ground cover plants for sandy soil
Struggling to find the right ground cover plants for sandy soil in your New Zealand garden? Sandy soil poses unique challenges, such as poor water retention and low nutrients, but with the right selection, you can easily enjoy a lush, low-maintenance landscape. Ground cover plants adapted to dry, sandy conditions not only help prevent erosion—they also suppress weeds and add year-round beauty. Whether you’re looking for silver foliage, vibrant flowers, or hardy, creeping habits, several standout species are perfectly suited for sandy areas.
Coprosma acerosa
Coprosma acerosa, also known as Sand Coprosma or Tātaraheke, is a hardy New Zealand native groundcover well-suited to exposed and coastal environments. It features dense, tangled, prostrate growth with delicate, needle-like foliage in shades of green to bronze. This tough plant is excellent for erosion control, dune stabilisation, and low-maintenance landscaping. It thrives in sandy, free-draining soils and tolerates wind, salt spray, and drought once established, making it an ideal choice for native, coastal, or dry gardens.
From $7.50
Coprosma kirkii 'variegata'
Coprosma kirkii 'Variegata' is a hardy NZ native groundcover shrub admired for its trailing habit and attractive variegated foliage of green edged with cream. This evergreen plant provides year round colour and texture while suppressing weeds and covering bare ground. Naturally tough and adaptable, it thrives in coastal conditions, exposed sites, and light frost. Coprosma kirkii 'Variegata' is both practical and decorative in NZ gardens and landscapes.
From $16.95
