There are a number of reasons to use native grasses in your garden landscape. They are relatively easy to maintain and most species and varieties are fairly self-sufficient, and suitable for a range of conditions in the garden. Grasses are also attractive throughout the year, although they may show some effects from the winter. This is easily fixed with a quick tidy up in spring by combing the dead growth out, and by summer they will look good again. While grasses do not provide colour in the way flowers do, they give texture and movement, but also have variation in colour through the seasons that can enliven the garden in the winter. Grasses can be a focal point in the garden, can act as ground-covers and make great border plants.

Grasses take a number of differing forms, from mop-head through to arching and erect and tufted. The larger species are particularly effective as accent plants and bold focal points in the garden. Grasses are also very striking when they are planted in mass.

By their very nature grasses bring a natural element into the garden, so whether you use them as a specimen plant, a ground-cover, in a rock garden, by a waterway, in damp or shady places, in a coastal garden, in containers, or in environmental plantings, they make a fabulous edition to your garden.

Species   Colour Height Moist Dry Wind Sun Semi shade Shade
Anemanthele lessoniana   green/red tips 1m yes yes yes* yes yes yes
Carex albula   straw 45 cm no yes yes yes yes no
Carex astonii   brown 25cm yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex buchananii   red/brown 60-90 cm no yes yes yes yes yes
Carex comans   tawny brown 40 cm yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex coriacea   green 40-60cm no yes yes yes yes no
Carex dipsaceae   light green 30-75cm yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex flagellifera   bronze 1m yes no yes yes yes no
Carex frosted curls   light green 30-50cm yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex germinata   green 50-120cm yes no yes yes yes no
Carex littorosa   pale green-red 60cm yes no yes yes no no
Carex maorica   green 50cm yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex secta   green 1.5m yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex solandrii   yellow-green 50 cm yes yes** yes yes yes yes
Carex tenuiculmis   bronze 75cm-100 yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex testacea   orange 30-60cm no yes yes yes yes no
Carex trifida   blue-green 60 cm yes yes yes yes yes no
Carex virgata   green 1m yes yes yes yes yes no
Chionocloa conspicua   medium green 1.2m yes Yes** no yes yes yes
Chionocloa flavicans   green 1m yes yes# yes yes yes no
Chionocloa oreophilla   tawny/red 30cm yes no yes yes no no
Chionocloa rigida   tawny-green 1m tall yes yes yes yes yes no
Chionocloa rubra   tawny/red 1-1.6m yes yes yes yes yes no
Cortaderia richardii   medium green 2M yes yes yes yes yes yes
Desmoschoenus spiralis   golden 90cm no yes yes yes no no
Festuca actae   blue-green 50cm yes yes yes yes yes yes
Festuca coxii   blue-green 20cm yes no yes no yes yes
Festuca novae zealandiae   blue-green 50-70cm yes yes yes yes no no
Heirochloes redolens   green,red stems 90cm yes no yes yes yes no
Isolepsis nodosa   green 1m yes no yes yes yes no
Juncus gregiflorus   green 2m yes no yes yes no no
Juncus pallidus   green 2m yes no yes yes no no
Poa astonii   blue 25cm yes yes** yes yes yes no
Poa cita   green 70cm no yes yes yes no no
Poa colensoi   blue-grey 30cm yes yes yes yes yes no
Schoenoplectus validus   green 1.5m yes no yes yes yes no
Typha orientalis   green 2.7m yes no yes yes yes no
Uncinia egmontiana    red 40cm yes no no yes yes no
Uncinia rubra   red/brown 35cm yes no yes yes yes no
Uncinia strictissima   green 30-60cm yes no no yes yes yes
Uncinia uncinata   green 30-60cm yes no yes no yes no

What grass is best for me?

*Not good with salt laden winds    #Will tolerate once established   

**Will tolerate dry condition for limited periods

 

Planting Tips & Information