White Digger's Speedwell

White Digger's Speedwell (Veronica perfoliata 'Alba') is the white flowered form of a hardy Australian native perennial, and one of the easiest plants for a front border. Rounded blue grey leaves clasp the arching stems all year, then sprays of small white flowers open through late spring and summer. It settles at about 60cm tall and 80cm wide, handles frost and drought, and does not mind poor soil.

Why you'll love it

• Foliage that carries the quiet months. The blue grey perfoliate leaves are reason enough to plant it, so the border still looks considered out of flower.
• Bees and butterflies work it hard. The sprays are small but produced in quantity, a useful filler in a pollinator planting.
• Frost hardy and drought tolerant. It comes through cold southern winters and long dry spells once the roots are down.
• Low and spreading. It covers ground and softens an edge without becoming a plant you have to manage.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 50cm apart along a path or bed front. At that spacing the arching stems overlap into a soft continuous line within a season.

Rockeries and dry banks. Sharp drainage and lean soil suit it, and the low spreading habit knits gravel and stone together on a slope.

Mass planting and pots. The same 50cm spacing works for a broad drift, and in a 300mm pot the stems arch over the rim.

Growing Digger's Speedwell in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the tightest habit and heaviest flowering, though it takes light shade. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, including districts that frost properly. Humid tropical gardens are not its territory: warm wet air brings fungal problems in the foliage.

Soil. Free draining is the only real requirement. Poor sandy ground is fine, while rich moist soil pushes soft growth and a shorter life. On clay, raise the bed and work grit through the backfill.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in extended dry weather. A light native fertiliser in early spring is plenty, and heavy feeding does more harm than good.

Pruning. This is the one job it asks for. Shear it back by about a third after flowering, because untrimmed plants go leggy and open out in the middle by their third year.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock and as 140mm plants in packs of ten. Both are young, which is normal for a fast establishing perennial and keeps a whole border affordable. Tubes cover their spacing by the end of the first season, with 140mm plants a few months ahead.

Stems can arrive bent from the box and lift again within a week or two. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Water in well and expect flowers in the first summer, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full Australian native plant range.
• Compare other plants for rockeries and dry banks.
• See what else supports bees and butterflies.
• Read our guide to choosing edging plants.

Common questions

Is this the same plant as Parahebe perfoliata?

Yes. It has been sold under both names for years; the accepted name is now Veronica perfoliata. Nothing about the plant or its care changes.

How far apart should I plant it?

Fifty centimetres apart for edging or a mass planting. That lets each plant reach its 80cm spread and overlap its neighbours without crowding.

Will it survive a frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy and comes through tableland and southern winters without protection, pausing growth over the coldest weeks.

Why has mine gone leggy and bare in the middle?

It has not been cut back. Shear it by a third after flowering each year and it stays dense. A plant that has already opened out can be cut harder in early spring and will reshoot.