designing with grasses

Grasses are the understated jewels of the garden. Sophisticated, versatile and with many local, drought-tolerant varieties, they can be used in the garden in numerous ways. Towering forms with striking foliage like our indigenous restios provide swaying movement and rhythm when planted en masse and break up hard edges such as a fringing either side of a long, sunny, garden path. Low-growing sedges such as those in the Carex family of grasses have fine, strappy leaves that curl gracefully downwards in a gentle cascade, softening any landscape. When planted in a matrix arrangement – think camo pattern with each shade representing a different variety of Carex grass, they can create a spectacular carpet of pattern and texture. Our top-rated local varieties are the knee-high, ‘red-top grass’ (Melinis nerviglumis) for its beautiful shining, pink, tufted inflorescences and ‘weeping anthericum’ (Chlorophytum saundersiae) for the meadow effect it brings to semi-shaded garden areas and for its star-like, white flowers.