Ornamental Grasses Canberra
Lomandra, liriope and kangaroo paw are the easy-care backbone of a modern Canberra garden: neat, hardy and drought tolerant once established. Delivered across Canberra, Queanbeyan, Googong and Jerrabomberra in 2–3 business days. Free delivery on orders over $100.
Lomandra 'Little Lime' is a compact, tufting native grass with fine, lime-green foliage that stays neat year-round. It's extremely hardy, tolerating Canberra's heat, frost, and dry periods with minimal care. A dependable choice for structured mass planting or softening garden edges.
Mature size: approx. 40-50cm high and wide
Foliage: fine, lime-green, evergreen
Water needs: drought tolerant once established
Soil: Well-drained soil. On heavy Canberra clay, dig in gypsum clay breaker before planting. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed. Seasol at planting helps it settle in.
Position: full sun to part shade
Maintenance: low; occasional tidy-up only
Ideal for: borders, mass planting, low-maintenance landscaping
Landscape Scarlet is a tall, vigorous kangaroo paw from the Bush Gems Landscapers range, sending up branched stems of velvety scarlet-red paws through spring and summer. The upright, strappy green foliage stays neat, and the flowers are a magnet for honeyeaters and make long-lasting cut flowers. Give it full sun and good drainage; in Canberra it handles light frosts, and a hard cut back after heavy frost brings fresh growth.
- Mature size: Approx. 1-1.8m H in flower x 0.5-1m W
- Foliage: Upright, strappy, mid-green
- Flowers: Velvety scarlet-red paws on tall branched stems, spring to summer
- Growth habit: Clumping, upright
- Position: Full sun; tolerates light part shade with fewer flowers
- Climate: Tolerates light frost; best in a sunny, sheltered spot in Canberra
- Water needs: Drought tolerant once established; water in dry spells for bigger blooms
- Soil: Very free-draining soil. Kangaroo paws hate wet feet, so on clay dig in gypsum clay breaker and plant on a mound. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
- Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed while flowering.
- Maintenance: Low; cut spent flower stems to the base after flowering, native fertiliser in spring
- Ideal for: Feature planting, mass planting, large pots, cut flowers, bird-attracting gardens
A compact, bushy kangaroo paw with radiant golden-orange flowers held above strappy green foliage. It's a long flowering variety, putting on a show through much of the year, and the blooms are a favourite with nectar-feeding birds. Ideal for sunny spots and pots, it's tough and drought tolerant once established.
- Mature size: Approx. 50cm H x 50cm W
- Foliage: Strappy, mid-green
- Flowers: Golden-orange kangaroo paw flowers, long flowering season
- Growth habit: Compact, clumping
- Position: Full sun
- Climate: Tolerates light frost; drought tolerant once established. Give some shelter from heavy Canberra frosts
- Water needs: Low to moderate; needs good drainage
- Soil: Very free-draining soil. Kangaroo paws hate wet feet, so on clay dig in gypsum clay breaker and plant on a mound. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
- Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed while flowering.
- Maintenance: Low; cut spent flower stems back to the base to encourage new flowers
- Ideal for: Native gardens, pots, borders, cut flowers and attracting birds
'Shara' is a compact, tufting lomandra with fine, soft, gently weeping foliage that gives a slightly softer look than other lomandra cultivars. It's tough and adaptable, tolerating both drought and frost once established. A great low-maintenance choice for borders or repeated mass planting.
Mature size: approx. 40-50cm high and wide
Foliage: fine, soft, weeping, evergreen
Position: full sun to part shade
Water needs: drought tolerant once established
Soil: Well-drained soil. On heavy Canberra clay, dig in gypsum clay breaker before planting. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed. Seasol at planting helps it settle in.
Maintenance: low; occasional trim to refresh
Ideal for: borders, mass planting, softening garden edges
A dense, compact lomandra with bright lime-green fine foliage that holds its colour and shape year-round. It's one of the toughest strappy-leaf plants available, handling extreme heat, frost, and extended dry periods with ease. A reliable workhorse for structured mass planting or low-maintenance garden design.
Mature size: approx. 40-50cm high and wide
Foliage: fine, lime-green, dense, evergreen
Position: full sun to part shade
Water needs: highly drought tolerant once established
Soil: Well-drained soil. On heavy Canberra clay, dig in gypsum clay breaker before planting. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed. Seasol at planting helps it settle in.
