Top/Top right:Panicum amarum 'Dewey Blue' (switchgrass) provides a background for the garden from the street and a background on the opposite side of the garden. This provides multiple views. The Panicum and Verbascum thapsus (common mullien)provide much needed structure in this garden.
The contrasting textures here provide a place to focus the eye in this mass of similar textures.
Detailed wiew of Verbascum thapsus. Warning: Mullein seedhead! As Jenny from Rock Rose can testify these seeds are very prolific. The day after these photos were taken all the seed heads were removed. According to Wikipedia this plant can produce up to 240,000 seeds. Woah. And the seeds can be viable after a century. Woah again. So I'm playing with fire here. However the seeds do better on disturbed soil and do not compete well with other plants when germinating.
Wide angle view with Panicum and Calamagrostis.
My other stalwart in the garden: Stipa tenuissima(Mexican Feather grass). This is another plant which is a prolific seed producer. My mother says I'm crazy for growing it. Oh well. Stipa creates a counterpoint to the bold foliage of Mullien and spiky foliage I'm beginning to add to the garden.
And lets not forget the movement provided by Stipa.
Be sure a go see the Foliage Followup @ Digging and see what's growing in the foliage world.
I love your feather grass. But I also enjoy crazy people. So much more interesting that the "normal" ones. :o)
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely not crazy to grow feathergrass, even though it does seed prolifically. Few plants are more beautiful, especially in spring. I love the velvety Verbascum, and if you ever do let it set seed, I'd love to have some. Thanks for joining in Foliage Follow-Up -- beautiful pics of lovely combos.
ReplyDeleteI too love the feather grass. Despite the fact that it reseeds so prolifically I am thinking of putting some in my garden if I can find it. Gorgeous foliage combinations!
ReplyDeleteHi Greggo, We had a mullein in our garden in 2004 - the year after we removed the swimming pool and the area was a total weed patch. I liked seeing the woodpecker on it, looking for insects. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteBeth
Feather grass is one of my favorites. It's so pretty, waving in a breeze. It's a tough plant...and the deer don't eat it.
ReplyDeleteI 'recued' some mullein seed from a plant on the side of the road. Just need to get them out there. I hope they come up. I think it's a really interesting plant.
Your garden looks so nice.
"Let's not forget the movement provided by Stipa." I was just trying to shoot a close-up of some of its seeds this evening and gave up--I would have sworn the weather was calm, but the grass was moving in every teeny breath of a breeze! So beautiful. Your mullein has inspired me--I have some irises that just aren't working, and that looks like it would fill the same Big Foliage role. What does it do in winter?
ReplyDeleteShowing us all up as usual, Greggo.
ReplyDeleteThe mullein looks fabulous. They self seed along our sea shore in among the marron grass. I tend to grow the smaller better behaved cultivars.
ReplyDeleteThe purple flowers in front of the feather grass = mmmm! I am glad you and others grow feathergrass, since I can enjoy it there without having to pull countless seedlings here...all since removed from my lot! (sorry Abq about the many reseeded all over the open land nearby)
ReplyDeleteSome stunning compositions!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Greggo, send me your e-mail, please and I mail you a pic of that trellis from my post. tulapa@nm.ru
Love the different textures!
ReplyDeleteStop by my Blotanical plot or my blog at garden337.wordpress.com . Michigan is in full garden swing.
I love the Stipa in your garden. It is such a nice textural contrast to the other plants. I may have to see what I can take out to make room for some.
ReplyDeleteThe mullein looks fabulous--especially next to the feathergrass. I'm still trying to get over the fact that its seeds are viable for an entire century... amazing!
ReplyDeleteThe stipa and the Mullein demonstrate perfectly how combining different shapes and textures add interest to the garden. I love the movement the Stipa provides!
ReplyDeleteI'm changing my middle name to Stipa! Seriously, I have only a small amount of this grass in my garden and after looking at your fantastic photos, I need to get some more.
ReplyDeleteMulleins a great plant...so soft and fuzzy. You must have more room than I do since it does get quite large.
Davo/ :0)
You really have some self seeders here, but they sure do look good in the garden and your photos.
ReplyDeleteVery well done. I love them all.
ReplyDeleteThat grass is amazing. It looks like an ocean wave! You might need a beach house Greggo...
ReplyDeleteVerbascum does not do well here. Stunning mass of foliage though, very impressive! The Stipa tenuissima does too well here, takes over. Though it's always so tempting, like a head of blonde hair tossing in the breeze. If only there was a sterile clone available!
ReplyDelete