Let Nature Do the Weeding

The Hidden Power of Native Groundcovers

By Alison Gilchrist, CEO, GFS Perth

If you’ve ever spent a weekend pulling weeds, you’ll know it can sometimes feel like a battle you simply can’t win. You clear one patch only to find another springing to life a week later. It’s enough to make even the keenest gardener question whether the weeds are somehow conspiring against us.

Permaculture invites us to think differently. Rather than asking, “How do I get rid of the weeds?” it encourages us to ask, “Why is there bare ground for the weeds to occupy?” That subtle shift changes everything.

Nature rarely leaves soil exposed for long. Walk through our beautiful Western Australian bush and you’ll notice that the ground is seldom bare. Beneath the trees and shrubs you’ll usually find grasses, small flowering plants, creeping species and leaf litter all working together to protect the soil. Every available space is filled by living plants performing important jobs. Perhaps our gardens should learn from nature.

One of the simplest ways to reduce weeds naturally is by planting native groundcovers. These low-growing plants spread across the soil, forming a living carpet that shades the ground, reduces evaporation and leaves very little room for unwanted weeds to establish.

Rather than relying solely on herbicides or endless hours of hand weeding, a healthy groundcover allows nature to do much of the work for us. Experts recommend selecting vigorous native species suited to your local soil, climate and sunlight conditions so they can establish well and naturally outcompete weeds.

Of course, weed suppression is only part of the story.

Groundcovers also help protect the soil from our hot Western Australian summers. By covering exposed earth, they reduce moisture loss, moderate soil temperatures and protect valuable soil life beneath the surface. Many species provide nectar and habitat for native bees, butterflies and beneficial insects, increasing biodiversity while making the garden more attractive throughout the year.

Others help stabilise slopes, reduce erosion and soften the landscape with colour and texture. What begins as a practical solution quickly becomes something much richer, a healthier ecosystem.

Australian native groundcovers come in an extraordinary variety of forms. Creeping Boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium) forms a dense mat and produces delicate star-shaped flowers, making it an excellent choice for sunny areas. Prostrate grevilleas such as ‘Royal Mantle’ and ‘Mount Tamboritha’ provide colourful flowers while creating thick foliage that naturally shades the soil.

Banksia spinulosa ‘Coastal Cushion’ forms a compact spreading habit, while Yellow Buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum) adds cheerful colour to borders and rockeries. For shadier parts of the garden, native violets and prostrate forms of Goodenia ovata can provide beautiful living cover where many weeds would otherwise thrive. The secret is not finding the “perfect” plant but choosing the right plant for the right place.

At Friendship Central, this is very much the approach we hope to demonstrate. Rather than constantly fighting nature, we want to show how thoughtful design can reduce maintenance while increasing beauty, biodiversity and productivity.

Healthy soils protected by living plants require less intervention. Gardens become more resilient, water is used more wisely and wildlife finds a welcoming home. The principle extends far beyond gardening.

It reminds me that many of life’s challenges are best addressed by creating healthy conditions rather than continually fighting the symptoms. Weeds thrive where there is empty space. Friendships often grow where there is welcoming space. Communities flourish where people feel they belong. Whether we are talking about gardens or neighbourhoods, creating the right environment often proves far more effective than endlessly tackling the problems that arise when something important is missing.
Perhaps that’s one of the quiet lessons creation has been teaching us all along.

Ideas to Try in Your Own Garden

If you’re inspired to give native groundcovers a try, here are a few simple ideas:

Replace a patch of bare soil beneath shrubs with a low-growing native groundcover.
Add flowering groundcovers around your vegetable garden to attract pollinators and beneficial insects.
Plant spreading natives on difficult slopes to help reduce erosion and suppress weeds naturally.
Combine groundcovers with mulch while they’re becoming established for even greater weed control.
Visit local native plant nurseries and choose species that naturally occur in your part of Western Australia.

Like most things in permaculture, success comes from working with nature rather than against it.