This smaller garden takes advantage of the fabulous blacks, silvers and reds within our New Zealand native plant species. Corokia Geenty’s Green hedging is used to frame the garden - an alternative to native broadleaf, this Corokia has a small, soft green leaf with a silver reverse.
This selection is for a small, contemporary-style garden with loose drifts of grouped varieties. A small, cooling green lawn off outdoor living spaces can have Corokia hedging repeated to define and enclose these areas. The focus is on providing textural differences - the Chionochloa Flavians look best in multiples where we can better appreciate its form and movement in the wind. Again used in groups, the rounded Pittosporum Golf Ball are a valuable form and textural difference contrasting with the black of the Phormium Dark Delight. Muehlenbeckia Astonii has spreading,twiggy stems and a bonus of winter interest with its bare burgundy stems. The Pseudowintera Red Leopard is a favourite - fantastic red shades that colour up even better in full sun. Aceana Purpurea is a reliable trailing ground cover best used between shrubs or through paving and on sloping banks. Where there is little space the architectural forms of the Pseudopanax Ferox provide height and are best planted in tight groups for maximum effect. Apart from the twice yearly clipping of the Corokia hedge there is little maintenance with this garden. The use of bark mulch in shrubbed areas will help keep weeds to a minimum. The skill level required for this type of garden is pretty minimal - a twice yearly trim of the hedges and installation of irrigation will make this garden easy care.
Plants and Plant Spacing:
Corokia Geenty's Green Hedging 70cm to 1m
Pittosporum Golf Ball 1.2
Phormium Dark Delight 1.2
Chionochloa Flavicans 1.2
Pachystegia Insignis 1m
Muehlenbeckia Astonii 1.2
Aceana Purpurea 50cm
Pseudowintera Red Leopard 1.2
Pseudopanax Ferox 1.5m
Foliage Colour: Green, Silver, Purples, Red, Black.
Flower Colours: Whites and neutral seed heads
Uses:
For a small but smart contemporary garden making uses of the stunning colour variations within our New Zealand native plant species.
Another great plant for a clipped hedge. Large light green leaves. Orange berries. 2mx1.5m No minimum number required. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate in contacting us.
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 swee, honey-like scent. Frost hardy and likes a spot in the full sun and partial shade with a moist, well-drained soil. Gets to a height of 1m in height, but can be trimmed to retain a smaller shape.
Has outstanding dark foliage. Ideal garden contrast plant. Hardy. Height - 1m
Tough low maintenance grass with shapely foliage all year and drooping small toi toi flowers in summer. Drought and wind tolerant The perfect plant and forget plant. Great for mass planting, along walls or on banks
Pachystegia Insignis known as the Malborough Rock Daisy is a hardy New Zeraland native evergreen that is chosen for its striking, silver grey foliage. In summer white daisy like flowers smother the plant. Pachystegia Insignis naturally occur on dry, rocky coastal areas, making it tolerant to strong winds. For it to thrivr in the home garden it requires excellent drainage. Grows to a height of 60cm and a width of 60cms.
Muehlenbeckia astonii is a New Zealand Native coastal divaricating shrub with a wiry interlacing habit. Muehlenbeckia astonii has small, bright green, heart-shaped leaves and is a deciduous plant in winter. It is very hardy, tolerating quite dry conditions and wind. It makes an interesting contrast plant. Likes a spot in the full sun or semi shade and will grow to around 1m in height.
Acaena purpurea is a New Zealand native groundcover. This tough beauty has incredible foliage colourings and thrives in exposed places and poor soil but does require good drainage and summer moisture. Best colour in full sun. Great for a rockery or to mass the ground with contrasting foliage like silvers or even blacks. Has a great effect when mass planted.
Also known as Horopito and Pepper Tree. A hardy evergreen shrub that has lime-green foliage with rich burgundy markings that provide good foliar colour to the garden. Plant in borders and containers or use to form low hedging, may be trimmed to shape. Requires moist, free-draining soil in full sun or part shade.
Pseudopanax ferox is a small tree with a striking juvenile form consisting of down pointing roundish long narrow very tough leaves that have irregular blunt bumps along the edge. Upon maturity it grows into a bushy small tree bearing long narrow leathery leaves that have a few teeth on the margin towards the tip and produces 8-9mm wide purple fruit. Reaches maturity at age 10-15, and can grow to a height of 6 meters.