Covering the ground with plants has its benefits for the summer months:

• It provides trees and shrubs with shaded cover on their important feeder roots close to the surface, cutting down heat stress and keeping the roots cooler.
• It can reduces the watering required as the soil takes longer to dry out between waterings or rain intervals because it is not exposed to the beating sun.
• It is easier to maintain, limits weed germination and weed spraying between shrubs and trees.
• It looks aesthetically more pleasing compared to bare dry ground
• Companion planting provides interest and habitat for insects and birds.
• Holds and stabilises banks, retaining walls and potential slip areas.
• Helps hold the stone, chip, or mulch in place to stop the birds from flicking it out onto the lawn.
• Cuts down the dust nuisance of bare ground in those late afternoon north westerlies.

Planting of ground covers need to be done well before summer arrives, this insures good root development and plants are well settled in before January.

Mulch is recommended around plants to help with moisture retention and to keep the weeds at bay while they are establishing.

When choosing a plant cover, make sure you consider the size the cover will eventually grow to as planting too close together can result in plants overlapping each other and growing higher than desired.

And colour is most important; don’t put grey or blue foliage ground covers next to concrete edging as it looks washed out, better to use a green foliage plant, and consider putting the grey or blue foliage ground cover next to lawn or wooden edging for contrast.

My pick of best performers during the long hot summer months:

Pimelea “Misty blue” is a low -growing plant with A flowering habit. Masses of little white flowers are produced all summer long, followed by translucent white berries.

This groundcover grows in most places, but prefers full sun and dry, sandy or stoney areas.

This form of Pimelea is very flat and has blue leaves, which looks great against mown lawn edge or other green-leaved groundcovers and looks charming hanging over wooden retaining walls.

Coprosma “hawera” is a very attractive, tough and tidy groundcover that grows flat to the ground and with a fine lime green foliage appearance.

This hardy versatile plant tolerates light foot traffic and the occasional vehicle. It can be clipped to form shapes, animals and symbols on the ground and surrounded by light coloured stone or chip can make a striking centrepiece to any home garden, with little cost and limited only by your imagination.

Locally, this Coprosma has been planted at the Hub roundabouts in a koru shape, which is looks amazing from an aerial view.

Muehlenbeckia axillaris or pohuehue is a sprawling horizontal plant with slender wiry stems and mall dark green leaves which form patches up to 1 metre across.

In spring through to autumn, it has very tiny creamy flowers, which are sweetly scented in late afternoon sun and are followed by tiny jewel like berries, which are enjoyed by birds, insects and lizards.

Pohuehue grows well in stoney places, is very hardy in hot, dry places where nothing else will grow, and tolerates poor soil types.

Pratia angulata, or Lobelia angulata, as it is now known, is a fast-growing creeping herb, which quickly covers bare ground in the garden.

Masses of white flowers cover the plants over spring and summer.

It prefers a shady aspect and works well on the south side of the house, where it’s usually dry and shady. It can be frosted but usually comes away in the spring.

This groundcover will take root wherever it touches, so one plant can cover quite a distance. Keep it clear around shrubs and trees as it can climb and take over if not kept in check. Looks great around the base of trees on mass.