New Zealand plants for UK gardens - in pictures

If you squint a bit, parts of the New Zealand landscape can look familiar to the British eye. However, on closer inspection it becomes clear that any resemblance to a stretched-out Scotland is only superficial. There are ferns taller than a double-decker bus and grassy perennials with leaves that are tipped with ferocious spines.
Whilst you may be wary about welcoming something like the spiny aciphyllas into the garden, there are many other native New Zealand plants that are well worth growing in the UK. Some of them, like Phormium tenax and Anemanthele lessoniana, are already a relatively common sight in UK gardens. David Wong shines a spotlight on others that are a little more obscure.

• David Wong is the founder of the online marketplace, Plantedd, where independent nurseries sell their plants.

David Wong

Wed 3 Jul 2013 10.05 EDT First published on Wed 3 Jul 2013 10.05 EDT

  • Buy at

    Silver spear (Astelia chathamica - also sold as Astelia chathamica ‘Silver Spear’). The leaves have a silvery sheen to them so it’s surprising to find that they like partial shade and not the full sun that you might expect. It makes bold, handsome clumps that look like a small phormium. Silver spear (1m) isn’t reliably hardy, but it will get through most winters with some protection. Architectural Plants

  • The Chatham Island forget-me-not

    , Myosotidium hortensia (60cm), has a reputation for being difficult to grow. Divas are sometimes worth the effort though. The large rounded leaves can each get to the size of a baseball mitt and they make a striking feature. Their forget-me-not flowers appear in spring and are held on stocky heads. This is a coastal plant so it has no problems with the wind, but it will not tolerate hard frosts. It needs cool summers and it should be planted in some shade with a rich soil that is also free draining. Buy at Woottens of Wenhaston

  • Red tussock grass

    Brown grasses can be difficult to use in the garden without seeming like they’re dead. (Chionochloa rubra), however, is the right balance of coppery tones that make it shimmer rather than looking parched. The exact colour can be somewhat variable, ranging from an olive-green colour through to a reddish bronze. Chionochloa rubra (1.5m) moves with a delicate rhythm even in the slightest wind and the evergreen leaves look good all year round. Buy at Binny Plants on Plantedd

  • Topiarist's hebe

    A number of Chelsea show gardens in the past few years have used closely clipped box balls and repeated them throughout the planting in order to provide structure and lead the eye. For those wanting to do something similar without having to train their own box plants or splash out on mature specimens, (Hebe topiaria) (60cm) is a good alternative because it naturally grows into a dense ball (pictured here in the foreground of the garden). It has small grey-green leaves. Buy at Gardening Express

  • Buy at

    In summer, sprays of white flowers appear above the grassy leaves of the New Zealand satin flower (Libertia grandiflora) (80cm). This is a drought-tolerant plant with stiff evergreen leaves, which can be grown in sun or partial shade. It can be increased reasonably easily from seedlings. Beth Chatto Gardens

  • New Zealand tree fern

    I've included the (Cyathea medullaris) (5-15m) as a bit of an indulgence since it wouldn’t survive outside over the winter for most of us. It’s safest to grow the black tree fern under glass, or to overwinter it in a cool conservatory or heated greenhouse. The thin, sturdy trunk is a dramatic ink-black and when the fronds are unfurling they’re covered in a thick dark fur. Buy at Bowdens
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