15+ Tough Ground Covers Growing in My Queensland Garden

This morning I was walking around the garden and thought I’d film some of my favourite ground covers. They’re such an important part of the garden – especially the really tough ones that can handle the heat, humidity, and rain. They protect the soil and keep everything looking lush, even when the weather’s been all over the place.

The first one I stopped at is Epipremnum, or golden pothos. I absolutely love this plant. It doesn’t get out of hand, it’s super hardy, and this one’s growing in a shady spot that only gets a bit of afternoon sun. It doesn’t seem to mind that at all.

Next is betel leaf. It’s not for the faint of heart because it can spread fast and turn into a huge patch. But it’s edible, useful, and incredibly tough. I love how glossy the leaves are, and the little white flowers are quite pretty. It even grows right through the lawn and doesn’t mind getting mowed. If you don’t want it spreading, maybe skip this one.

Then there’s comfrey. It’s a bit taller than the others, but I still think it belongs in this list. It’s great for the soil, useful for making ointments and creams, and the light purple flowers are lovely. It’s one of my all-time favourite plants.

Cuphea is another one I adore. The flowers are beautiful and it doesn’t seem to mind if it’s wet or dry. Mine is a bit overgrown at the moment, but it just keeps going.

Bromeliads also make a great ground cover. They’re tough and look fantastic. Just be careful of the sharp leaf edges! I’ve scratched my arms and hands a few times if I’m not wearing long gloves. I’ve got a few different types planted together here.

In between the bromeliads, I’ve planted mondo grass. I didn’t expect it to grow well in the tropics, but it’s doing really well. One thing to note—if you’ve got horses, keep them away. They love it.

Heliconia Jamaican Dwarf is another good one. Not everyone thinks of it as a ground cover, but it stays low, spreads out nicely, and when it flowers, it’s absolutely beautiful. I use it to fill gaps and it adds a nice tropical look.

We’ve also got Impatiens Tom Thumb. My daughter grew these from seed and they’ve self-seeded all over the place. They grow to around 30cm tall and form a lovely cover.

Right next to them is marigold. It makes a great ground cover and helps with pest control. The flowers are gorgeous too.

Pennyroyal is one of the densest, low-growing covers I’ve found. It spreads easily and gives really good coverage. It’s also good for pest repelling.

Spider plant is another one that’s working well. You can get one plant and propagate it easily by cutting off the babies. I just stick them in water or straight into the soil and they take off.

There’s more betel leaf growing near the native Aussie ginger. It handles part shade really well and fills in space nicely.

Brazilian spinach adds a nice dark green colour to the garden. It grows almost anywhere, but I find it prefers a bit of shade and moisture. It’s edible too, though I find it a bit slimy if eaten raw.

In a polystyrene box I’ve got kang kong, or water spinach. It’s one of the few spinach alternatives I actually enjoy eating. The smaller leaves are good raw, and the bigger ones cook really well. It roots wherever it touches the ground and spreads quickly. It does need a fair bit of water, which is why I’ve got it in the box.

I nearly forgot sambung, or longevity spinach. It’s one of my favourite medicinal plants. I believe the name means “life extender” in Malay. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s worth growing. Even the dog loves it.

Syngonium, or arrowhead plant, spreads really well and comes in some lovely colours. You can see it popping up all through this patch, even right next to the shampoo ginger and betel leaf.

And finally, pinto peanut. I’ve spoken about this one before – it’s just a fantastic plant. It fixes nitrogen, covers the soil, has beautiful yellow flowers, and spreads well. Livestock love it. It’s great under fruit trees or anywhere you need coverage.

If you’re gardening in Queensland or a similar climate, these might be worth trying. Let me know your favourites!

What ground covers do you love growing in your climate? Leave a comment below or share what’s working in your patch – I’m always keen to hear what others are growing!