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Australian Grass
Gardens
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under
construction
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This page is mainly about using
grasses and grass-like foliage species in waterwise dryland gardens.
Geographe Community Landcare Nursery
grows several grass-like wetland species -
sedges and rushes - used in wetland restoration (species that can
also be used in wetland gardening and landscaping),
but we also grow
several grass and grass-like species that can be used in
waterwise dryland gardens. In time, we hope to
also grow more grasses and grass-like species for dryland
revegetation projects.
More on waterwise gardening ... More on
revegetation ...
Back to the main Garden page
From our nursery list: Dryland
grass-like species
Note: Some of the species listed above
grow in moist conditions, but given our long summer drought, some
of these are also adapted and suitable for a waterwise garden.
There are local examples of wetland species flourishing
paradoxically in dry, adverse circumstances: Anigozanthos
flavidus, Gahnia trifida, Lepidosperma effusum,
...
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True grasses are monocots in the botanical family Poaceae
(sometimes referred to as Gramineae - Wikipedia). This
page also includes plants from other familes that have 'grass-like'
foliage, like the Cyperaceae, Restionaceae, Iridaceae,
Dasyponaceae, Haemodoraceae, Juncaceae, Xanthorrhoeaceae,
Anthericaceae, Phormiaceae, ... familes. There are also some dicot
species that have 'grass-like' foliage. See our ID Puzzles page for a comprehensive list of
local (Busselton district) grass genera and grass-like plant genera.
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Gardening with grasses, sedges,
rushes, and allied plants
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The world flora
offers the gardener a wonderful array of grasses and grass-like
species, and Australia gardeners, following trends elsewhere, have
cultivated a wide range. A few popular species:
cvs
= cultivars
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Common
Name
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Scientific
Name
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Botanical
Family
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New Zealand
Flax
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Phormium
tenax and related species - many cvs
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Phormiaceae or Agavaceae or
Hemerocallidaceae (APG II)
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Day
Lily
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Hemerocallis
species
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Hemerocallidaceae |
Mondo Grass
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Ophiopogon
japonicus and related species - many
cvs
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Convallariaceae or Ruscaeae
(APG II)
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| Mondo Grass |
Liriope
gigantea, muscari, spicata, and cvs
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Convallariaceae or Ruscaeae
(APG II) |
Fortnight
Lily
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Dietes
bicolor, iridioides
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Iridaceae
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Satintails
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Imperata
cylindrica
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Poaceae
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Blue/Grey
Fescue
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Festuca glauca
and
cvs
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Poaceae
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Eulalia
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Miscanthus sinensis
- many
cvs
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Poaceae
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African Lily
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Agapanthus species and
cvs
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Alliaceae
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Fountain grass
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Pennisetum species
(mainly P. alopecuroides - many cvs)
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Poaceae
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Tussock Grass
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Poa labillardierei |
Poaceae
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but, but, but,
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many
grasses and grass-like species are weeds or could become weeds in
our local areas
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Some of these exotic plants (plants
from another place or country) sometimes have a tendency to be
weedy. Who would have thought that Agapanthus would be a weed?
However, we know from our experience with many introduced plants
that they can be weedy. There are weedy grasses (many) and weedy
grass-like/strappy plants (like Watsonia species, ...).
Significant grass and grass-like species that
are weeds in the Busselton area include:
Common Name
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Scientific Name
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Botanical Family
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Status
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Tambookie Grass
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Hyparrhenia
hirta |
Poaceae
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Controlled where possible
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Marram Grass
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Ammophila arenaria
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Poaceae
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Naturalised
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Wavy Gladiolus
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Gladiolus undulatus
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Iridaceae
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| Bulbil Watsonia |
Watsonia meriana
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Iridaceae
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Controlled where possible |
Freesia
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Freesia alba x leichtlinii
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Iridaceae
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One Leaf Cape Tulip
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Moraea flaccida
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Iridaceae
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Controlled where possible |
Guildford Grass
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Romulea rosea
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Iridaceae
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African Cornflag
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Chasmanthe floribunda
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Iridaceae
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Controlled where possible |
Dune Onion Weed
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Trachyandra divaricata
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Asphodelaceae
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Onion Weed
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Asphodelus fistulosus
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Asphodelaceae |
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Juncus species
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Juncus spp
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Juncaceae
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Controlled where possible |
Pampas Grass
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Cortaderia selloana
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Poaceae
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Controlled where possible |
African Love Grass
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Eragrostis curvula
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Poaceae
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Controlled where possible |
Kikuyu
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Pennisetum clandestinum |
Poaceae
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Controlled in revegetation projects
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The nursery industry is beginning a
process of regulation so that potential weed species are not sold
by nurseries. Even Eastern States' plants like Lomandra
longifolia can be weedy. The answer, obviously, is to discover
our local species, and to use them for revegetation and for
gardens.
