Introduction

Are you looking for the perfect mid-sized groundcover? Something a bit too dense to walk through, but something that won’t block the view. This article was written just for you, and will cover some of the most resilient, ornamental, and low-maintenance medium-sized strappy and shrubby groundcovers available in New Zealand.

Little Jess™ Dianella for Tried and Trusted

• Description: A standout dwarf Australian flax that spreads through rhizomes, Little Jess™ Dianella grows to 40cm high and wide. Rich purple flowers bloom from September to November with purple berries following. This variety is highly drought-tolerant and exceptionally low-maintenance, requiring trimming only every 2–8 years. Its compact nature prevents canes from falling over, meaning that deadheads are less noticable. One of Australia’s most specified landscape plants.
• Planting Tips: Thrive in full sun to moderate shade with well-draining soil. Perfect for mass planting or borders in low-maintenance gardens. Avoid planting in excessively poor soil.
• Maintenance: Requires minimal upkeep, with occasional hard pruning needed every few years to maintain its tidy form.

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/little-jess-dianella/

Emerald Arch™ Dianella for Tropical Vibes

• Description: With graceful arching leaves and vibrant blue and yellow spring flowers, Emerald Arch™ Dianella adds a tropical aesthetic to colder climates. Reaching up to 50cm wide and flowering up to 1m tall, this plant thrives in full sun or heavy shade and is hardy down to -10°C. Its lush green foliage is perfect for accent gardens and mass plantings, especially in positions that receive variable sunlight throughout the seasons.
• Planting Tips: Plant in full sun to heavy shade in soil that does not deeply bury the crown. Suitable in NZ regions with colder winters.
• Maintenance: Trim off older leaves annually and ensure the crown is not buried beneath the soil or mulch to avoid plant damage (just like all plants).

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/emerald-arch-dianella/

Evergreen Baby™ Lomandra for Wet & Dry

• Description: Evergreen Baby™ Lomandra features fine compact foliage and golden flowers in the spring, growing to 40–45cm high and wide. Handling drought, frost, wet feet, and varying soil types, it is a robust plant suited for borders, specimens, and mass/mixed plantings. It can tolerate both flooding and drought once established.
• Planting Tips: Flourishes in full sun to part shade and suits most soil types, including areas with intermittent water logging. Excellent for borders and filling spaces in gardens.
• Maintenance: Trim hard every 3–5 years for a refreshed appearance. Water sparingly during prolonged dry seasons.

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/evergreen-baby-lomandra/

Tanika™ Lomandra for Popularity

• Description: Tanika™ Lomandra is an evergreen, soft-leafed groundcover that grows to 70–90cm tall and wide. It produces small yellow flowers in spring and endures drought, frost, and varying soil conditions provided they aren’t waterlogged for too long. This tough yet beautiful plant is ideal for mass/mixed planting, borders, and specimens. This is one of Australia’s most specified landscape plants.
• Planting Tips: Suited to sandy, loamy, or clay soils but avoids poor drainage or overly wet areas. Commonly used as a roadside plant in poor conditions. Thrives in full sun to moderate shade.
• Maintenance: Occasional pruning every 3–10 years helps rejuvenate the plant. Add mulch and slow-release fertiliser during spring for added growth vigour.

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/tanika-lomandra/

Amethyst™ Liriope for Full Shade to Sun

• Description: Amethyst™ Liriope is a semi-compact plant with deep green clumps and striking purple flowers that rise above the foliage. Growing to 40cm high and wide, it tolerates drought, humidity, flooding and frost. With its bold colour and robust nature, it suits garden borders, flower beds, and rockeries. Use this plant in positions that receive variable water and sunlight throughout the year.
• Planting Tips: Plant in moderately fertile, well-mulched soil in full sun to heavy shade. Works well in both smaller garden beds and large landscape projects.
• Maintenance: Trim back old foliage annually in late winter for fresh, rejuvenated shoots in spring. If left untrimmed, new leaves will naturally cover older, discoloured ones.

