Grasses, buy online

Grasses

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: well-drained soil. Rate of growth: slow-average. Flowering period: June to August. Hardiness: frost hardy (may need winter protection in cold areas) Blood-red spikes that fade to bright green at the base and become translucent with age make this grass a spectacular addition to the perennial border. It takes a while to strut its stuff, but in late summer, it shines like a jewel. Imperata cylindrica is particularly effective planted with other grasses, or shown off in a container. Garden care: Cut down to the ground in February. In cold areas, protect the roots by mulching with straw or well-rotted compost. If you are growing it in a container, keep it well watered.

Blue Hair Grass £6.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to July. Hardiness: fully hardy. A tuft-forming evergreen grass with pretty, grey-green leaves, and dense silver green flower spikelets that fade to buff in the autumn. It prefers dry soils and will tolerate an exposed spot, but it is short lived, so may need to be replaced in a few years. It makes a striking edging to a path or border, and looks great in a gravel garden. Garden care: Comb through. the plant in winter with your fingers to remove dead foliage.

Blue Oat Grass £5.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: well-drained, poor to moderately fertile, preferably alkaline soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: June and July. Hardiness: fully hardy. Tightly rolled, blue-grey leaves form a neat mound, crowned with upright golden spikelets in summer. This grass is also evergreen, which means minimal maintenance. Although. it will tolerate some shade, it is prone to rust if it gets too wet. Helictotrichon looks very natural growing alongside Mediterranean-style plants. Try it in a gravel border, where its colour is beautifully offset by the honey tones of the stones, and give it room to express itself. Garden care: Remove dead foliage and flowering stems in late winter or early spring.

Blue Switch Grass £6.95

Position: full sunSoil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: August and September. Hardiness: fully hardy. This has a more upright habit than most grasses, which makes it a good foil for soft, perennial plants. The leaves are powdery blue, and the flowerheads are made up of masses of tiny, red-purple spikelets, which give a shimmery, gauzy effect. In autumn, its vivid copper tones contrast well with the wheat and buff colours of other grasses and with the falling leaves of deciduous trees. Garden care. Since it hails from Texas (hence its name), this cultivar will cope with drought and with light, sandy soils. Cut down to the ground in late winter and lift and divide congested colonies between mid-spring and summer.

Bowles' Golden Grass £4.95

Position: partial shade. Soil: humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. Rate of growth: slow growing. Flowering period: May to July. Hardiness: fully hardy. A brilliant plant for a shady spot, this semi-evergreen grass gets going in early spring, and forms a rich, yellow mound which matures to a bright green. Delicate golden flowers form a haze in summer. Plant at the edge of a shady border, or in groups as part of a woodland planting scheme. Garden care: Divide in spring if clumps start to look tatty.

Bowles' Golden Sedge £5.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: fertile, moist or wet soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: June to July. Hardiness: fully hardy. Named after the famous botanist and author, EA Bowles, who discovered the native species in East Anglia, this is gorgeous, deciduous, ornamental grass with rich yellow leaves, edged in green. It's useful for brightening shady areas, for filling gaps in borders and planting by water, where the fine leaves contrast brilliantly with larger leaved plants. In early summer, it throws up long spikes with brown, feathery flowers. The variegation is best in partial shade - specimens in full sun can end up looking bleached. Garden care: Cut brittle, dead foliage right down to the ground in late winter, before new growth appears. Goes well with: Hosta fortunei 'Aure. Omarginata', Rodgersia pinnata 'Superba', Epimedium x rubrum, Carex riparia 'Variegata', Carex hachijoensis 'Evergold', Osmunda regalis

Chinese Silver Grass £6.95

Position: full sunSoil: fertile, moist, well drained or sandy. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: August to September. Hardiness: fully hardy. A statuesque grass that will extend the season of interest in a mixed border, this has fine, arching leaves with a distinctive white stripe down the centre. Its flowers are spectacular; reddish brown, silky feathers that rise upwards from their stems and glow in the evening light. This grass is quick to establish and turns a beautiful reddish-brown in autumn. Use it as a feature plant in a mixed or perennial border. Garden care: Cut down to the ground in late winter before the new foliage appears.

