Garden Design #15

Rhododendron Bruce Brechtbill.  Flowers are soft pink with some yellow in the throat.  Blooms in October. Height - 1.5m

Carex testacea, commonly known as the New Zealand Hair Sedge, is a graceful perennial ornamental grass native to New Zealand. This evergreen sedge showcases fine, arching, olive-green leaves that take on striking orange hues, particularly in colder months, making it a great choice for year-round interest. It flourishes into a clump-forming, tussock-like shape, with its slender foliage gently swaying with the breeze, adding movement to gardens.

Ideal for various garden settings such as borders, rock gardens, or waterside plantings, Carex testacea is adaptable and resilient. It thrives best in well-drained soil, under full sun to partial shade. This sedge is low-maintenance, drought-tolerant once established, and can reach heights of up to 50cm with a similar spread.

Lomandra Tanika (LM300 PVR) is a standout Australian native that's as versatile as it is beautiful. This grass-like perennial boasts fine, deep-green, glossy leaves that arch gracefully, creating a lush backdrop in any garden setting. In the spring, it further enchants with creamy-yellow flowers, adding a touch of vibrancy to its green canvas.

Lomandra Tanika is not just about aesthetics; it's a testament to resilience. Whether you plant it in sandy soils or clay, in full sun or partial shade, this plant thrives. It's tolerant of heavy frost, drought, and even hot or humid conditions, making it a reliable choice for various climates. Once established, it requires minimal care, making it perfect for those who seek beauty without fuss.

With a height of 70cm and a width of 70cm, it's ideal for mass planting, lining pathways, or as a border in garden beds. Its clumping nature and bluish-green foliage make it a favourite for background plantings, while its perfumed yellow flowers in spring attract bees, other insects and skinks. 

Leptinella Platts Black.  Deep-bronze, fern-like leaves cover this mat-forming groundcover.  Very small, green flowers emerge above the foliage from mid-spring until mid-summer, producing a sweet, honeydew scent.  Use as a garden edging, in between paving stones, in rockeries and garden borders.  Position in full sun/part-shade.  Plant in moist, well-drained soil and prevent from drying out in summer.  Evergreen. 15cm x 40cm.

Reddish bronze leaves turning claret red in Winter. Suits a sunny well drained position. Gets to a size of 75cm's x 75cm's. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate in contacting us.

Coprosma Hawera is a fast-growing, low-lying New Zealand native that creates a dense mat of small, narrow olive-green leaves. Its hardy nature allows it to thrive in various conditions, though it has a preference for dry areas. Its cascading growth habit is especially stunning over walls or down banks. When fully grown, Coprosma Hawera typically measures around 50cm in height and can spread up to 1m wide, offering excellent ground cover. A great native for supressing weeds. 

Pittosporum Golf Ball is a neat forming, rounded New Zealand shrub.  This plant is ideal for adding structure and architectural interest to the planting scheme and also makes a great low hedge.  Small purple flowers appear in late spring and early summer with a sweet, honey-like scent.  Frost hardy and likes a spot in the full sun and partial shade with a moist, well-drained soil.  Grows to a height of 1m but can be trimmed to retain a smaller shape.

Image is of our 2.5L pot

Sophora microphylla, commonly known as kowhai. Sophora microphylla is the variety found naturally throughout the South Island, but it will grow in all parts of New Zealand. A very tough and hardy tree that suits the urban setting too. Fine fern-like foliage, that boasts the iconic yellow flower from September through to November. It is semi-deciduous and reaches a height of 8m when mature.