Native to Japan, Korea, and China, dwarf lilyturf or mondo grass has been filling the shaded gaps in gardens across the temperate world for good reason. It is grass-like in appearance but belongs properly to the asparagus family, forming low mounding mats no taller than a foot via creeping stolons. The inflorescence is hidden within the foliage, easy to miss, but the cobalt-blue berries that follow are worth a close look. They appear in late summer and carry through into fall, a detail that rewards the attentive gardener.

Mondo grass thrives in shade and moist, well-drained soil, but demonstrates a useful tolerance of full sun if watered accordingly, and genuine salt tolerance that makes it a dependable choice near coastal or roadside sites. As a turf alternative, it should be mowed once a year to keep the foliage fresh; as a border or container filler, it needs next to nothing. Divide in spring for propagation or to check its spread.