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ornamental grasses available in nz

Looking for ornamental grasses available in NZ to elevate your garden? Ornamental grasses are an increasingly popular choice for both modern landscapes and classic Kiwi gardens. Their unique textures, flowing shapes, and year-round visual interest add movement and structure to borders, paths, and open spaces. Whether you’re after a low-maintenance ground cover or a striking foliage accent, New Zealand’s climate is perfect for a wide range of ornamental grasses.

Lomandra White Sands with elegant, variegated foliage in a courtyard garden.

Lomandra White Sands

5 from 4 customers

Lomandra White Sands is a fabulous ornamental grass renowned for its variegated foliage. It features arching, cream, and green-striped leaves and forms tidy clumps approximately 50–60 cm tall and wide. Thriving in full sun to partial shade, this low-maintenance plant is highly tolerant of drought, frost, wind, and coastal conditions. Ideal for mass plantings, borders, containers, and around outdoor living areas, Lomandra White Sands adds year-round texture and colour to a garden.

From $25.58

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Grasses
Height: 50 cm
Spread: 45 cm
Flowering time: Spring
Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy
Garden uses: Banks, Borders, Containers, Living areas, Parks, Paths & Steps, Patios, Ponds, Pool areas, Specimen
Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern
juncus-blue-dart-

Juncus Blue Dart (Blue Rush)

5 from 4 customers

Juncus Blue Dart is a popular ornamental grass that features rigid leaves that are a fantastic shade of blue. It typically grows to 30 cm tall and the same wide, with a tidy growth habit. Juncus Blue Dart is popular with landscape designers owing to its versatility and great aesthetics. It is commonly planted around pool and other outdoor areas, used to border a fence or entrance, or mass planted for an amazing display.

From $17.89

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Grasses
Height: 30 cm
Spread: 30 cm
Tolerances: Coastal, Hardy, Wet, Wind
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Patios, Ponds, Pool areas
Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Riparian
Lomandra 'Misty Green' plants with cascading green foliage growing a bank.

Lomandra Misty Green

Lomandra Misty Green is an ornamental grass with delicate, dark green foliage and a tidy, rounded form. Growing to about 40 cm in height and width...

From$20.93
A large Calamagrostis 'Overdam' grass with elegant, variegated foliage.

Calamagrostis 'Overdam'

Calamagrostis ‘Overdam’ is a striking variegated ornamental grass that delivers elegant upright form and delicate texture to garden borders and...

From$22.88
Lomandra Nyalla grass with blue-green foliage in a border planting.

Lomandra Nyalla

Lomandra Nyalla is a hardy ornamental grass featuring delicate, lush green foliage and a graceful, arching form. Reaching approximately 80 cm in...

From$20.18
Lomandra 'Arctic Frost' plant in a pot with variegated foliage.

Lomandra Arctic Frost

Lomandra Arctic Frost is a hardy ornamental grass featuring variegated blue and cream foliage held upright with a gentle arch. Growing to...

From$17.48
Miscanthus Morning Light growing as a clump with variegated leaves.

Miscanthus 'Morning Light'

Miscanthus 'Morning Light' (Maiden Grass) is a refined ornamental grass valued for its fine narrow foliage edged with silvery white. This elegant...

From$18.83
Lomandra Shara displaying fabulous blue-green foliage and growing beside a gravel path.

Lomandra Shara

Lomandra Shara is an ornamental grass renowned for its delicate, dark green foliage and graceful arching form. Reaching approximately 60 cm in height...

From$20.18
Carex solandri grass in a NZ native planting.

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...

From$13.43
Carex flagellifera Green plant with lush and colourful foliage.

Carex flagellifera Green

Carex flagellifera Green is a NZ native, ornamental grass grown for its attractive foliage. It produces slender and lush, green leaves as it grows to...

From$15.53
Lomandra Evergreen Baby growing as a ground cover with lush, green foliage.

Lomandra Evergreen Baby

Lomandra Evergreen Baby is a compact, evergreen ornamental grass known for its delicate, deep-green foliage and tidy, rounded form. Growing to...

From$17.48
Lomandra Little Pal plants with lush green foliage.

Lomandra Little Pal

Lomandra Little Pal is a compact ornamental grass grown for its fine, green-yellow foliage and tidy, rounded form. Growing to approximately 60 cm in...

