Goodenia Gold Cover

Goodenia 'Gold Cover' (Goodenia ovata 'Gold Cover') is the native groundcover to reach for when the site is difficult. It runs to about 1.5m wide while staying near 30cm tall, covering ground quickly with bright green foliage and small yellow flowers through the warm months. What sets it apart is the range it accepts: frost, drought, poor soil and damp ground are all within its tolerance.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground fast. A fast growing selection, so a tube stock planting closes over in a season or two rather than leaving you weeding bare soil.
• Wet or dry, it copes. Drought tolerant once established and tolerant of wet feet, so you can run it from the top of a slope to the damp base.
• Yellow flowers for months. Small bright blooms sit over the foliage through spring and summer, and continue on and off in mild gardens.
• Frost hardy, native and low maintenance. An Australian native from the south east, worked by local bees, and undamaged by cold southern winters.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 80cm apart for a dense cover. The plants meet and knit within a season or two, close enough to suppress weeds without crowding.

Retaining walls and slopes. The spreading habit spills over a wall edge and the roots help hold a batter. On a slope, plant in staggered rows at the same 80cm spacing.

Rockeries and bed edges. It softens rock and paving edges without lifting them, and at 30cm high it never blocks a path.

Growing Goodenia Gold Cover in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, and part shade works with looser growth. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, so Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane are all in range. Frost hardiness makes it a rare native groundcover for cold inland gardens.

Soil. Genuinely undemanding. Sandy, clay based and poor soils all work, and unlike most natives it tolerates ground that holds moisture. Improve heavy clay with compost and gypsum, and mulch 50mm deep until the plants close over.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to get the roots down, then only in extended dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring if growth looks tired, though it rarely needs feeding.

Pruning. Shear it back by about a third after the main flowering to keep the centre dense and stop it going woody. It takes a hard cut, so an old patch can be renovated rather than replaced.

What to expect when it arrives

Gold Cover is grown in two sizes: tube stock, and 140mm pots sold in packs of ten. Tube plants are young, usually 10cm to 15cm of growth, and they are the sensible choice for a large bank because the cost per square metre is far lower.

Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Plant into a weeded, mulched bed within a week of arrival. Expect runners to move within four to six weeks in warm weather, and a closed cover by the end of the second season. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Easy to grow groundcover options for any garden
• Browse every groundcover we grow
• Compare hardy Australian native plants
• Plants for retaining walls and steep slopes

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 80cm spacing you need roughly one and a half plants per square metre, so a pack of ten 140mm plants covers around six square metres. Order slightly over for an irregular bed.

Will it grow in a wet spot?

Yes, and that is one of its real strengths. It tolerates soil that stays damp, so it suits the base of a slope or a bed that drains slowly, provided water is not standing permanently.

Does it need cutting back?

A shear back by about a third after the main flowering keeps it dense and stops the centre going woody. Beyond that it asks for nothing.