Whilst you may hate pampass, Cortedaria richardii is worth looking at.
I grow Stipa pseudo ichu, Panicum 'Heavy Metal', Molinia 'Windspiel', Calamgrostis brachytrica, and, for something a bit different Chionochloa rubra. Miscanthus 'Rot Blum' has striking red flowers. Amenanthele lessoniana is a good option for continuing the grass theme into more shaded areas.
Datisca cannabina contrasts wonderfully with grasses.
Echo the recommendation of Knoll Gardens. Check out grasses offered by The Plantsman's Preference, too.
Thank you so much rachelQrtJHBjb ...Im so impressed with your knowledge ....The Plantsman's Preference are safely stored in my book marks....stay safe!
Do you know about this nursery....https://www.knollgardens.co.uk lots to choose from....and quoted in my ref book...Designing with Grasses by Neil Lucas
This is a bit of a pet subject for me.
Neil Lucas owns Knoll Gardens. Very good garden to visit, especially later in the summer when all the grasses have matured and the warm season ones are flowering. Problem is it's on the south coast, a long way from the Borders.
You may also wish to look at Sussex Prairies. It's relatively near Brighton, so again a long way south, but you should be able to find plenty of images online that show their plant combinations. Paul and Pauline McBride, who created the 6 acre prairie garden, trained with Piet Oudolf. Sussex Prairies is their home and the garden all their own design.
If you want a very big Miscanthus check out M. sacchariflorus. I've just bought one after seeing a 3m tall one at Hillier Arboretum. Perfect for screening.
Finally, Salix exigua can work well with grasses and, unlike other willows, can tolerate drier soils.
Are you mixing with perennials or concentrating on grasses? Happy to offer further advice if needed.
Of your list I chose to buy Ferner Osten when we visited Wisley two years ago. I was looking for the darkest red I could find and thought this one was a good deep colour. There was several varieties to choose from and compare at the time. There may be better colours elsewhere. But from the selection they had, which was quite large and varied, it really was a good deep shade.
And mature size in flower is a 1.6 to 1.8 metres according to the label. It was supplied to Wisley from Knoll so the info and pictures match up. It looks very good with Verbena bonariensis when the heads turn silver as per photo on Knoll site if you have the soil and climate up there.
( Sorry to Keen on green for being disagreeable you might have got the spread mixed with height.)
Thanks Rubytoo ....yes the Ferner Osten is going on the favourite list and the Verbena bonariensis will be a lovely mixer....as seen on the Knoll site...hope your Ferner Osten grows to be a stunner!
@Rubytoo You might like this photo of Verbena bonariensis at Merriments Garden in Kent. Another to add to the list of ones to visit down south. Excellent cafe, plant centre and shop, when Covid allows us to do anything normal. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4601351
I also live and garden in the wonderful Scottish Borders.
I've used Macplants at Pencaitland for many of my grasses and herbaceous plants. They are only doing mail order at the moment ... but you can usually visit the nursey. They've got a good selection of miscanthus ... including some of the ones mentioned earlier in this thread.
Thanks @Bee witched I had no idea about this nursery...I have bought from https://www.kevockgarden.co.uk/plantlist/index.asp several times.....Macplants looks fab and one I can use when I start to make my choices...Im feeling slightly overwhelmed by too many plant options. Im so passionate about my garden I get carried away. Keep safe...
Posts
I grow Stipa pseudo ichu, Panicum 'Heavy Metal', Molinia 'Windspiel', Calamgrostis brachytrica, and, for something a bit different Chionochloa rubra. Miscanthus 'Rot Blum' has striking red flowers. Amenanthele lessoniana is a good option for continuing the grass theme into more shaded areas.
Datisca cannabina contrasts wonderfully with grasses.
Echo the recommendation of Knoll Gardens. Check out grasses offered by The Plantsman's Preference, too.
Neil Lucas owns Knoll Gardens. Very good garden to visit, especially later in the summer when all the grasses have matured and the warm season ones are flowering. Problem is it's on the south coast, a long way from the Borders.
You may also wish to look at Sussex Prairies. It's relatively near Brighton, so again a long way south, but you should be able to find plenty of images online that show their plant combinations. Paul and Pauline McBride, who created the 6 acre prairie garden, trained with Piet Oudolf. Sussex Prairies is their home and the garden all their own design.
If you want a very big Miscanthus check out M. sacchariflorus. I've just bought one after seeing a 3m tall one at Hillier Arboretum. Perfect for screening.
Finally, Salix exigua can work well with grasses and, unlike other willows, can tolerate drier soils.
Are you mixing with perennials or concentrating on grasses? Happy to offer further advice if needed.
There was several varieties to choose from and compare at the time. There may be better colours elsewhere. But from the selection they had, which was quite large and varied, it really was a good deep shade.
And mature size in flower is a 1.6 to 1.8 metres according to the label.
It was supplied to Wisley from Knoll so the info and pictures match up.
It looks very good with Verbena bonariensis when the heads turn silver as per photo on Knoll site if you have the soil and climate up there.
( Sorry to Keen on green for being disagreeable you might have got the spread mixed with height.)
I also live and garden in the wonderful Scottish Borders.
I've used Macplants at Pencaitland for many of my grasses and herbaceous plants. They are only doing mail order at the moment ... but you can usually visit the nursey.
They've got a good selection of miscanthus ... including some of the ones mentioned earlier in this thread.
https://www.macplants.co.uk/viewItem.php?id=8887&searchText=miscanthus&plantTypeId=&title=&commonName=
I agree with @rachelQrtJHBjb ... I was blown away by Sussex Prairies.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I had no idea about this nursery...I have bought from https://www.kevockgarden.co.uk/plantlist/index.asp several times.....Macplants looks fab and one I can use when I start to make my choices...Im feeling slightly overwhelmed by too many plant options. Im so passionate about my garden I get carried away. Keep safe...