Silver Carpet

Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae) is a groundcover that behaves like a living paver: about 5cm tall, dense enough to shut out weeds, and tough enough to take light foot traffic. Each plant spreads to roughly 60cm, knitting with its neighbours into a flat grey green mat flecked with small yellow daisies in the warm months. Between steppers, along paths and around pools, it does the job a lawn cannot.

Why you'll love it

• You can walk on it. Unlike most groundcovers it genuinely tolerates light foot traffic, which is why it is the standard choice between stepping stones.
• Safe for paws. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, so it suits family gardens where pets cross it daily.
• Almost no upkeep. No mowing, no edging, no deadheading. A mature mat suppresses weeds as it goes.
• Thrives where lawns give up. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil.
• Quietly good looking. The leaves are grey green above and silver beneath, so the whole carpet shimmers when the wind moves it.

Where it works best

Between steppers and along paths. This is its signature use: planted in the gaps, it fills into a flat living mortar that stays below trip height forever.

Mass planting as a lawn alternative. Plant 25cm apart, which works out to 16 plants per square metre, for a dense carpet across low traffic areas, verges and banks.

Poolside, rockeries and borders. It stays flat, drops nothing in the water and takes reflected heat off paving, and it edges beds as neatly as it fills them.

Growing Silver Carpet in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun is important; the mat thins and opens in shade. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid climates. It handles light frost only, so in cold inland districts expect some winter browning and slower cover, and in hard frost hollows choose another groundcover.

Soil. Free draining above all: sandy and gravelly soils are ideal, and poor soil is no obstacle. On clay, improve drainage or plant into raised gaps between pavers.

Water and feed. Water regularly through the first summer while the mat knits, then taper to occasional deep drinks; established carpets are impressively waterwise. Feeding is rarely needed beyond a light spring dressing.

Pruning. None. If a runner creeps over a paver edge, trim it with shears once a year.

What to expect when it arrives

Silver Carpet is sold as tube stock, the right way to buy a groundcover: economical, quick to root out, easy to plant in quantity. Tubes arrive as small rooted plants a few centimetres across, ready to go straight into prepared gaps or beds.

At 25cm spacing, allow 16 tubes per square metre and expect the mat to close over one to two warm seasons, faster with regular establishment watering. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Groundcovers for planting between steppers
• A guide to the top groundcover plants
• Browse our climbers and groundcovers
• Seaside Daisy, a soft flowering companion groundcover

Common questions

How much foot traffic can it take?

Light, regular traffic: think stepping between pavers, kids cutting across, the dog's daily route. Keep heavy, constant traffic to the steppers themselves.

How many plants do I need?

At the recommended 25cm spacing you need 16 tubes per square metre. For gaps between pavers, one tube per gap of hand width or wider is a good rule.

Is it safe for dogs and cats?

Yes, it is not toxic to pets. It also recovers well from the wear of a dog trotting the same line, provided the route is not constant.

Will it grow in shade?

Not well. In shade the mat turns sparse and stops suppressing weeds. Give it open sun, and in shaded gaps use a shade tolerant groundcover instead.

Does frost kill it?

Light frosts only mark it, and the mat recovers in spring. Repeated hard frosts will thin or kill patches, so it is not the pick for cold tableland gardens.