For a plant that brings modern sculptural form to the garden, Mini Flax ‘Surfer Green’ is a standout choice. Also known as Dwarf New Zealand Flax, this compact evergreen perennial features a dense, upright fountain of narrow, arching leaves in rich, deep olive green, each dramatically edged with a striking dark reddish-brown to bronze margin. Those lush leaves twist gracefully along their length in a wave-like fashion, adding movement and a sculptural, contemporary texture. In spring and summer, mature plants may send up tall, slender flower spikes bearing small reddish flowers.

Some plants shout for attention. This one whispers—and it’s utterly enchanting. Graceful Spurge, known worldwide as ‘Diamond Frost’, is a tender, evergreen perennial that forms a soft, mounded clump of fine, upright stems clothed in narrow, bright green to greyish-green leaves. From spring right through until the first frosts of winter, it produces a continuous, frothy cloud of tiny, pure white bracts that look like a mist of baby’s breath. The effect is light, airy, and whimsical, adding movement and softness to any planting.

Some plants beg to be touched. This is one of them. Cottony Saltbush, also known as Cottony Goosefoot, is a small, spreading evergreen shrub with slender branches that curve gracefully downwards, reaching up to 1 metre in height and width. Its small, triangular to shovel-shaped leaves are densely covered in tiny, white, rounded hairs, giving the entire plant a soft, silvery-grey, cottony feel. In spring and summer, small, inconspicuous flower spikes droop delicately from the branches, followed by a hidden treasure: small, fleshy red berries that ripen to a bright, glistening orange—a surprising pop of colour that attracts birds.

Few plants can claim to be a carbon-capturing superhero, a versatile landscape staple, and a tasty snack all at once. Spekboom, also known as Porkbush or Elephant Bush, is a hardy evergreen succulent shrub or small tree with a dense, rounded canopy of small, fleshy, bright green leaves on distinctive reddish-brown to ruby-red stems. From late spring to summer (October to January), it produces an abundance of small, star-shaped, nectar-rich flowers in clear pink to rosy mauve, a magnet for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Even without its cheerful blue blooms, this shrub’s creamy-white variegated foliage would still steal the show. The Variegated Blue Felicia Bush, also known as Variegated Blue Marguerite or Variegated Blue Daisy, is a compact, evergreen sub-shrub that forms a neat, rounded mound of small, oval leaves—rich green with beautiful splashes and margins of creamy-white. From spring through summer and well into autumn, it produces an abundance of solitary, daisy-like flower heads in striking sky-blue to deep violet-blue, each with a cheerful, bright golden-yellow centre, held on slender stems above the foliage.

Close your eyes and breathe in. That sweet, vanilla-like scent with hints of cherry pie? That’s Heliotrope. Also known as Cherry Pie or Garden Heliotrope, this bushy, tender perennial shrub forms a compact, rounded mound of handsome, oval, dark green leaves with prominent veins and a rough, wrinkled texture. From late spring through autumn, it produces large, showy clusters of tiny, tubular flowers in stunning shades of deep purple to violet-blue, often lightening with age. The fragrance is powerful and intoxicating, perfuming the entire garden.

Don’t let the name fool you—Mondo Grass isn’t a grass at all. Also known as Dwarf Lilyturf or Snake’s Beard, this clump-forming evergreen perennial is actually a member of the asparagus family. It forms neat, rounded tufts of narrow, leathery, strap-shaped leaves that arch gracefully from the base, slowly spreading by short rhizomes to create a rich, verdant carpet over time. In summer, small, bell-shaped flowers in pale lilac to white appear on short spikes, often hidden among the leaves. But the real surprise comes in autumn: stunning, bright sky-blue to metallic-blue berries that add a delicate, jewel-like accent to the deep green foliage.

Those papery purple blooms look almost too delicate to be so tough—but don’t let their soft appearance fool you. Sea Lavender, also known as Statice or Papierblom, is a clump-forming evergreen perennial that forms a low, rounded rosette of large, broadly oval, dark green leaves held close to the ground. From late winter through summer, sturdy, branching, leafless stalks rise well above the foliage, bearing large, flat-topped clusters of tiny, papery flowers in deep violet to purple, each with a delicate, creamy-white centre. Those blooms last for months on the plant and are superb for fresh or dried arrangements.