Astelia banksii
An attractive silver-leafed species with recurved leaves, lower growing than the more vertical A. chathamica.
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Mass plantings of grasses and strappy foliage plants add a great natural feel to garden spaces, and are a effective textural element to combine with perennial flowers and shrubs in our gardens. Grasses work well in both traditional gardens and contemporary settings, and are generally easy to grow and low maintenance. The key to success is choosing the right variety for your planting project as the plants all vary in size, growing requirements vigour and appearance. Below we have listed a range of species from Japan, America, New Zealand, as well as some of our own native species.
There are 41 products.
An attractive silver-leafed species with recurved leaves, lower growing than the more vertical A. chathamica.
A superb and versatile plant from New Zealand with completely silver, flax-like foliage. Makes a bold statement in the mixed border with sedums and euphorbias or can be grown in gravel with succulents and alpine plants. Also a great pot plant.
The usual form is silver but this variety has purple tinted leaves. Great in a large pot or tub, alternatively in the rock garden or border. Prefers well drained soil.
A brilliant low grass with outstanding flowers and seedheads, suitable for massed foreground plantings in landscape design work or in clusters amongst other perennials. A slender plant so plant closely at 25cm for best results. Not self seeding in our trial stockbeds.
Native grass found mostly around coastal areas in Tasmania and Victoria, this is our local form from the southern Channel area. It forms a lovely tussock in the garden and is less prone to die-back than some of the poa species.
Tall growing ornamental grass, with attractive dark green foliage and feathery seedheads in summer.
Upright evergreen ornamental grass, close relative to 'Karl Forester', however with cream and green linear markings on each leaf. Useful for variation of visual texture in grass plantings, attractive upright seedheads.
Lovely fluffy flowering texture in summer providing great fill and a soft contrast. A great grass all round and in early stages grows much like 'Karl Forester' until flowering time, when it looks very different; responds best in heavier fertile soils, and to date doesnt seed here.
A really useful low mounding grass which will grow well in a range of situations from shade to full sun. Attractive bronze evergreen foliage, recommended for low to medium annual rainfall areas from 550-800 mm per year, where they will not seed. Not recommended in wetter climates of 900 mm+ rainfall, (or heavy irrigation): this climate may cause the...
One our favourite new grasses, waist high flowers with rich green foliage, creating good mounding fill and texture within summer perennial plantings. Grows best on heavier fertile soils, and responds well to moisture in summer if available, but not overly demanding.
Evergreen mounding grass with delightful seedheads in autumn, will not self seed like many native grasses do. Lovely with sedums and miscanthus.
Tall wand like stems, topped with pink bells, a lovely waterside plant, or well situated where it has some space around it so its form can be appreciated. Cut back occasionally.
A versatile rush from South Africa that will grow in a surprising range of conditions. The tall foliage is particularly good all year round, and the new growth resembles bamboo. Good for structure amongst herbaceous plants.
Grey blue low growing grass with weeping foliage, used for landscaping applications in mass plantings, edgings, or combined with euphobias, westringia and sedums.
A graceful low mounding grass from Japan, best in shade and good soil. Useful for foliage effect amongst other woodland plants. This is the green foliage form, deciduous in winter.
'Blue oat grass', European representative from the poaceae family, evergreen grass with attractive blue tinge and vertical foliage. Its primary advantage is that it doesnt self sow like its native counterparts, making it much easier to manage in mixed perennial plantings.
Beautiful red tinged grass, otherwise known as Japanese Blood Grass. Foliage becomes progressively redder as the season advances, this is a slow growing moisture loving variety that grows best in pots or in fertile soil in a sheltered environment, and is relativley slow growing. Will spread to form a clump over time.
Excellent perennial grass from Japan. Like a compact "Sarabande" type but only around chest high. Typical feathery seed heads in autumn.
Lowest growing of all the miscanthus, at around knee high, a very versatile and useful foreground filler that wont seed, and looks great with sedums, echinacea, salvia and rudbeckia. Winter foliage has pretty rusty pink tones. Give it nice soil, being a smaller one its fast growing as the big ones.
This variety is particularly good in autumn when the seedheads elongate and stand above the foliage. Another tall variety for behind the border, best cut down to ground level every few years.