Acorus is an aquatic or wetland perennial with semi-evergreen grass-like foliage. It has narrow, glossy leaves and looks like thick, lush grass. Plant in full sun to partial shade. It requires very moist soil. It does just fine in the water garden zone along ponds and ornamental pools, and even submersed in water; 7 to 15 cm deep. It can be grown in regular garden situations but must be watered frequently. The leaf tips will turn brown if the soil dries for even brief periods.

A dwarf version of acorus gramineus of about 10cms tall, with green and yellow vareigated leaves. Good for the

Evergreen, grass-like perennial. Sprays of white flowers and seeds all year round. Plant in sun or shade. Attracts birds and bees to the garden. Cut it back after winter.

Evergreen, reed like shrub up to 3m tall. Male and female on separate plants, being the flemale flowers the more showy. Plant it in full sun and water regularly or plant with the roots in water in the water garden. Moderately hardy. A feature plant.

Evergreen, small carex with yellow and green variegated leaves. Carex species like a position in full sun or half-sun with moist well-drained soil. Despite their natural preference for damp conditions, some species will tolerate drought. Good for the water garden.

Evergreen, compact carex, with grey-green foliage and curled tips. Carex species like a position in full sun or half-sun with moist well-drained soil. Despite their natural preference for damp conditions, some species will tolerate drought. Good for the water garden.

Evergreen compact carex, with bronze-red foliage. Carex species like a position in full sun or half-sun with moist well-drained soil. Despite their natural preference for damp conditions, some species will tolerate drought. Good for the water garden.

Papyrus stems grow in great masses in shallow water and wet soils. They spread quickly and extensively. They are less enthusiastic in poorer soils, and more polite about staying in bounds. They will do well in sun or partial shade. Freezing temperatures will kill the top, but the plant will recover if the roots are mulched or are under water. Papyrus is a big plant and it needs space in order to be appreciated. Use this plant in the water garden, along the shores of lakes, ponds, and slow moving streams to create masses of hazy light green foliage. A single clump can serve as a focal point, or use in pairs to frame a scene. When used in smaller pools and fishponds, grow papyrus in containers placed underwater. This keeps it from invading other plants territories and simplifies maintenance. Evergreen.

Although much smaller, the plant bears a superficial resemblance to papyrus. Use this plant also in the water garden. Under ideal conditions the culms may attain 1.2 m in height, but are usually shorter. They are also very much more slender than in C. papyrus. The growing conditions are similar to those for Cyperus papyrus, that is, full sun, with a sandy or muddy substrate on the edge of a water body. The water should be shallower, about 10 cm deep at most. For best effect the plants should be allowed to form a large colony. Evergreen.

The mat sedge forms a clump of bare stems (1-3m tall), each topped by a rounded head of narrow spiky leaves. It is frost resistant and fast growing. Cyperus textilis is used all over the world to clean polluted water and factory effluents. Many birds, like finches and weavers, build their nests in Cyperus textilis clumps, and the plants provide shelter for fish larvae, baby crocodiles and various kinds of snakes that live near water. The basket grass is used to weave baskets and sleeping mats or to make rolled twine. Plant in any soil in sun or shade in the water garden or keep it moist throughout the year if planted away from water. Evergreen.

Evergreen, Tall, clump forming, decorative reed-like plant up to 3m tall. Dark green foliage with distinctive nodes like bamboo with needle-like branches looking like a horsetail. Plant it in full sun with plenty of air movement, water regularly and give them plenty of space to grow. Semi-hardy. It will grow well in the water garden alongside ponds.

Evergreen, fast growing, reed-like plant up to 1,5m tall. Plant it in full sun in a well drained soil with plenty of air movement. The best time for planting restios is at the beginning of the rainy season, as the plants need regular watering during the first six weeks to two months after planting.

Evergreen, clump forming, grass-like restio. The Cape thatch reed grows particularly well in the water garden alongside ponds. The main requirements for growing restios successfully are full sun, a well-drained soil and plenty of air movement. The plants adapt to a large variety of soil types. The best time for planting restios is at the beginning of the rainy season, as the plants need regular watering during the first six weeks to two months after planting. After this initial period the plants can survive with very little additional watering. Never cut the plant back but prune and clear the old stems around the outside of the plant.

Similar to Elegia Tectorum but very compact and much shorter, only reaching about 60 cms tall. The Cape evergreen thatch reed grows particularly well in the water garden alongside ponds. The main requirements for growing restios successfully are full sun, a well-drained soil and plenty of air movement. The plants adapt to a large variety of soil types. The best time for planting restios is at the beginning of the rainy season, as the plants need regular watering during the first six weeks to two months after planting. After this initial period the plants can survive with very little additional watering. Never cut the plant back but prune and clear the old stems around the outside of the plant.

A hardy, densely tufted, perennial grass with blue-green, slender leaves of which the bases are usually purple. The flower spikes are erect with plump, golden, heart shaped spikelets from Sept to Apr. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Attracts seed eating birds.

Evergreen, small bunch grass that grows in a neat cushion-like clump with pale green foliage. Festuca is a short-lived clump grass that tends to die out in the center after a couple years. When this happens, the clumps should be dug up and divided, and the divisions replanted. Plant in full sun or partial shade. It is frost hardy, drought tolerant, and grows best in poor, sandy, well drained soils.

