Name: The Plant Company
Address: 284 Meeanee Road, Meeanee, Napier, 4112, New Zealand
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types of ornamental grass

Ornamental grasses are a versatile and visually striking addition to New Zealand gardens, providing movement, texture, and year-round interest. If you’re looking to refresh your landscape or create a low-maintenance garden, exploring the types of ornamental grass available can inspire countless possibilities. From compact, clumping varieties perfect for borders to tall, feathery grasses that sway gracefully in the wind, there’s an ornamental grass suited to every outdoor space. Many types thrive in our local climate, and their adaptability makes them favourites for garden beds, containers, and even mass plantings.

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 and width, it thrives in full sun to partial shade and is highly tolerant of drought, frost, wind, and coastal conditions. This low-maintenance plant is ideal for mass plantings, borders, containers, and around outdoor living areas, adding year-round texture and colour to gardens.

Buy Lomandra Shara

From $20.18

Suited to regions: All regions

Plant type: Grasses

Height: 60 cm

Spread: 60 cm

Flowering time: Spring

Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind

Garden uses: Banks, Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Ponds, Pool areas

Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern

Lomandra White Sands

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.

Buy Lomandra White Sands

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

Popular Types of Ornamental Grass

Ornamental grasses come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colours, offering creative options for gardeners of all skill levels. Whether you want to create a dramatic focal point or soften edges in your planting scheme, there’s a grass to match your vision.

Lomandra Varieties

Lomandra grasses are prized for their tough, drought-tolerant nature and architectural appeal. Here are some standout Lomandra cultivars:

Lomandra White Sands: This elegant variety features soft, green foliage with creamy tips, brightening borders and pathways. It’s perfect for low-maintenance mass plantings or as a stylish container feature.
Lomandra Shara: Known for its resilience, Lomandra Shara delivers fine, upright leaves and stays compact, making it ideal for garden edges, courtyards, and modern landscapes.
Lomandra Nyalla: This versatile cultivar offers blue-green leaves and blooms with subtle, fragrant flowers. It thrives in full sun or partial shade and suits both formal and natural designs.
Lomandra Misty Green: Featuring lush, soft foliage, Lomandra Misty Green adds gentle movement and texture, especially when grouped in shaded or semi-shaded locations.

Restio Tetraphyllus (Tassel Grass)

For those seeking a distinctive, native-inspired texture, Restio tetraphyllus (Tassel Grass) stands out. This New Zealand favourite boasts attractive tassel-like foliage, bringing dynamic interest to damp garden spots, ponds, or pathway borders. Its graceful, upright stems create a striking silhouette and complement both native and contemporary landscapes.

Choosing the Right Ornamental Grass for Your Garden

When exploring types of ornamental grass, consider factors like your soil conditions, sunlight, and intended use. Clumping varieties such as Lomandra are ideal for erosion control and low-maintenance planting. Taller types, like Restio tetraphyllus, are perfect for adding height and movement. Many ornamental grasses also offer wildlife benefits, providing shelter and nesting sites for birds and insects.

Creating Impact with Ornamental Grass

Incorporating different types of ornamental grass can transform your outdoor space. Use contrasting shapes and colours to define garden zones, soften boundaries, or highlight walkways. Ornamental grasses also pair beautifully with flowering perennials and native shrubs, creating layers of interest through the seasons.

As you discover the types of ornamental grass that suit your site, you’ll find these versatile plants are an investment in beauty, sustainability, and easy-care gardening. Browse our range of Lomandra varieties and Tassel Grass to begin your garden transformation today.

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.