Using strappy leaved plants in your garden.
Strappy leafed plants are plants which have a grass like growth habit, but are not grasses.
Their leaves are long green straps, like grass, which may be very thin or thick and fleshy, or anything in between.
They usually do not form a stem, but all their leaves arise from a central point, and as the plant grows, they form large clumps.
Strappy leaf plants include some ultra tough natives like dianellas, or exotics such as agapanthus and wild iris.
Liriope and mondo grass can also be included as strappy leafed plants, although they differ from the others in that they spread via underground stolons in the way that many grasses do.
Strappy leaved plants can give a strong sense of design to any style of garden, in much the same way as grasses. The long leaves can be used to give structure to a garden where the upright lines create a sense of rhythm and uniformity.
Dianellas are tough and hardy natives which are able to provide soil stability in addition to great strappy leafed foliage and lovely blue flowers and berries.
They are available in a huge variety of sizes from tall varieties like King Alfred to very compact forms like Silverado and Little Jess.
The main leaf colour is a deep emerald green, but they are also available with white and gold variegations, grey-blue shades and red tinges to the leaf as well. Dianella prunina Rainbow Twist even offers multiple colours in the one plant. The leaves are green and white tinged with red, which darkens to deeper shades of red and purple during the cooler months.
Dietes is a great plant and very reliable. Look for cultivars as the plain grandiflora is a little bit untidy although great for erosion control.
One of my favourites is Dianella White Tiger. This is a lovely, variegated clump forming plant with pale green and cream stripe broad leaf and the typical blue and white iris flowers throughout spring and summer.
Dietes flavida Smokey is another good larger form with a grey tinged broader leaf growing upwards of two metres. Great mass planted or as a single statement in the border.
I love to mix softer grasses with the strappy leaved plants and neatly clipped hedges. It creates a wonderfully dynamic garden border full of movement and texture.
Next month I will continue the strappy leaved theme and talk a little more about exotic plant option.
Visit Clark+Granger at www.cplusg.com.au or phone 0456 111 120 to find out more.
By Jez Clark
