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 20 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.
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...
Evergreen mounding grass with delightful seedheads in autumn, will not self seed like many native grasses do. Lovely with sedums and miscanthus.
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.
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.
A perennial grass with fine silvery green foliage, colouring bronze in autumn. The flowers and seedheads are an attractive fan shape. Clumping and non-invasive.
A beautiful variety with silver and reddish flower heads that stand well above the foliage and last into winter. Like other varieties, cut down to ground level in winter every few years.
Tall architectural grass for the herbaceous border or formal plantings with variegated white and green leaves. Semi evergreen but best cut back every few years.
Cascades of beautiful silvery plumes in autumn. Vigorous and clump forming. Allow space to show off its best qualities. Combines well with Perovskia and Stipa arundinacea.
Division grown cultivar with better autumn colour than the species, bad name for a good plant. Vertical foliage to waist high and attractive flower heads in late summer.
Alpine tussock found in Tasmanian alpine areas. It does surprisingly well in most garden conditions providing it is well drained.
A beautiful grass from Peru where it grows on elevated dry plateau on gravelly ground. In Australia it tends to flower autumn to winter, and prefers to dry off in summer, although in mild areas it seems to flower continuously if dead headed. Cut older plants back to half after flowering once growth begins to show signs of drying off. The white flowers...