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we can do
better |
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We can
discover the incredible richness of our own indigenous flora. The
Western Australian and Australian flora has some excellent species
that suit grass plantings. Our nursery grows a few of our local
species, and we are attempting more. You may be able to help us
expand the range by coming into the nursery and helping with
propagation tasks!
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Internal pages to explore the 'grass' species of the Busselton
flora:
- Classification
[Browse down to Monocots and find the families mentioned
above]
- Local Plants in
Cultivation by Genus
[Look for the genuses mentioned in the Classification
page]
- Sedges
[Some of our best 'grass' species come from the Cyperaceae
family]
- ID Puzzles
[Mainly about the Busselton flora including
dicots with grassy or strappy foliage. This page gives a
fairly comprehensive picture up to genus level of our local flora
with grassy or strappy foliage.]
Other pages:
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Our book page (for gardeners) lists
a recent book for Australian gardeners on these kinds of
plants:
PARRY, N. and JONES, J.
(2007) Native Grasses for
Australian Gardens,
Reed New Holland, Sydney.
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The Wikipedia has several helpful pages including:
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Examples of Grass Gardens using
Australian Plants
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We would love to post more
photos of grass plantings in SW Western Australia. Please contact
us if you can help.
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Broadwater, Busselton, Western
Australia
Photos: Richard Clark 8th July
2008
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Busselton's best secret . .
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out of the blue in Busselton
This garden stands out from much local Busselton landscaping for
its use of a mix of local
plants (plus a couple of non-locals) to create a sense
of 'garden'.
Although it is not a garden comprised mainly of grassy plants, it
makes good use of Ficinia nodosa
(photo right) and Juncus pallidus
(photos below), both local plants.
More about this garden here.
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Plantings at Provence Estate,
Yalyalup, Busselton
Photos:
Richard Clark 20th January 2009
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The Provence housing development at
Busselton makes extensive use of a limited number of grass like
species including Juncus species, Baumea articulata,
Ficinia nodosa, and Lomandra cultivars.
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Photos
of plantings in Bunbury, Western Australia
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Photos of plantings at
Vasse, Western Australia (the
Busselton Bypass/ Bussell Highway intersection roundabout, near the
Vasse townsite.
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This part of the roundabout is planted with only one species, a
Dianllea, looking very much like our local Dianella brevicaulis.
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Use of non-Western Australian
Dianella and Lomandra species and cultivars at a new
residential subdivision at Vasse, Western Australia. In new
subdivisions like this, there is great opportunity - in partnership
with local government authorities - to forge a new aesthetic based
on the natural resources of the local environment: all that is
required is a desire to explore the riches of the local
flora.
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Lomandra (probably a Lomandra longifolia cultivar).
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A Dianella variegated cultivar, probably Dianella "Silver
Streak'
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Leederville, Western
Australia
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A garden comprised mainly of grass species
near the Leederville train
station, Western Australia.
Species include our common grasstree, Xanthorrhoea preissii, Ficinia nodosa, and
Eremophila glabra, prostrate form.
Eremophila glabra ssp. albicans
grows in our region, not as a prostrate plant, but rather as a
straggly shrub ( FloraBase).
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Warrnambool, Victoria,
Australia
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A median strip planting in Warrnambool, Victoria with true grasses
(probably including Poa poiformis) and Lomandra
longifolia.
Lomandra longifolia is an Eastern States' species but much
planted in Western Australia. Several cultivars are available
including 'Katrinus', 'Tanika', 'Nyalla', and 'Cassica'.
Unfortunately, this lomandra (with male and female plants) is
coming to be seen as a weedy species.
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Ficinia nodosa outside the Visitor
Information Centre at Warrnambool. It is planted with a Hebe
species ( Wikipedia)
which was suffering because of the drought in Victoria.
