Country Park Blue Star Creeper

Country Park Blue Star Creeper (Lobelia pedunculata 'Country Park', still widely sold as Pratia pedunculata) is the lawn substitute for the awkward strip nothing else will cover. It sits about 100mm high and spreads to a metre, knitting into a flat green mat scattered with small pale blue stars through the warmer months. It takes light foot traffic, so it works between pavers and steppers where turf gives up.

Why you'll love it

• It closes over fast. Planted 30cm apart it knits into continuous cover in a single growing season, which is quick for a groundcover this fine.
• It handles wet ground. Unlike most low groundcovers it tolerates wet feet, so damp lawn corners and the run beside a downpipe are fair game.
• Frost hardy and Australian. A south-eastern native that shrugs off frost, so cool temperate gardens can use it as freely as warmer ones, and the blue flowers bring bees and butterflies with them.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 30cm apart in a grid across the bed. At that spacing the plants meet in a season, and closer planting only wastes stock without closing the gaps sooner.

Between pavers and steppers. Set single plants into the gaps at 30cm centres, firm them in, and keep the water up until they take. This is where it beats a mown edge outright.

Rockeries, borders and edging. It spills over stone and softens a hard edge without ever getting tall enough to need cutting back.

Growing blue star creeper in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the densest flowering in sun and better summer performance with some afternoon shade. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens and is properly frost hardy. It is not a plant for the dry inland or the wet tropics.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil improved with compost. It is one of the few groundcovers that copes with soil staying wet, so heavy clay and low spots are not the problem they usually are.

Water and feed. This one wants moisture. Water two or three times a week while it establishes, then keep it damp through summer, because a dry mat browns off quickly. A light feed in early spring and again at midsummer keeps the colour even.

Pruning. Almost none. Run a mower over it on the highest setting, or shear it lightly in late winter if the mat has gone patchy, and it comes back thicker.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: tube stock, and 140mm plants in packs of ten. Tubes are small, a plug of roots and a few runners, and they are the sensible buy for covering any real area at 30cm centres. The 140mm plants are further along and worth it for a short paver run.

Groundcovers of this type travel well because there is little top growth to damage. Plant them out promptly, water in with a seaweed tonic, and expect visible spread within three to four weeks in warm weather. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Groundcovers that suit the gaps between steppers
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Compare plants for rockeries and stone edges
• See more Australian natives

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At the recommended 30cm spacing you need about eleven plants per square metre. A pack of ten 140mm plants therefore covers close to a square metre, and tubes are the cheaper way to do anything larger.

Can I actually walk on it?

Light foot traffic, yes, which is what makes it useful between pavers. It is not a turf replacement for a play area or a path in daily use, and constant traffic will wear it through.

Does it need much water?

More than most groundcovers. It tolerates wet soil rather than dry, so plan on regular summer watering and avoid using it in a garden you intend to leave unirrigated.