Maintenance: very low
Ideal for: mass planting, borders, tough low-maintenance landscaping
A compact Australian native with soft, fine, bright green strappy leaves that form a neat, gently weeping clump. In spring and summer, small, softly fragrant yellow flower spikes sit just above the foliage. It's extremely tough, handling heavy frosts and long dry spells, so it's a reliable, low-fuss choice for Canberra gardens.
Mature size: 50–60cm tall x 60–65cm wide
Foliage: Fine, soft, bright green strappy leaves; evergreen
Flowers: Small, softly fragrant yellow flower spikes in spring and summer
Growth habit: Compact, weeping clump; medium growth rate
Position: Full sun to part shade; suits sandy, loam and clay soils with reasonable drainage
Climate: Frost hardy (copes with heavy frosts); extremely drought tolerant once established
Water needs: Regular watering for the first 2–3 months, then low
Soil: Well-drained soil. On heavy Canberra clay, dig in gypsum clay breaker before planting. In pots, use Native Osmocote Potting Mix.
Feeding: Osmocote Native in spring, or Neutrog Bush Tucker as a liquid feed. Seasol at planting helps it settle in.
Maintenance: Very low; cut back hard every few years to refresh
Ideal for: Mass planting, borders and edging, pathways, slopes and erosion control, native gardens and pots
Liriope 'Evergreen Giant' is a tough, evergreen clumping plant with tall, glossy, deep green strappy leaves that stay lush all year round. Through summer and autumn it sends up spikes of pale purple flowers, followed by dark blue berries. It's one of the most dependable plants for shady spots and copes well with Canberra's frosts and dry spells, so it's an easy, low-fuss choice for borders and mass planting.
Mature size: approx. 45–60cm tall x 50–60cm wide
Foliage: Tall, narrow, deep green strappy leaves; evergreen
Flowers: Pale purple flower spikes in summer and autumn, followed by dark blue berries
Growth habit: Dense, upright clumping perennial
Position: Full sun to full shade; adapts to most well-drained soils, including poor soils
Climate: Frost hardy (to around -10°C); tolerates dry spells once established
Water needs: Regular while establishing, then low to moderate
Soil: Well-drained soil improved with compost. Break up heavy Canberra clay with gypsum clay breaker. In pots, use Osmocote Premium Potting Mix.
Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.
Maintenance: Very low; trim old leaves back in late winter or early spring to refresh
Ideal for: Borders and path edging, mass planting, shady beds, understorey planting, embankments and pots
Using grasses and strappy plants
Borders and edging
Lomandra 'Little Lime' and Liriope 'Just Right' make neat, tidy edges along paths, driveways and garden beds.
Mass planting
Lomandra 'Tanika' and 'Shara' fill large areas quickly and soften hard landscaping, retaining walls and fences.
Adding colour
Kangaroo paw 'Bush Glow' adds bright flowers above strappy green foliage and brings in the birds.
Grass questions
How far apart should I plant?
About 25–30cm apart for liriope edging, and about 40–60cm apart for lomandra in mass plantings.
Do they need much water?
Water regularly while they establish. After that, lomandra in particular is very drought tolerant.
How do I keep them tidy?
Trim tired or brown leaves once a year in late winter. New growth fills in by spring.
Not sure which grass suits your garden? Call Pat on 0401 260 263 and we'll help you choose.
A compact, clumping grass-like perennial, valued for its neat, arching strappy foliage that forms tidy mounds ideal for borders and mass planting. Spikes of small purple flowers rise above the foliage in late summer to autumn, adding a soft pop of colour. Tough and adaptable, it copes well with Canberra's frosty winters and handles both sun and shade positions with ease.
Position: Full sun to full shade
Soil: Adaptable; prefers well-draining soil with added organic matter
Watering: Moderate; more drought-tolerant once established
Feeding: Osmocote All Purpose in spring, or Yates Dynamic Lifter for an organic feed. Seasol at planting and through summer helps with heat stress.
Habit: Compact, clumping groundcover — great for borders and mass planting
Flowering: Purple flower spikes in late summer to autumn
Hardiness: Frost tolerant, well suited to Canberra conditions
Mature Size: 30-45cm tall, 30-45cm wide, clump-forming