native grasses for shade
Finding the right native grasses for shade can transform tricky, low-light corners of your New Zealand garden into lush, living features. Whether you’re designing a shaded border, planting beneath established trees, or enhancing wetland edges, native grasses bring a beautiful softness, help suppress weeds, provide habitat for wildlife, and require far less maintenance once established. The secret to success is choosing species that naturally thrive in the dappled light or gentle shade of New Zealand’s forests and stream banks.
Baumea articulata
Baumea articulata, commonly known as the Jointed Twig Rush, is an attractive, NZ native grass grown for its aesthetics and ability to handle and colonise extremely wet soils. It forms a dense sward as it grows to 1.5 m tall, which provides an excellent habitat for frogs and water birds. New leaves emerge light green, then age to dark green, and are complemented by brown flower heads throughout the summer. Baumea articulata will happily grow in fresh, standing water (e.g., dams, swamps, creeks, and drainage areas) up to 1 m deep. This is a favoured plant among landscape designers constructing wetland areas.
From $18.83
Carex solandri
Carex solandri is a NZ native, ornamental grass that features attractive, dark green foliage. The foliage emerges upright and develops a gentle and graceful arch as it expands. Dark brown seed heads in summer add an interesting element to this plant, which grows to 70 cm tall and the same width. Carex solandri is commonly added to woodland plantings, planted in shaded areas of the garden, grown around pond or stream areas, included in mixed plantings or borders, or mass-planted either on a bank or as a ground cover.
From $13.43
