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Costa dives into the world of strappy-leaved plants that can add form and texture to your garden. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe
If you're looking around your garden or backyard this morning, wondering how to fill the gaps between your feature plants, cover a hard edge or green-up a wall, then look no more; strappy leaf plants are the answer. This group of plants are understated and elegant, and best of all, they’re low maintenance and low cost. So, strap yourself in for Costa’s take on the wonderful world of strappy-leaved plants.

Strappy-leaved plants are defined by their long linear leaves. Many are low growing, perennial, tough and herbaceous rather than woody like shrubs and trees. The native species you’ll commonly see are lomandra and dianella which add lush greenery and soft edges to public spaces. However, there's other great options for you to choose from.

Contrasting Foliage:
Carex ‘Everillo’ has wow-factor lime foliage and makes a great border or ground cover. Or try Carex ‘Feather Falls’ which has long and arching, low maintenance foliage. Some Carex species may be an environmental weed in your area so check before buying. For a strappy look that’s less grassy, you can always try succulents like aloes and mangave. These spread by forming pups at the base which you can then detach and pot up or plant elsewhere in the garden in free draining soil.

Floral Features:
Strappies aren't just about the leaves, many have beautiful flowers that look great, too. Grey cottonhead, Conostylis candicans is one of the stars of the show. It has gorgeous yellow flowers which look like tasty sweets sitting above a compact clump of grey-green leaves. They like full sun with well-draining soil. Their cousins, the kangaroo paw, Anigozanthos sp., have similar attributes but require a little bit more pruning to keep them flowering and vibrant. They like full sun and good drainage. Some cultivars will flower all year round like ‘Bush Pearl’ and ‘Bush Glow’.

Flowering plants in the Iris family are really good for mass plantings. They spread from underground stems called ‘rhizomes.’ Our own native iris, morning flag, Orthrosanthus multiflorus, has sword-like foliage and blue flowers in summer. There's also the butterfly or African iris, Dietes iridioides that has a stunning white and mauve flower. For mass groundcover, courtyards or dry, shady spots, the New Zealand rock lily has lush clumps of elegant, arching leaves and delightful flowers in spring.

Give it Some Height:
Not all strappies are ground huggers. Bold-leaved cordylines and dracaenas can slowly grow a tall trunk, making them an eye-catching alternative to trees and shrubs. Cultivars for both can range from thin stripey straps to wider floppier leaves with plenty of colour variation.

Plant a Strappy-leaved Pot:
Interesting colours, shapes and textures make for a fantastic display in a pot. Fill your pot with premium, well-draining potting mix and start by planting the tallest, structural plants first. Costa plants a purple cordyline at the back for height, a stripey Carex ‘Feather Falls’ to cascade over the front, a Conostylis for its silvery foliage and a Lomandra ‘Tanika’ with beautiful lime-green foliage as a backdrop.

An appreciation of what strappies have to offer really does elevate them beyond just space fillers. Rather than an afterthought, think of them as team players that bring a binding element to your garden through elegance, softness, texture and colour.

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