Chinese Silver Grass £5.95

Position: full sunSoil: fertile, moist, well drained or sandy. Rate of growth: slow to average. Flowering period: August to September. Hardiness: fully hard. A statuesque grass that will extend the season of interest in a mixed border, this has fine, arching leaves with a distinctive white stripe down the centre. It does not flower as reliably as other Miscanthus sinensis cultivars, but when it does, it produces striking, silky brown flowers that hang like tassels in late summer and last well into autumn. Garden care: Cut down to the ground in late winter, before the new foliage appears.

Chinese Silver Grass £6.95

Position: full sunSoil: fertile, moist, well drained or sandy. Rate of growth: slow to average. Flowering period: August and September. Hardiness: fully hardy. Feathery, golden brown flower heads in late summer and early autumn are held high above broad, straight, mid-green leaves with pale yellow, horizontal stripes. This distinctive ornamental grass makes an excellent specimen plant for a large, sunny, well-drained site. The distinctive, horizontal stripes appear on the leaves around mid-summer. One word of warning - Miscanthus can take about three seasons to establish in a new site. Garden care: Cut down to the ground in late winter before the new foliage appears.

Elijah Blue Fescue £4.45

Position: full sunSoil: well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: June to July. Hardiness: fully hardy. A compact, blue leaves ornamental grass, with needle-like, silvery blue-green leaves and short spikes of blue-green midsummer flowers, gradually fading to buff. Neat and rounded in shape, it looks great in a gravel garden, combined with the spires of blue and purple-flowering perennials, or with Mediterranean-style plants. Garden care: Comb through. the plant with your fingers in winter to remove dead foliage. Container-grown specimens should be watered well when they are establishing. Plants need replacing every few years as they become tatty-looking.

Feather Reed Grass £6.95

Position: full sunSoil: dry or moist, humus-rich soil. Rate of growth: slow-growing. Flowering period: June to August. Hardiness: fully hardy A tall, dramatic grass with an upright, architectural habit, this will stand to attention in a perennial border, or can be planted en masse as a screen. Fine leaves initially have yellow margins, which fade to white as the flowers emerge. Both the leaves and flowers turn a wonderful wheat colour in late autumn and should be left to add winter interest in the garden. Garden care. Although. they can be planted in light shade, the flowers of Calamagrostis cultivars tend to fall over without sun. Cut æOverdam' down to the ground in late winter, before the new shoots start appearing.

Feather Reed Grass £6.95

Position: sun Soil: dry or wet, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: fast-growing. Flowering period: early summer-autumn. Hardiness: fully hardy. Pruning: n/aA stiff, erect habit is the defining feature of this grass, named after the famous German plantsman who introduced it to the public in the1950s. Plant it en masse to form a feathery screen, or in small groups to add height and definition to a perennial border. It also looks good planted next to buildings. This is one of the earliest perennial grasses to get going, with shoots appearing in early spring, followed by flowers that are green at first, then fade to buff. Garden care. Very low maintenance, Calamagrostis x acutiflora æKarl Foerster' simply needs to be cut down to the ground in February. Don't be tempted to chop it earlier, as its wheat-coloured stems add drama and strong winter presence to the garden.

Fountain Grass £6.95

Position: full sunSoil: light, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: July to September. Hardiness: frost hardy (may need winter protection in cold areas) A charming, deciduous grass that forms a compact, low mound and produces long-lasting, soft, pinkish, brush-like flowers in late summer that resemble squirrel tails. The bright green leaves turn yellow in autumn. It's a fairly undistinguished plant until the flowers appear, so use it alongside spring bulbs or early-flowering perennials. Garden care Remove dead foliage in spring

Golden Oats £7.95

Position: full sunSoil: moderately fertile, medium to light, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June and July Flower colour: purplish-green maturing to pale gold. Other features: the flowers make attractive dried flower arrangements. Hardiness: fully hardy. Arching stems of glistening, golden, oat-like flowerheads above clumps of slender, grey-green leaves. This majestic evergreen grass is an excellent specimen plant for a sunny, mixed or new perennial border. Perfect for introducing movement, it looks stunning under-planted with the rich purple flowerheads of Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation'. Garden care: When planting always wear stout gardening gloves to protect against the sharp edges of the basal leaves. Wearing gloves, comb through. the plant in early spring to remove dead foliage.

