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Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
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underplanting hydrangea

Underplanting hydrangea is a fantastic way to maximise the beauty and health of your garden borders, beds or shaded areas. Whether you grow mopheads, panicles or lacecaps, hydrangeas are known for their lush foliage and showy blooms – but they can leave bare ground beneath. By carefully underplanting hydrangea with compatible ground cover plants, you’ll create a fuller tapestry of foliage, help suppress weeds, and add seasonal colour that complements your main shrubs. This page covers the best plant choices, top tips, and creative ideas for underplanting hydrangea in New Zealand gardens.

Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter'

Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter', commonly known as Pinatoro or the NZ Daphne plant, is a mat-forming, NZ native, ground cover plant. It has small, blue foliage which becomes adorned with fragrant, white flowers in spring and results in white berries. This evergreen typically grows to 10 cm tall and 50 cm wide. Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter' is commonly used as a groundcover, added to coastal plantings, included in rock gardens, planted around outdoor living areas, grown on a bank, or positioned so it can spill out over a path or over a wall.

Buy Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter'

From $24.98

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Groundcover Plants

Height: 10 cm

Spread: 50 cm

Flowering time: Spring

Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Borders, Ground covering, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native, Rock

Isotoma fluviatilis

Isotoma fluviatilis features small, dark green leaves that give the appearance of a lush, green carpet. The foliage is adorned with masses of small, blue, star-shaped flowers from spring through autumn. It typically grows to just 10 cm tall and will spread to 40 cm. Isotoma fluviatilis is commonly grown as a ground cover, planted between paving stones and similar areas, included in cottage gardens, or used to trail over a wall or from a hanging basket.

Buy Isotoma fluviatilis

From $19.58

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate

Plant type: Groundcover Plants

Height: 10 cm

Spread: 40 cm

Flowering time: Spring, Autumn, Winter

Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Ground covering, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas

Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Native

Why Underplant Hydrangeas?

Hydrangeas often have an open framework at their base, which is perfect for tucking in groundcovers that thrive in similar conditions. Underplanting hydrangea helps to:

Keep roots cool and moist, which hydrangeas love
Prevent weed growth in those hard-to-reach shady spots
Provide all-year visual interest, even when hydrangeas are dormant
Attract beneficial pollinators and reduce soil erosion

You’ll need to choose companion plants that enjoy partial shade, humus-rich soil, and enough moisture—mirroring the preferences of hydrangeas themselves.

Top Plant Choices for Underplanting Hydrangea

Selecting the right ground cover is essential. Look for varieties that won’t compete aggressively, but will fill in the space with a lush, layered effect.

1. Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter'

This New Zealand native forms a dense mat of blue-green foliage that’s perfect for underplanting hydrangea. Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter' offers subtle colouring beneath the dramatic blooms of your hydrangeas, thrives in partial shade, and brings resilience to exposed conditions.

2. Isotoma fluviatilis

Looking for a soft, low carpet with a delicate look? Isotoma fluviatilis, also known as blue star creeper, weaves between stems with tiny stars of blue or white from spring to autumn. It tolerates shade and moisture, making it ideal for underplanting hydrangea in tricky, damp corners.

3. Pachysandra terminalis

Classic and dependable, Pachysandra terminalis brings evergreen coverage where other groundcovers might fail. Its glossy green leaves provide a neat frame for hydrangeas through every season, thriving in the shaded, cool soil beneath mature shrubs.

4. Vinca Elizabeth Cran

The trailing stems and lavender-blue flowers of Vinca Elizabeth Cran brighten shady garden spots while anchoring the soil. This tough performer delivers colour and density, ensuring your underplanting hydrangea effects last well into winter.

How to Successfully Underplant Hydrangea

To achieve the lush, layered garden look, follow these simple steps:

Prepare the soil by adding compost or mulch to enrich nutrients and texture.
Space groundcovers generously to allow for mature spread under the hydrangea canopy.
Water well, especially during establishment and dry seasons.
Choose underplanting varieties with similar moisture and shade needs.

You might also interplant roses for a brighter hit of seasonal colour—consider Rose Flower Carpet Scarlet as a cheerful companion for summer.

Create a Harmonious Woodland Garden

Thoughtful underplanting hydrangea not only fills gaps but brings year-round structure, texture and biodiversity to your borders. Explore your choices Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter', Isotoma fluviatilis, Pachysandra terminalis, and Vinca Elizabeth Cran to build a garden that’s as practical as it is beautiful, tailored to New Zealand conditions. Happy gardening.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.