Native Garden #4

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. 

Pseudopanax crassifolium, commonly known as Lancewood, is a distinctively narrow-growing tree with a tall, erect trunk. Its unique appeal lies in the long, narrow juvenile leaves that dangle from the main trunk, giving the tree a somewhat primitive appearance. Over time, often after many years, this foliage transitions to form a compact head of leaves, creating a stark contrast to its earlier form. Lancewood provides a striking focal point for locations with limited space where a hardy, dramatic tree is desired. It's quite similar to Pseudopanax ferox, but the leaves of Lancewood are less prominently toothed. In a span of 10 years, Pseudopanax crassifolium can achieve a height of 4 metres and a spread of 2 metres, showcasing an impressive growth rate

Plagianthus regius - commonly known as ribbonwood or manatu - is a graceful New Zealand tree. With dense foliage, it is very fast-growing with an upright form and super tough which makes it great for exposed sites.  As the tree matures, the small juvenile foliage is replaced with larger foliage.  Creamy-white flowers.  Plagianthus regius grows to a maximum height of 12m, making it perfect as a specimen or shelter tree.

Kunzea ericoides, commonly known as Kanuka, is a versatile and hardy evergreen shrub or small tree native to New Zealand. This plant is known for its small, aromatic, needle-like leaves and profusion of tiny, white, star-shaped flowers that bloom from late spring to summer. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators, enhancing the ecological value of the garden. Kanuka is ideal for use in mixed borders, native gardens, or as a screening plant.

Kanuka thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. It is highly adaptable to various soil types, including sandy and loamy soils, and is particularly well-suited to coastal and exposed conditions. This resilient plant is drought-tolerant once established and requires minimal maintenance. Regular watering during the establishment phase is beneficial, and light pruning after flowering helps maintain its shape and encourages dense growth. Space plants about 1-2 metres apart to allow for proper air circulation and growth.

At maturity, Kunzea ericoides can reach a height of 5-10 metres and a spread of about 2-3 metres, forming a tall, upright shrub or small tree. Its dense foliage and attractive flowers make it an excellent choice for creating privacy screens, windbreaks, and adding vertical interest to the landscape.

Pittosporum Stephens Island is a distinguished evergreen shrub known for its compact and dense growth. This variety of Pittosporum features small, oval, dark green leaves with lighter edges and a glossy finish, creating a lush and vibrant appearance. The shrub's tidy habit and slow growth rate make it ideal for low-maintenance gardens. In spring, Pittosporum Stephens Island produces small, fragrant flowers that are a delightful addition to its ornamental value.

Pittosporum Stephens Island is versatile and can be used in various garden settings. It is excellent for creating hedges, borders, and privacy screens due to its dense foliage. This plant can also be pruned into topiary shapes, adding a formal touch to gardens. It fits well in contemporary, formal, and cottage garden styles, blending seamlessly with both traditional and modern landscapes. Its glossy leaves provide a striking contrast to more colourful flowering plants.

Plant Pittosporum Stephens Island in a location with full sun to partial shade. It thrives in well-drained soil and can tolerate a range of soil types, from sandy to loamy. Regular watering is essential during dry periods, though the plant is moderately drought-tolerant once established. This shrub is also suitable for coastal conditions, making it a versatile choice for various garden environments.

For hedging, plant Pittosporum Stephens Island 50-70 cm apart to form a dense screen. When used as a standalone specimen or in mixed borders, allow about 1-1.5 metres of space to accommodate its mature size and ensure proper air circulation.

At maturity, Pittosporum Stephens Island can reach a height of 2-4 metres with a similar spread. Its dense, bushy growth habit and glossy, dark green foliage provide a solid, evergreen structure in the garden year-round. This makes it an excellent choice for adding both aesthetic appeal and functional greenery to any outdoor space.

Phormium cookianum, more commonly known as mountain flax or wharariki, is endemic to New Zealand and is a very useful plant for any native planting project. Despite its common name, it is found throughout New Zealand from coastal slopes to alpine treelines. 

Phormium cookianum is smaller than the New Zealand flax Phormium tenax/harakeke, rarely reaching more than 1.6m, and its leaves and seed pods droop and twist more. The flowers are a source of nectar for the native birds, especially tui and bellbird/korimako.

