Ajuga ‘Tuff n Tidy’

Ajuga 'Tuff n Tidy' (Ajuga reptans hybrid) is the carpeting groundcover for a bed you would rather not weed every fortnight. It sits about 15cm high and spreads to 60cm across, lifting blue and purple flower spikes to roughly 25cm in spring. This selection was chosen for heat and humidity tolerance, so it holds together through a warm wet summer where older ajugas thin out. Planted 30cm apart it closes into a dense weed suppressing carpet.

Why you'll love it

• It smothers weeds. At 30cm spacing, about eleven plants to the square metre, the runners knit into continuous cover and leave little bare soil for weed seed.
• Spring flower spikes. Blue and purple spikes stand clear of the foliage for several weeks, and bees and butterflies work them steadily.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established and content in poor soil, which few ornamental groundcovers manage.
• Sun or part shade. Full sun suits cooler gardens and afternoon shade suits warmer ones, so it also works under open trees.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 30cm apart in a staggered grid and expect full cover within a season. Under trees or along a fence line, it does the job a lawn cannot.

Borders and edging. A single row at 30cm softens a path edge and never needs clipping. The spikes give a few weeks of colour, then it returns to quiet green.

Slopes, walls and pots. Runners root as they travel, binding loose soil on a batter and spilling over a retaining wall. It also works as an underplanting around a potted tree.

Growing Ajuga 'Tuff n Tidy' in Australia

Position and climate. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens. Full sun gives the tightest growth in the south, but in subtropical districts give it morning sun and afternoon shade to cut the risk of rot in humid weather.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil works, including poor ground, provided water moves through it. Standing moisture is the one thing it will not forgive, so on clay raise the bed and work compost through before planting.

Water and feed. Water twice a week for the first two months, then only in dry spells. A light dose of complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough for the year.

Maintenance. Shear the spent flower spikes after the spring flush to keep the mat flat. If a patch thins, lift rooted runners and replant them into the gap.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock and in 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are small young plants with a developing root system, and they are the sensible choice for a large area because you need a lot of them. The 140mm pack gives you established rosettes that begin running within weeks.

Groundcovers travel well because they sit low in the box, though light leaf bruising is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing the right groundcover for your garden
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Low maintenance groundcovers compared
• Edging plants for a clean garden line

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At the recommended 30cm spacing you need about eleven plants for each square metre. Stretch it to 40cm if you are happy to wait a second season for the gaps to close.

Will it take foot traffic?

Light and occasional traffic only. It is not a lawn substitute, so run steppers through anywhere people walk regularly.

Does it spread where I do not want it?

It creeps by surface runners rather than seed, so a spade run along the edge once or twice a year keeps it in bounds. A path or hard border stops it outright.

Will it survive frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy and holds its foliage through cold winters, though growth stalls until the soil warms in spring.