? As the current drought wears on and wears thin and watering… Read more ›

30/12/2019

Kath Gadd

Coastal, Drought hardy, Frost tolerant, Groundcover, Natives for containers, Small garden

carpeting ground cover, Casuarina 'Cousin It', Casuarina glauca prostrate form, clay soils, frost tolerant, weeping habit, wind tolerant

Mallee Design

Native Garden Design & Consultation

Category Archives: Groundcover

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Light it up: Grevillea lanigera ‘Mellow Yellow’

A true carpeting ground cover: Pratia pedunculata

Most Memorable Planting Combinations at the National Arboretum

Inala Conservation Reserve: Bruny Island

The almost native pig face: xDisphyllum ‘Sunburn’

Portfolio: Helensburgh Consult

Portfolio: Gardening in Wind

Instagram #INeedABirdbathHere Winner and Entries!

Portfolio: St Ives Landscape Design

Portfolio: Bundeena Tree House

But what’s the difference? Banksia spinulosa Dwarfs

Portfolio: Woolooware Rejuvenation

Bee Friendly Gardening

The densely layered Leptospermum rotundifolium ‘Julie Ann’

Screening with Hardenbergia violacea

The Grevillea that ticks all the boxes: Grevillea ‘Winter Delight’

Portfolio: West Wollongong Revisit

Health Benefits of Gardening

Portfolio: Summer Hill Garden Design

Portfolio: Stanmore Landscape Design

Portfolio: Garden Design West Wollongong

Silver in the Shade: Plectranthus argentatus

Low and Large: Grevillea ‘Cooroora Cascade’

Are native plants really drought tolerant? Casuarina ‘Cousin It’