From$16.13
Acorus gramineus variegata plants growing in pots with green and cream foliage.

Acorus gramineus variegatus

Acorus gramineus variegatus, commonly known as Variegated Sweet Flag, is an attractive ornamental grass-like plant prized for its elegant green and...

From$20.18
Carex flagellifera Red plants.

Carex flagellifera Red

Carex flagellifera Red is a NZ native, ornamental grass grown for its colourful and attractive foliage. It produces slender and lush, copper-red...

From$13.43
Hakonechloa albostriata plant with variegated foliage.

Hakonechloa macra 'Albostriata'

Hakonechloa macra 'Albostriata', commonly known as Japanese Forest Grass, is a stunning ornamental grass. It features variegated green foliage with...

From$22.88
Zebra grass (Miscanthus 'Zebrinus') leaves with cream and green stripes.

Miscanthus 'Zebrinus'

Miscanthus 'Zebrinus' (Zebra Grass) is a striking ornamental grass recognised for its bold horizontal yellow banding across arching green leaves...

From$21.53
isolepsis-cernua-1

Isolepis cernua (Fiber-Optic Grass)

Isolepsis cernua (aka Scirpus cernua), commonly known as Fiber Optic Grass, grows as a tidy clump to about 25 cm tall and the same wide with green...

From$16.13
helicotrichon-sempervirens-3

Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oatgrass)

Helictotrichon sempervirens, commonly known as Blue Oatgrass, is a lovely and popular ornamental grass featuring distinct, blue foliage. It grows as...

From$16.88
Carex 'Frosted Curls' plants with elegant green foliage growing in a pot with other plants.

Carex Frosted Curls

Carex Frosted Curls is an ornamental grass with slender, hair-like, iridescent foliage that shimmers in light breezes. It typically grows to 30 cm...

From$13.43
Carex comans green plants with dense, green foliage in a garden.

Carex comans Green

Carex comans Green is a NZ native, ornamental grass featuring slender and arching, lime green foliage. It grows as a tidy clump to about 40 cm tall...

From$13.43
Lomandra longifolia plant beside a path with lush, green foliage.

Lomandra longifolia (Basket Grass)

Lomandra longifolia (Basket Grass) is a resilient, evergreen ornamental grass native to Australia. Growing to approximately 60 cm in height and 65 cm...

From$16.13
Lomandra Tankia with lush green foliage bordering a path.

Lomandra 'Tanika'

Lomandra Tanika is a hardy, Australian Native grass that is commonly known as Mat Rush. This grass features fine, deep-green foliage and a graceful...

From$20.18
festuca-banks-peninsula-blue-1

Festuca 'Banks Peninsula Blue' (Blue Fescue Grass)

Festuca 'Banks Peninsula Blue' is a striking ornamental grass valued for its fine, steel blue foliage that forms neat, compact clumps. This hardy...

From$14.18
Lomandra Green Allure plant with lush, green foliage.

Lomandra Green Allure

Lomandra Green Allure is widely used in landscaping projects across NZ. It is commonly mass planted as a ground cover or on a bank, included in...

From$20.18
Anemanthele lessoniana grass with colourful, orange and green foliage growing in a pot.

Anemanthele lessoniana (Pheasant's Tail Grass)

Anemanthele lessoniana, also known as Pheasant's Tail Grass or New Zealand Wind Grass, is a graceful, clump-forming ornamental grass native to New...

From$21.53
A large planting of Stipa gigantea (Golden Oat Grass) as a feature garden.

Stipa gigantea

Stipa gigantea, commonly known as the Golden Oat Grass, is a large, ornamental grass. It grows as a clump and produces narrow, dark green leaves. The...

From$14.78
Lomandra Frosty Tops with lush blue foliage in a garden.

Lomandra Frosty Tops

Lomandra Frosty Tops is a hardy, evergreen grass featuring elegant, blue-grey foliage and a soft, weeping form. Growing to around 50 cm tall and...

From$18.83
Poa cita grass plants on a plateau overlooing the sea.

Poa cita

Poa cita, commonly known as Silver Tussock, is a clump-forming NZ native grass with delicate, green foliage that wafts gracefully in the breeze. It...

From$14.51
An elegant Miscanthus sinensis grass with cream-coloured flower plumes and lush green foliage.