Discover the charm of Muehlenbeckia astonii, a New Zealand native shrub known for its intricate network of wiry, interlocking branches. This fascinating plant features small, heart-shaped leaves that are bright green in colour. During the summer, the shrub is adorned with delicate white flowers, which later give way to translucent berries in the autumn, attracting a variety of birds. Muehlenbeckia astonii is a hardy plant that can withstand a range of conditions including extended dry periods, coastal environments, and moderate winds. It thrives best in full sun or partial shade and prefers well-drained soil.

Whether you're looking to add contrast and texture to a mixed planting scheme or seeking a resilient option for an informal hedge, Muehlenbeckia astonii is an excellent choice. It typically grows to a height of 2.5m and a width of 1.5m but can be easily contained with regular trimming. This versatile shrub is ideal for various garden styles, from Alpine and Architectural to Coastal and Modern. Its low maintenance requirements and medium growth rate make it a good option for both novice and experienced gardeners. Add this stunning native to your garden and enjoy its beauty and resilience year-round.

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.

Chionochloa flavicans is a native New Zealand ornamental tussock grass with attractive, weeping blades that display a blend of green and yellow shades and fluffy plumes. With its arching, strappy leaves and dynamic movement in the breeze, it adds a unique visual appeal and texture to gardens. 

Chionochloa flavicans is an adaptable, robust plant that thrives in conditions ranging from full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. Naturally found on cliffs and rock faces, it handles drought and windy coastal areas extremely well. It is a versatile plant and can be used as a groundcover when planted en masse, as a border to a garden bed or water feature or as a textured addition to mixed garden beds. It grows to 1m tall making it ideal for small or narrow gardens. 

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Hebe topiaria.  This compact, evergreen, ball-shaped NZ native shrub produces small white flowers in early summer. Because of its naturally tight habit, it is useful for low-hedging, an excellent specimen or contrast plant against other foliage. Prefers sun to part-shade. Hardy. 

Pachystegia insignis, commonly known as the Marlborough Rock Daisy, is a striking evergreen shrub native to New Zealand. Its tough, leathery, grey-green leaves are densely packed, forming a compact and tidy mound. In spring and early summer, this plant produces large, daisy-like white flowers with bright yellow centres, adding a bold and cheerful touch to the garden. The plant’s distinctive foliage, combined with its dramatic flowering, makes it a standout choice for gardeners seeking something truly unique.

Pachystegia insignis is ideal for coastal gardens, rockeries, and xeriscapes, where its drought tolerance and wind resistance shine. It adds texture and interest to dry, exposed areas or gravel gardens, thriving in challenging conditions where other plants might struggle. This New Zealand native also suits Mediterranean-style landscapes and contemporary garden designs, providing a bold structural element that contrasts beautifully with softer plants or grasses. Its compact form makes it suitable for smaller gardens or containers, where its dramatic flowers and foliage can be appreciated up close.

This tough shrub thrives in full sun and prefers well-drained, sandy or rocky soil, tolerating dry conditions once established. While it can handle poor soils, it will benefit from occasional watering during prolonged dry spells. Ideal for exposed locations, Pachystegia insignis is tolerant of wind and salt spray, making it an excellent choice for coastal gardens. Space plants about 0.5 to 1 metre apart to allow their natural, rounded habit to develop.

At maturity, Pachystegia insignis typically reaches a height of 60 to 90 cm, with a similar spread. Its compact, mounding form, combined with its tough, leathery foliage and striking white flowers, offers a strong architectural presence that brings year-round interest to the garden.

Coprosma acerosa - Sand coprosma.  A groundcover coprosma found naturally near the coast throughout New Zealand.  It forms a tight, tangled mound of brown foliage.  An excellent plant for dry coastal conditions.  Height 30cm x 1m

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.

Pimelea prostrata, commonly known as New Zealand daphne, is a small, mat-forming plant found from North Cape to Bluff either on the coast or in mountains scrambling happily over rocks and flowering through summer. Minute 2-12mm, dull green, ovate to elliptic-oblong leaves, margins often red, arranged in four neat ranks along wiry stems. Fragrant white or blue flowers in small crowded heads. Followed by small white berries. Excellent for growing around or over rocks.

Hebe cupressoides nana is a fragrant evergreen hebe, compact with a perfect round ball shape. Grey-green foliage with masses of tiny white flowers which bloom during summer.  This is the perfect plant for rock gardens, mixed native plantings or containers. 

Phormium Surfer Green. One of the smaller growing flax available, this cute little plant has twisted, erect leaves that have an overall olive-bronzy colouration. Generally the leaves are brown/bronze with a yellow-green central stripe, with the leaf margin and keeled mid-rib being black. Will form thick clump. Grows to a height of 80cm.