Native Garden #1

Griselinia littoralis, commonly known as New Zealand broadleaf or kapuka, is a popular evergreen shrub native to New Zealand. It is well-regarded for its rapid growth and dense, lush foliage, making it an excellent choice for hedges and screens. The leaves are large, leathery, and a vibrant apple-green color, which contributes to its appeal in garden settings for providing year-round color and texture.

In the garden, Griselinia littoralis is highly versatile. It's most commonly used to create fast-growing, effective privacy hedges or windbreaks, particularly in coastal areas where it exhibits high tolerance to salt spray. Additionally, its robust nature makes it suitable for urban environments, as it can cope well with pollution.

This shrub thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil but is quite adaptable to different soil types, including sandy and clay soils. It is also notably drought-resistant once established, which, coupled with its low maintenance needs, makes it an excellent choice for gardeners looking for a hassle-free planting option.

For hedging purposes, Griselinia littoralis should be planted about 1m apart to allow each plant enough space to develop fully while still creating a dense barrier. Regular pruning will help maintain its shape and promote thicker growth. The mature size of Griselinia littoralis can vary but typically reaches around 2-3m in height and can be easily maintained at a desired height and width with pruning.

Chionochloa rubra, commonly known as Red Tussock grass, is a distinctive tussock grass native to New Zealand. This perennial grass forms large, dense tussocks with long, narrow, red-tinged leaves that often roll inward, giving them a tubular appearance. Red Tussock typically reaches heights of about 1 metre but can grow taller in favourable conditions. From February to April, it produces attractive seedheads, enhancing its visual appeal. Thriving in damp and infertile soils, it performs well in full sun to partial shade and is adaptable to a range of soil conditions, from moist to wet. Its medium growth rate and evergreen foliage provide year-round interest, making it a resilient and low-maintenance choice for various garden styles.

Ideal for naturalistic and contemporary gardens, Chionochloa rubra adds texture and movement, especially in windy, exposed locations. It works well in mass plantings or as a buffer plant around wetland areas, helping to reestablish wildlife habitats. This grass plays a vital ecological role by providing shelter and nesting sites for native birds, preventing erosion with its extensive root systems, and regulating water flow in alpine catchments by trapping and storing snow. Its drought tolerance and adaptability to poor soils make it particularly suited to coastal and urban gardens, where it offers both aesthetic beauty and ecological benefits.

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Libertia peregrinans is a remarkable native New Zealand grass with stiff, sword-like golden-green leaves that become an intense orange colour as they mature. In spring, it boasts clusters of small, white flowers that add to its visual appeal.

Libertia peregrinans is a hardy plant that can tolerate a range of conditions, including poor soil and drought, making it a versatile addition to your garden. It prefers full sun to light shade and achieves a height and spread of about 0.6m, providing a compact yet impactful presence. This low-maintenance perennial is perfect for borders, rockeries, or as a general garden filler, adding a unique, eye-catching element with its distinctive colouring and form. Plant a row in front of a dark fence for a stunning visual effect. 

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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.

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Muehlenbeckia axillaris, also known as Creeping Wire Vine or Mattress Vine, is a hardy and versatile evergreen plant that is native to New Zealand. This plant features wiry, interlacing stems that form a dense mat and in summer produces tiny, inconspicuous flowers that are followed by small, black berries. Muehlenbeckia axillaris typically grows to a height of around 10-15cm and has a spread of up to 1.5m, making it an excellent choice for groundcover, rock gardens, and hanging baskets. This plant is hardy and easy to grow, thriving in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.