Ever heard of Pigface? It is a ground cover native to the south coast of Australia. It is particularly well suited to Australia because of its ability to store water during drought periods. In fact, it is so hardy you can move it even after it has become established. If you let it become too established, the challenge can actually be the removal part, as I found in this backyard in Mandurah.
Pigface is good at saving water when there is little rain. When there is enough rain or water from another source (like irrigation), it will take full advantage and even crowd out other plants, to my exasperation here. Time to move it and let the poor lemon tree, frangipani's and jacaranda grow. The best time to move Pigface is in Spring.
It was not easy, as it had been growing for a few years. I wanted to try and pull it out in one piece, which proved to be virtually impossible. And as I learnt from a fellow horticulturalist, not necessary. I aimed for about one metre long lengths for a good survival rate. It required a pitch fork, my gloved hands and a lot of treading on to get a good angle to get it out.
Where to put it? There was ample space up the back, which also needed stabilising so sand doesn't blow all over the lawn in summer. Win-win. And if we want to put something else there? It composts easily.
Put as much of the roots/brown stalk as possible facing down, otherwise if you have a ton of it like here, you can be confident that enough of it will survive and re-establish.