Miscanthus sinensis

Miscanthus sinensis is an ornamental grass that grows as a clump of narrow, arching, green leaves. The colouring gives a light silver-green effect to...

From$21.53
Ophiopogon japonicus Silver Mist grass in a garden.

Ophiopogon Silver Mist (Silver Mondo Grass)

Ophiopogon 'Silver Mist' is a dwarf silver Mondo Grass, and features fine, grass-like foliage that is variegated dark green and white. It typically...

From$6.08
Ophiopogon japonicus (Green Mondo Grass) growing as a groundcover in a woodland garden.

Ophiopogon japonicus

Ophiopogon japonicus, commonly known as green Mondo Grass, is a striking ornamental grass. It grows as a clump and produces a dense tuft of...

From$9.38
Colourful Liriope muscari 'Royal Purple' plants with purple flowers.

Liriope 'Royal Purple'

Liriope 'Royal Purple', commonly known as Monkey Grass, produces strap-like, dark green leaves that become adorned with masses of showy, deep...

From$18.83
Lomandra White Sands

Did you find what you are looking for?

You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Acorus, Anemanthele, Calamagrostis, Carex, Festuca, Hakonechloa, Helictotrichon, Isolepis, Juncus, Liriope, Lomandra, Miscanthus, Ophiopogon Poa and Stipa, or related Categories - Grasses and Mondo Grass.

Search ornamental grasses available

Why Choose Ornamental Grasses for Your NZ Garden?

Ornamental grasses thrive in New Zealand, offering resilience to wind, variable temperatures, and different soil conditions. Their drought tolerance makes them an eco-friendly option, while their soft, arching blades soften hard landscaping. Many varieties provide golden hues in autumn, light-catching seed heads, and a peaceful, rustling sound in the breeze.

Popular Varieties of Ornamental Grasses Available in NZ

We stock a diverse selection of ornamental grasses suitable for New Zealand gardens. Each variety brings its own personality—choose based on leaf colour, size, and ideal location.

Carex solandri

Carex solandri is a resilient New Zealand native sedge with fine green foliage. It’s perfect for mass planting, erosion control, or as a lush border around ponds and pathways. This grass tolerates damp and semi-shaded spots, making it versatile for diverse landscapes.

Carex flagellifera Green

A favourite among landscape designers, Carex flagellifera Green features sleek, bright green foliage that forms elegant, fountain-like clumps. Plant in groups for a natural look or line your garden beds for a neat, modern edge. Its adaptability to sun or partial shade makes Carex flagellifera Green a staple in NZ gardens.

Carex flagellifera Red

Add rich colour and texture with Carex flagellifera Red. Its bronzed-red tones stand out in rockeries, mixed borders, or as ground cover beneath trees. This ornamental grass is both eye-catching and hardy, complementing native plantings while withstanding New Zealand’s varying weather.

Lomandra White Sands

Bring year-round structure with Lomandra White Sands. This clumping grass has creamy-edged, strappy leaves and stays attractive all year. It’s ideal for mass planting on banks, beside driveways, or in containers for a tidy, architectural effect.

Lomandra Misty Green

For a softer, lush look, Lomandra Misty Green offers fine, dense foliage in a refreshing mid-green shade. It’s a low-maintenance choice for tough spots, thriving in sun or partial shade, and perfect for water-wise gardens that need reliable ground cover.

Design Tips and Care for Ornamental Grasses

Most ornamental grasses available in NZ are easy care—simply trim back old growth in late winter to encourage fresh shoots come spring. Mix and match varieties for contrast in colour, height, and texture. Use them in drifts for a natural effect, or spotlight a single specimen for a sculptural accent.

Find the Best Ornamental Grasses for Your Space

No matter your garden style, the range of ornamental grasses available in NZ lets you create vibrant, textured landscapes with minimal fuss. Browse our selection of Carex and Lomandra varieties for inspiration, and bring your outdoor space to life with plants that thrive in Kiwi conditions.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

Illustration of plant leaves.
Ficus pumila (Creeping Fig) and Ficus benjamina 'Starlight' turn heads, but Taxus baccata Fastigata, Thuja plicata Old Gold (Thuja Old Gold), and Carex dissita (Purei) quietly charm the most seasoned gardeners.
–The Plant Company

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