Do you find the Carex needs lots of moisture, @Woodgreen, mine certainly seems to need it?
Generally my garden has retentive soil and no shortage of rain @punkdoc, but I don't find that the carex minds too much if the ground dries out in summer. I have one in a border on a slope, so better drained than the one in the photo and it copes there too. It may be that it needs moisture early on? It looks shabby now, but I cut it down in spring. I don't know how it would go on in a hot dry garden. As it flowers early it may not get the moisture needed for the spring growth.
It's rare that I see grasses in my local garden centre but that isn't surprising bearing in mind where I live. Do most of you buy yours online and when is the best time to buy please?
Do sedges prefer a more retentive soil than grasses? I have grown Carex Evergold in the past it did seem happier with a bit more shade too.
@Plantminded Miscanthus Kliene Fontaene it is very difficult to lift and split. I spent 3 days just digging round a little at a time and then having a rest. The positive is it was planted 15 years ago and I have only split it once. I did take a chunk off from one side this spring and it has been fine.
In a shady part of the garden I grow Luzula Nivea it is a rush rather than a grass, works well with snowdrops. In spring it has tiny whitish flowers, green through the summer months then in winter it is a lovely golden colour.
There are some grasses that seed everwhere Melica Albida is one. I love it but spend hours digging up the seedlings. It is a plant that sells on site when in flower but if it likes you.....
Something I would like to try is growing a grass hedge, I do have some plants of Molinia Poul Petersen which are about two feet tall these might work. All Molinias are great at creating a veiled effect so that you can view other border plants further back in a border.
@Uff I can recommend Knoll Gardens have a look on their website it is inspiring. They are a long way from you but it would be worth contacting them . They are always very helpful.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
If you are interested in plants for a winter garden try Calamagrostis Karl Foerster it will stand tall all winter. Looks good planted in groups or repeated along a border.
If you are unable to grow plants that like a deep soil but still want drama grasses are wonderful. Hope this is helpful to anyone thinking about growing them.
You may find this interesting. Sheffield City Council are obviously valuing Calamagrostis Karl Foerster (plus other grasses) in their ambitious city centre landscaping schemes
It's rare that I see grasses in my local garden centre but that isn't surprising bearing in mind where I live. Do most of you buy yours online and when is the best time to buy please?
I am lucky to have several garden centres nearby which stock a good range of grasses. I also buy many from Knoll Gardens online @Uff. I’d wait now until March as they will not do much as young plants between now and then. Stipa tenuissima will be a good one for a pot now though as it is semi-evergreen. If you keep it close to your house out of the worst winter rain and wind it should be fine. Once established it’s really tough.
Do sedges prefer a more retentive soil than grasses? I have grown Carex Evergold in the past it did seem happier with a bit more shade too.
@Plantminded Miscanthus Kliene Fontaene it is very difficult to lift and split. I spent 3 days just digging round a little at a time and then having a rest. The positive is it was planted 15 years ago and I have only split it once. I did take a chunk off from one side this spring and it has been fine.
In a shady part of the garden I grow Luzula Nivea it is a rush rather than a grass, works well with snowdrops. In spring it has tiny whitish flowers, green through the summer months then in winter it is a lovely golden colour.
There are some grasses that seed everwhere Melica Albida is one. I love it but spend hours digging up the seedlings. It is a plant that sells on site when in flower but if it likes you.....
Something I would like to try is growing a grass hedge, I do have some plants of Molinia Poul Petersen which are about two feet tall these might work. All Molinias are great at creating a veiled effect so that you can view other border plants further back in a border.
@Uff I can recommend Knoll Gardens have a look on their website it is inspiring. They are a long way from you but it would be worth contacting them . They are always very helpful.
I’ll second Knoll Gardens. Neil was really helpful when I started with my garden and I had not a clue where to start! It’s where the grasses in the earlier shot come from
Thanks all, I'll wait until spring and I think I can't do any better than looks at your pics and advice. In this case, perhaps the pot comes first so it will give me time to look around. Something with straight sides I reckon.
Have to agree about the self-seeding capacity of melica uniflora albida @GardenerSuze! It's a favourite of mine in my woodland garden and I don't find it a problem at all growing in leafy soil there. But oh dear, it has taken over part of a gravel path where I'm sure every seed has germinated. So pretty though, and suits woodland very well.
Here's a giant grass (bamboo!), Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis. In winter it provides interest with its golden yellow canes with green stripes and flashes of red and orange.
@LunarSea I can remember looking at your original post regarding Sheffield City Council's lovely grass planting schemes. I think we will see more councils taking the same approach in the future. I do know that it could get to saturation point but maintenance is low and it makes a great winter home for insects.
I am more than happy to have plants in my garden that are often seen on roundabouts including grasses. One of my favourite thug plants is Rubus Tricolour it will cover ground rapidly and again is popular with councils. I grow it in a pot standing on a small wall it tumbles down like Rapunzels hair very striking.
Years ago there were some wonderful plants grown on Nottingham City Roundabouts including Spider plants whose latin name I can never remember and again grasses. I believe it was the same team that planted the borders at Nottingham Uni which are always exotic and forward thinking.
I did go to a gardening talk once on planting up roundabouts with added photos. It did go round and round, very boring. The speaker apologised at the end and said he did many interesting talks on other gardening subjects and was suprised we had picked the Roundabout talk!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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It looks shabby now, but I cut it down in spring.
I don't know how it would go on in a hot dry garden. As it flowers early it may not get the moisture needed for the spring growth.
@Plantminded Miscanthus Kliene Fontaene it is very difficult to lift and split. I spent 3 days just digging round a little at a time and then having a rest. The positive is it was planted 15 years ago and I have only split it once. I did take a chunk off from one side this spring and it has been fine.
In a shady part of the garden I grow Luzula Nivea it is a rush rather than a grass, works well with snowdrops. In spring it has tiny whitish flowers, green through the summer months then in winter it is a lovely golden colour.
There are some grasses that seed everwhere Melica Albida is one. I love it but spend hours digging up the seedlings. It is a plant that sells on site when in flower but if it likes you.....
Something I would like to try is growing a grass hedge, I do have some plants of Molinia Poul Petersen which are about two feet tall these might work. All Molinias are great at creating a veiled effect so that you can view other border plants further back in a border.
@Uff I can recommend Knoll Gardens have a look on their website it is inspiring. They are a long way from you but it would be worth contacting them . They are always very helpful.
You may find this interesting. Sheffield City Council are obviously valuing Calamagrostis Karl Foerster (plus other grasses) in their ambitious city centre landscaping schemes
Garden Visits 2022 - Page 17 — BBC Gardeners' World Magazine (gardenersworld.com)
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
It's a favourite of mine in my woodland garden and I don't find it a problem at all growing in leafy soil there. But oh dear, it has taken over part of a gravel path where I'm sure every seed has germinated.
So pretty though, and suits woodland very well.
I am more than happy to have plants in my garden that are often seen on roundabouts including grasses. One of my favourite thug plants is Rubus Tricolour it will cover ground rapidly and again is popular with councils. I grow it in a pot standing on a small wall it tumbles down like Rapunzels hair very striking.
Years ago there were some wonderful plants grown on Nottingham City Roundabouts including Spider plants whose latin name I can never remember and again grasses. I believe it was the same team that planted the borders at Nottingham Uni which are always exotic and forward thinking.
I did go to a gardening talk once on planting up roundabouts with added photos. It did go round and round, very boring. The speaker apologised at the end and said he did many interesting talks on other gardening subjects and was suprised we had picked the Roundabout talk!