Dichondra Tiny Delight (PBR)

Dichondra Tiny Delight (Dichondra repens 'Parvulus') is a miniature form of the native kidney weed, grown as a lawn you never have to mow. It sits only about 5cm high and each plant spreads to roughly 60cm, forming a soft mat of tiny round leaves that takes light foot traffic. It is an Australian native and safe around cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• A lawn without a mower. It tops out around 5cm, so a verge or courtyard can read like turf with none of the mowing, edging or fuel.
• Pet friendly. Kidney weed is not toxic to cats or dogs, and the mat copes with a dog crossing it every day.
• Wet or dry, it copes. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and tolerant of wet feet, an unusual combination in a groundcover.
• Native and fine textured. Indigenous to Australia and New Zealand, with leaves small enough to read as a carpet rather than a groundcover.

Where it works best

Lawn substitute and mass planting. Plant 30cm apart for a dense lawn like cover, roughly 11 plants a square metre, and expect it to close over in a season of warm weather.

Between pavers and steppers. The low habit and traffic tolerance make it the standard choice for the gaps in a stepper path, where turf struggles.

Borders and pots. It softens a bed edge, and in a container it spills over the rim without swamping whatever it is planted with.

Growing dichondra in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade to full sun, in subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It is frost hardy, so southern winters are fine, though the mat looks tired after a hard frost and greens up in spring.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil, cleared of weeds and lightly cultivated first. Weed control before planting matters more than soil improvement, because a young mat cannot compete while it is still closing.

Water and feed. Keep it damp for the first six to eight weeks while the runners knit, then water weekly through dry spells. A light application of lawn fertiliser in spring and again in late summer keeps the colour even.

Mowing and maintenance. None of the usual lawn work. Hand weed while it establishes, and run a whipper snipper over it once a year only if you want it flatter still.

What to expect when it arrives

Tiny Delight comes two ways: 140mm pots in packs of ten, and 330mm plant tiles. A tile is a pre grown mat about a third of a metre square, so nine tiles cover a square metre instantly. Pots planted at 30cm cost less and take a season to close.

Both arrive green and dense, and both flatten a little in transit, which recovers within days of planting. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• No mow ground covers for Australian gardens
• A gardener's guide to kidney weed
• Browse instant cover plant tiles
• Plants that are safe around pets

Common questions

How much foot traffic will it take?

Light traffic: a path crossed daily, children cutting through, a dog on its usual route. It is not a substitute for turf on a busy play area, where it thins out.

How many plants or tiles do I need?

At 30cm spacing allow about 11 plants a square metre. In tiles, roughly nine 330mm tiles cover the same area with no waiting for it to close.

Does it grow in shade?

Yes, part shade suits it well and it is one of the better options under established trees. In deep shade the mat stays thinner and takes longer to close over.

Will it invade my garden beds?

It travels by surface runners, so it creeps into an adjoining bed but pulls back easily by hand. A steel or paving edge keeps the line clean.