Wonderful @Plantminded just the message I was hoping for. I will wait up to early March. Of course, I can't proof that it was a fox, it was just a guess, because it happened a week after the frost, and literally over night. When we opened the window in the morning this week, a fox was lying in neighbour's raised bed at 9 in the morning. It's that fox where the left back foot is damaged he (or she) can't use it any more. Since that stupid neighbour on the right closed the fence, the foxes now jump over the fence and often into our veggie trog.
I went through my pictures and can't find one with grass and label. What a failure )
Carexes are very easy to split, and you can take off any damaged bits at the same time. I've done it many times. They can get quite manky looking over winter, or they do here anyway. They're very easy as grasses go I find it a bit strange that a fox would want to lie in one though. It would surely have to be quite dry to be appealing
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Simone_in_Wiltshire Grasses and sedges do need different growing conditions. Perhaps post another photo when it is growing for an ID? I can just about see a flower in your photo. Sedge/ carex have a very distinct flower shape, different to grasses. Grasses also have hollow stems.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
As @GardenerSuze has said, you can cut back Carex by up to 50%. It's best to do this in March/April, but not in autumn or winter. I grow two of the bronze leaved types. Although they are sedges, they are tough and adaptable They grow just as well in my sandy free draining soil as grasses, now that I have added a few layers of organic mulch.
It does look very much like a Stipa gigantea I once had @GardenerSuze. I removed it because the long tatty leaves made the border untidy! Lovely when in flower though.
Regardless of what type of grass or sedge it is [and @Simone_in_Wiltshire seems sure it's a carex as she had a label] it would be best to wait until spring before doing any thing. Splitting or cutting back at this time of year can be dicey - especially splitting. Sedges have sharper, triangular stems too, so you could check those.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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Of course, I can't proof that it was a fox, it was just a guess, because it happened a week after the frost, and literally over night.
When we opened the window in the morning this week, a fox was lying in neighbour's raised bed at 9 in the morning. It's that fox where the left back foot is damaged he (or she) can't use it any more. Since that stupid neighbour on the right closed the fence, the foxes now jump over the fence and often into our veggie trog.
I went through my pictures and can't find one with grass and label. What a failure
I ♥ my garden.
I find it a bit strange that a fox would want to lie in one though. It would surely have to be quite dry to be appealing
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Grasses also have hollow stems.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
This list of Carex varieties stocked by Knoll gardens may help you with your ID @Simone_in_Wiltshire : Carex – Knoll Gardens | Ornamental Grasses and Flowering Perennials
Splitting or cutting back at this time of year can be dicey - especially splitting.
Sedges have sharper, triangular stems too, so you could check those.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...