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 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 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.
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.
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.
Lower growing miscanthus forming waist high foliage mounds with flower stems around chest high. A lovely plant for mass plantings with a graceful shape, more compact than other miscanthus varieties.
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.
Lower growing to waist high with soft foliage and improved autumn colour, one of the better panicums. A nicely clumping contained grass that looks good in groups amongst echinacea and summer perennials, wont self seed and lasts a long time. However needs decent fertile soil to flourish.
A local plant Ive always loved on the roadsides in summer on Bruny, flowering creamy white in massed colonies. A worthwhile addition to summer perennial plantings with sedums, austrostipa, agastache, and miscanthus. Lower growing and more slender than many other grasses.
Gracefully weeping evergreen grass colouring bronze and silver in autumn. Useful as foreground to more upright varieties like Miscanthus "Sarabande" and Calamagrostis "Karl Forester".
Native to Spain, Portugal and Morocco, a spectacular tall grass with attractive seed heads in autumn. Takes a few years to achieve maturity but well worth the wait.
Improved form with wider leaf blades than the species and larger inflorescence. A beautiful plant for larger spaces.
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.
Alpine tussock found in Tasmanian alpine areas. It does surprisingly well in most garden conditions providing it is well drained.