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The
road leading to the main entrance of the Geelong Botanical Garden (Victoria) has an
impressive array of grass gardens, some planted entirely with
Ficinia
nodosa, but most planted with true
grasses.
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Some of the Geelong photos
above include Ficinia, but the photos below show a raised
bed planted solely with Ficinia nodosa.
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Lepidosperma gladiatum at the 21st
Century Garden, Geelong Botanic Gardens
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Lepidosperma gladiatum is a
species with bold, architectural foliage. It can be used in many
garden situations, and like many other sedges, foliage and
inflorescence combine to make a striking statement.
A list of our local sedges.
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Lepidosperma gladiatum in the entrance
garden, Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park Crematorium,
Padbury
photos
coming
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Haemodoraceae
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Anigozanthos and Conostylis species
of the Haemodoraceae family are well-known to gardeners. Other
local Haemodoraceae genuses are listed on the ID Puzzles page together with species from
other families having strappy or grass-like foliage.
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Conostylis candicans,
Grey Cottonheads, growing in a garden setting along a pathway at
Bunker Bay Quay West Resort near Cape Naturaliste.
Photo: Richard Clark
17th June 2008
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Australian rushes and grasses
at the Ian Potter Foundation
Children's Garden, Melbourne Botanical Garden.
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Boloskion tetraphyllum (syn. Restio tetraphyllus)
Photos: Richard Clark
28th May 2008
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Bolaskion tetraphyllum
does not occur in Western Australia but we have some wonderful
restionaceae species. Geographe
Community Landcare Nursery grows one Restionaceae species,
Meeboldina
scariosa, which could be used in plantings like the
examples above. Hopefully, soon, we can grow more, as our
restionaceae species have great horticultural potential. (A list of
our restionaceae genera can be found on the ID Puzzles page).
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Royal
Botanic Gardens Cranbourne Australian Garden
Photos: Richard Clark
30th May 2008
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The table decoration with a restionaceae species at the Australian
Garden cafe.
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Black Bristle-rush (Chorizandra enodis) is planted in
several gardens at the Australian
Garden. This Chorizandra grows in the Busselton region, but so
far our nursery has not attempted it.
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Lepidosperma concavum (Sandhill Sword-sedge) in a
dry garden bed, and used as a border around plants in the
centre of the bed, here a
Calothamnus.
This Lepidosperma is an Eastern States' species.
Here in Western Australia, we have many Lepidosperma species
(and other sedges) which could serve a similar function in a dry
garden or landscaping setting, for example Lepidosperma
costale (see photo below).
Geographe Community Landcare Nursery does
not as yet grow any dryland sedge species (we grow the coastal
L. gladiatum, and two wetland
species, L.effusum and L.tetraquetrum) but we are working on it!
- we have had some germination from Lepidosperma
squamatum.
Many sedges are notoriously difficult to germinate, and we are
looking forward to possible research 'breakthroughs' for some of
these species.
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Stypandra glauca
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The photo above and the photos
to the right are of the grass species, Themeda triandra
(syn. Themeda australis, Kangaroo Grass) which grows
throughout Australia, and also in the warmer Asian countries
incuding the Phillipines and New Guinea. This species also grows
here in the SW of Western Australia.(FloraBase)
Although the Australian Garden at Cranbourne is 20 ha in area, in
order to showcase as many species as possible, this planting is in
an intriguingly designed set of small gardens cordoned off in long
narrow sections by thick rope.
Like many grass species, the fresh seed of Themeda is dormant, and
does not germinate until it has been stored for some
months.
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Knotted Club Rush, Ficinia nodosa, is one of our most
versatile garden species, as can be seen from the examples on this
page. The small garden in the photo on the right is
planted with just this one species.
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Western Australian Ecology Centre, Bold
Park
Photos: Richard Clark 12th June
2008
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Private Garden
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Poa labillardierei (Tussock Grass) in a
Margaret River garden.
This grass is an Eastern States' species, and
is often sold by nurseries as the cultivar Eskdale.
A page on
Poa labillardierei in PlantNET, the NSW Flora Online.
Photo: Margaret Moir
5th April 2004 |
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'Grasses' with
flowers!
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Back to the main
Garden page |
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