Evergreen, small bunch grass that grows in a neat cushion-like clump with handsome blue-gray foliage. Blue festuca is a short-lived clump grass that tends to die out in the center after a couple years. When this happens, the clumps should be dug up and divided, and the divisions replanted. It's deeper foliage color when grown in full sun, but it can tolerate partial shade, and should be grown in part shade in areas with hot summers. It is frost hardy, drought tolerant, and grows best in poor, sandy, well drained soils.

Evergreen, perennial, tuft forming grass-like plant with brown spiklets growing up to 40cm tall with a fountain like effect. Use as an ornamental grass in the landscape. Plant in full sun.

Evergreen perennial. Cranberry-red leaf tips with coloration that extends down the leaf blades and intensifies as the season progresses. As the plants go dormant, the leaves turn brownish-gray from the tips downward. The dead leaves remain standing and resist decay. Plant in full sun or semi-shade and water well.

Evergreen, tufted perennial grass-like. Golden brown little seeds. Good for the water garden. Plant in full sun.

Evergreen, tufted perennial grass-like. Corckscrewing intewresting foliage. Golden brown little seeds. Good for the water garden. Plant in full sun.

Juncus Kraussii is an evergreen perennial herb that grows up to a height of 1.5 m. This rush is popular for making sleeping mats (amacansi ), baskets, beer strainers and numerous craftwork products. It can grow on many soil types ranging from sandy soils to clays provided there is enough water. Very beautiful when planting in the water garden.

Fast growing and frost resistant, evergreen grass-like plant for the shady garden. The dark green, ribbonlike foliage grows in length and then recurves toward the ground to form rounded clumps. As the clumps mature they merge into a continuous carpet that resembles a plot of shaggy lawn grass. In summer, spikes of small purple, violet or white flowers rise from the center of clumps. Flowers are followed by pea-sized black or white berries in autumn.

Perennial grass. Blue-green leaves of about 20 cm. The flowers appear mostly in summer, and fade from purple through rose pink to white as they mature. They are densely covered with glistening, silky hairs that give the panicles a 'shining' appearance. Once established, it needs very little attention.

Zebra grass is a hardy, clump forming, perennial grass. It has upright or arching bluish-green leaves with pale yellowish horizontal bands across them. It prefers full sun or very light shade. The Zebra grass can grow in the water garden alongside ponds, as it loves a humid soil, specially in summer, althought is also drought tolerant and will grow in most well-drained soils.

Evergreen grass. Arching green leaves. White flowers on arching stalks in summer, followed by deep blue berries. Pant in semi-shade at water regularly for better results.

Evergreen grass. Arching leaves that are striped pale green and white. White flowers on arching stalks in summer, followed by deep blue berries. Pant in semi-shade at water regularly for better results.

Evergreen, ornamental grass. The leaves emerge in clumps from a network of rhizomes that grow just below the soil surface. With age the clumps will merge to form a soft dense carpet of foliage. Frost and drought resistant. Fast growing. Plant in full sun or shade.

Evergreen, ornamental grass. The leaves emerge in clumps from a network of rhizomes that grow just below the soil surface. With age the clumps will merge to form a soft dense carpet of foliage. Leaves 5 to 10 cm tall. Frost and drought resistant. Fast growing. Plant in full sun or shade.

Black Mondo Grass, is an evergreen perennial that makes a great groundcover or edge plant for the border of a garden. The foliage starts out green and then quickly turns dark black. It will grow in partial shade to full sun with a moist well-drained soil.

Fountain grass is a very showy ornamental grass with graceful, arching dark purple leaves and burgundy-red plumes. Plant in full sun or semi-shade. Drought resistant but frost tender.

Evergreen, form plant with sword-shaped yellow leaves with green edges. Frost and drought resistant but enjoys plenty of water. Plant in sun or semi-shade. Fast growing.

Evergreen, compact, form plant. Dark brown leaves. Frost and drought resistant but enjoys plenty of water. Plant in sun or semi-shade. Fast growing.

Evergreen, vigourous, semi-aquatic shrub up to 2m tall, with a main thick stem and green leaves. Plant in full sun and water regularly, Leave enough space to grow.

Evergreen, compact, feathery, reed-like plant up to 1,5m tall. Very hardy. Dark green foliage with distinctive nodes like bamboo and a small brown inflorescence at the tips. Plant rhodocoma capensis in full sun with plenty of air movement and water regularly.

The ribbon grass is a very tall, robust, tufted, perennial grass which is moist and shade loving. Very usefull for water purification as it absorbs excess nutrients from the water. Setaria megaphylla attracts birds to the garden as finches, canaries and other seed eating birds eat the seed. The leaves are also used by weavers to build their nests. Use it in the water garden or in a a wetland.

Perennial, leafy aquatic plants with distinctive velvety-brown flower-spikes. Plant in full sun in the water garden. It will only grow well where the soil is under the water or very wet. It can, if necessary, be controlled by chopping back new rhizomes. To make maintenance easier and to manage growth, plant bulrushes in separate containers which may then be submerged. When necessary, remove the container from the water and cut back the plant and replace in the water. Frost resistant. Fast growing. The dense stems provide ideal shelter and nesting opportunities for birds.