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/amethyst-liriope-muscari/

Sweet Mist™ Phormium for a Pop of Burgundy

• Description: Sweet Mist™ Phormium, a New Zealand native, is an ultra-compact plant with bronze foliage that grows to 40cm high and wide. Its year-round colour and size make it an excellent choice for colour contrast in modern garden borders, mass planting, or patio containers. This low-growing groundcover adds a contemporary aesthetic and is easy to manage.
• Planting Tips: Ideal for full sun to part shade in free-draining soils. Plant on roadsides, around patios, or in low-growing edging designs for impactful results.
• Maintenance: Remove older leaves occasionally or prune back every 5–7 years to maintain a neat and vibrant appearance. Water during hot summer months if planted in exposed areas.

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/sweet-mist-phormium/

Stripy Mist™ Phormium for Minty Green Foliage

• Description: Stripy Mist™ Phormium is an ultra-compact variety featuring striking minty green foliage streaked with chocolate brown. Growing to just 40cm high and wide, this plant provides year-round colour and texture to gardens. Ideal for low borders, infill planting, or container displays.
• Planting Tips: Thrives in full sun to part shade and can adapt to a variety of soil types, although it prefers free-draining soils.
• Maintenance: Water as needed during dry summers and in the first 8–13 weeks until established. Apply slow-release fertiliser in spring for healthy growth. Remove old foliage as required or cut back to half its size every 2–5 years to rejuvenate its appearance.

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/stripy-mist-phormium/

Low Horizon™ Westringia for Low Maintenance

• Description: Low Horizon™ Westringia is an ultra-compact, dense groundcovering shrub with a flat-growing habit. At just 30cm high and 70cm wide, it is the lowest-growing Westringia we know of, offering minimal maintenance while maintaining a neat, tidy look. Its soft grey-green foliage makes it an excellent contrast plant for mass planting, borders, or companion planting with Lomandra varieties. Many would say it’s more ornamental than Mundi™ Westringia, with tighter internodes, a more compact growth habit, and less pruning for a manicured appearance, however it can’t tolerate the same level of prolonged flooding that Mundi™ Westringia does.
• Planting Tips: Performs best in full sun to part shade and suits a range of soils from sandy to clay soils that drain. Tolerates cold and drought.
• Maintenance: Prune occasionally to tighten its form further or simply as desired. Apply chunky mulch around the base, avoiding the crown, and use slow-release fertiliser in spring for optimal health. Water lightly until established.

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/low-horizon-westringia/

Mundi™ Westringia for Flooding and Drought

• Description: Mundi™ Westringia is a low-growing and versatile groundcover that can reach 40–50cm in height and spread up to 1.5m in width. This plant produces masses of white flowers and requires very little pruning, making it ideal for low-maintenance gardens or harsh roadside environments. Trusted for its ability to tolerate drought, flooding, and even root rot diseases.
• Planting Tips: Thrives in full sun to part shade and tolerates most soils. This hardy shrub tolerates cold and drought conditions, as well as dry and wet conditions once established.
• Maintenance: Prune lightly 1–3 times per year for a more structured appearance or leave it unpruned for a natural look. Apply slow-release fertiliser in spring and remove competing weeds during establishment. Mulch well, avoiding coverage of the plant’s base, to promote healthy soil conditions

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/mundi-westringia/

Conclusion

If you’re chasing a mid-sized groundcover that’s low-maintenance, attractive, and/or tolerant of extreme conditions, I hope you found something you like in the above list.

I would lie to encourage you to find the right plant for the right place, taking into account both aesthetic considerations as well as functional and environmental considerations like what ecological benefits do they bring the space, and can it tolerate the conditions.

At the end of the day, you may be better off going with a dependable plant that you like rather than a plant you love which may not live more than a year or two. All of the plants mentioned in this article have been bred to thrive in extreme conditions such as drought, flooding, root rot, heat, frost, variable sunlight, and much more. They aren’t just attractive, they’re also each high performers in their respective fields.