Description
Transform your garden into a fragrant oasis with Alyssum Royal Carpet, a hardy ground cover celebrated for its delicate honey-scented blooms and resilience in Australia’s diverse climates. Ideal for sun-soaked beds, coastal gardens, or urban balconies, this low-growing plant forms a velvety carpet lavender flowers, attracting pollinators while thriving on neglect.
This resilient ground cover offers year-round appeal in diverse garden settings. From late winter to summer, it transforms spaces with clusters of tiny, vanilla-scented blooms that form a lush 15cm-high carpet. The delicate flowers contrast elegantly against silver-green foliage, creating a striking visual and aromatic display ideal for borders, rockeries, or containers.
Once established, it requires minimal watering and adapts to poor soils, making it a cornerstone of water-wise gardening. Its hardiness ensures vibrant growth even in challenging conditions, reducing maintenance while sustaining seasonal color.
Ecologically vital, the plant supports biodiversity by attracting bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects with its nectar-rich blooms. As pollinator populations decline, its role in sustaining ecosystems becomes invaluable, all without invasive tendencies.
Find your Climate Zone
Method: Raise seedlings
| Soil Temp: 21°C - 24°C
|
Cool Mountain: Sep - Dec
| Position: Full sun
|
Arid: Jun-Jul, Apr-May
| Row Spacing: 30cm apart
|
Temperate: Aug-Nov, Mar-Jun
| Planting Depth: 3mm
|
Sub Tropical: Aug-Nov, Mar-Jun
| Harvest: 60 Days
|
Tropical: Apr - Jul
| Plant Height: 15cm
|
Soil Preparation
Soil Type:
- Well draining, sandy loam. Amend heavy clay with compost or coarse sand.
- pH: 6.0–7.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline).
- Add lime if too acidic.
Enrichment:
- Mix in compost or aged manure before sowing.
Sowing Seeds
Method:
- Surface sow seeds (tiny size).
- Press lightly into soil; do not cover.
Spacing:
- 30 cm apart. Thin seedlings if overcrowded.
Germination:
- 7–14 days at 21–24°C.
- Keep soil moist with mist spray.
Sunlight & Watering
Sun:
- Full sun (6+ hours daily).
- In hot regions, provide afternoon shade.
Water:
- Moderate. Water 2–3 times weekly until established.
- Drought tolerant later; avoid overwatering.
Fertilising
- Use balanced slow release fertiliser at planting.
- Apply diluted liquid fertilizer (e.g., seaweed solution) monthly during flowering.
Maintenance
Deadheading:
- Trim spent blooms to encourage flowering.
Pruning:
Self Seeding:
- Allow some flowers to drop seeds for next season.
Pest & Disease Management
Pests:
- Aphids treat with neem oil.
- Slugs/snails use beer traps.
Diseases:
- Prevent powdery mildew with good airflow; avoid overhead watering.
Harvesting Seeds
- Let flowers dry on plant.
- Collect brown seed pods, crush, and store in a paper envelope.
Companion Planting Guide
Benefits of Alyssum Companionship:
- Attracts pollinators (bees, hoverflies) and predatory insects (lacewings).
- Acts as living mulch to suppress weeds.
- Enhances garden aesthetics.
Top Companion Plants:
- Tomatoes. Alyssum repels aphids; hoverflies control pests.
- Lettuce. Provides shade, retains soil moisture.
- Broccoli. Attracts beneficials that deter cabbage moths.
- Strawberries. Suppresses weeds; attracts pollinators for better fruit set.
- Herbs- Rosemary, Thyme. Deter pests; thrive in similar dry conditions.
- | Nasturtiums. Complementary pest control; bright colour contrast.
Avoid Planting With:
- Water loving plants (e.g., celery, rice) – alyssum prefers drier soil.
- Avoid overcrowding with tall plants (e.g., corn) that block sunlight.
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