Retaining walls are practical landscape features, but they can sometimes look harsh or dominate a garden. One of the best ways to soften their appearance is by planting trailing or cascading plants that spill gently over the edges.
Trailing plants create a natural “waterfall” effect, adding texture, greenery and colour while helping the garden feel more established. Many of these plants are also hardy and low maintenance, making them perfect for difficult areas such as rock walls, slopes and raised garden beds. (ModularWalls)
This guide highlights some of the best trailing plants for retaining walls in Australian gardens.
Why use trailing plants on retaining walls?
Trailing plants are ideal for hardscape areas because they:
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Soften the hard lines of stone or concrete
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Add depth and texture to garden design
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Help stabilise soil on slopes
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Provide ground cover that reduces weeds
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Create a lush, natural appearance
Many cascading plants are drought tolerant and thrive in sunny, well-drained conditions often found around retaining walls.
Best trailing plants for retaining walls
Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’
One of the most popular cascading plants for retaining walls. It produces long trailing stems with soft silver foliage that drapes beautifully over edges. (ModularWalls)
Best for:
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Modern landscapes
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Pots and retaining walls
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Full sun to part shade
Trailing Rosemary (Rosmarinus prostratus)
A hardy, evergreen herb that spreads and cascades over walls. It also produces small blue flowers and can be used in cooking. (ModularWalls)
Best for:
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Sunny retaining walls
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Mediterranean gardens
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Drought-tolerant landscapes
Creeping Boobialla (Myoporum)
This tough Australian native spreads quickly and forms a dense carpet of foliage that drapes over edges. (Ozbreed Plants)
Best for:
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Coastal gardens
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Erosion control
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Low-maintenance landscapes
Hibbertia (Trailing Guinea Flower)
A native trailing plant that produces bright yellow flowers and can spill over retaining walls and rockeries.
Best for:
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Native gardens
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Sunny slopes and walls
Casuarina ‘Cousin It’
A unique native groundcover with long flowing foliage that cascades dramatically over retaining walls. (ModularWalls)
Best for:
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Contemporary landscapes
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Coastal gardens
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Rockeries and walls
Brachyscome (Native Daisy)
A hardy Australian native that produces small daisy-like flowers and can spill attractively over edges and garden beds. (Wikipedia)
Best for:
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Cottage-style gardens
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Colourful borders
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Retaining wall edges
Pigface (Carpobrotus)
A hardy coastal groundcover with bright flowers and thick succulent leaves. It spreads quickly and handles heat and salt exposure well.
Best for:
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Coastal retaining walls
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Sandy soils
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Low-water gardens
Hardenbergia
Often grown as a climber, Hardenbergia can also trail along slopes or cascade over walls, producing masses of purple flowers.
Best for:
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Native gardens
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Spring colour
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Sunny retaining walls
Flowering trailing plants
If you want colour along your retaining wall, these plants perform well:
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Trailing lobelia
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Verbena
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Creeping thyme
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Blue rock bindweed (Convolvulus)
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Nasturtium
Many of these plants flower through spring and summer while cascading beautifully over garden edges.
Designing with trailing plants
To get the best effect from cascading plants:
Plant at the top of the wall
This allows stems to naturally spill down the face of the wall.
Use repetition
Plant the same variety every 60–90 cm for a consistent look.
Mix foliage and flowering plants
Combine silver foliage plants with colourful flowers for contrast.
Layer with upright plants
Place taller shrubs behind trailing plants for depth.
Best conditions for trailing plants
Most trailing plants for retaining walls prefer:
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Full sun to partial shade
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Well-drained soil
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Moderate watering during establishment
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Occasional pruning to control growth
Hardscape areas often reflect heat, so choosing drought-tolerant plants is important.
Final thoughts
Trailing plants are one of the easiest ways to turn a plain retaining wall into a stunning garden feature. Their cascading growth softens hard edges and creates a lush, natural effect that improves the overall landscape.
By choosing hardy varieties suited to your climate and positioning them correctly along the top of the wall, you can create a beautiful flowing garden that requires very little maintenance.