Hakonechloa £6.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: moist but well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: August to October. Hardiness: fully hardy. An eye-catching small ornamental grass, which forms cascading hummocks of vividly striped bright yellow and green striped foliage. The narrow leaves keep their colour through. out the season, and often when the plant is grown in full sun it develops a reddish tinge. In late summer and autumn, pale green, needle-like flower spikes appear, giving a billowing lightness to planted drifts. It is useful as a simple understorey to light shrubs and as a soft edging to paths or steps. The clean, minimalist style of this grass makes it a good choice for formal courtyards or in minimalist urban planters. Garden care: Incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost into the planting hole. Leave flower heads to dry out through. the winter, adding valuable texture to plantings. Apply a light mulch (3cm) of well-rotted garden compost after cutting back old foliage and before new growth emerges in spring. Goes well with: Juniperus x pfitzeriana Gold Sovereign, Crocosmia 'Firebird', Tolmiea menziesii 'Taff's Gold', Hosta fortunei var. aure. Omarginata, Miscanthus sinensis, Euonymus fortunei 'Canadale Gold'

Hakonechloa £6.95

Position: prefers a cool, moist environment in sun or part shade. Soil: moist, humus-rich soil. Rate of growth: slow, non-invasive. Flowering period: late June to early July. Hardiness: fully hardy. A small, ornamental grass native to the wet, rocky cliffs of Japan's Honshu Island, including the area around Mount Hakone, after which the species is named. It is a slow spreading, semi-evergreen grass which builds into gently cascading hummocks of bright green that are useful as a simple understorey to light shrubs and as a soft edging to paths or steps. Fine, light sprays of lime green flowers appear during June and July, giving a billowing lightness to planted drifts. The clean, minimalist style of this grass makes it a good choice for formal courtyards or in minimalist urban planters and the fresh green foliage gradually acquires rich russet tones as autumn advances. Garden care: Incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost into the planting hold. Leave flower heads to dry out through. the winter, adding valuable texture to plantings. Apply a light mulch (3cm) of well-rotted garden compost after cutting back old foliage and before new growth emerges in spring.

Japanese Sedge £6.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: April to June. Hardiness: fully hardy. A small, evergreen, ornamental grass that forms low hummocks of striking dark green leaves with a central strip of creamy yellow. In mid to late spring it bears brown flowerspikes on long stems. It looks good planted with other ornamental grasses with contrasting foliage. Garden care: Comb through. the plant in winter with your fingers to remove dead foliage and snip out any leaves in summer. Goes well with: Carex elata 'Aurea', Euphorbia martini, Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'

Korean Feather Reed Grass £6.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: moist, humus-rich soil. Rate of growth: slow-growing Flowering period: June to August. Hardiness: fully hardy. A useful, clump-forming, upright grass that will thrive in sun and partial shade, this is grown for its tall, fluffy flower heads that emerge pink and fade to a delicate bronze. The emerging growth can be a bit tatty, so place it in the middle of the border. Its best planted in full sun as it tends to flop over more in shade. Garden care: Cut back to ground level in late winter before the new growth appears.

Pennisetum £5.95

Position: full sunSoil: light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: July to September. Hardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection) A charming, deciduous grass that forms a compact mound and produces delicate, long-lasting, dusty rose flower spikes in late summer that resemble wispy bottle brushes. It has a more upright habit than its more common relative, Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln', making it ideal for pots on the patio. Or try it in bold drifts in a sheltered, sunny border with light, well-drained soil. The bright green leaves turn yellow in autumn. It's a fairly undistinguished plant until the flowers appear, so plant it with spring bulbs or early-flowering perennials. It may need protection in extreme winter cold. Garden care: To halt the spread of the plant remove any unwanted self-sown seedlings as part of routine spring border maintenance. Cut down to the ground in late winter.

Pheasant's Tail Grass (syn. Stipa arundinacea) £6.45

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: moderately fertile, medium to light, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: fast-growing. Flowering period: June to September. Hardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection)One of the best and most versatile evergreen grasses, this will thrive in sun or shade, and glows shades of copper, gold and bronze in the autumn, hence its common name, Pheasant's Tail Grass. It has a soft, arching habit, so plant it among shrubs for textural contrast, or in a mixed or herbaceous border. Garden care: In spring, tease out deadfoliage by gently running your fingers through. it as if it were hair. It may self-seed, but simply pull out seedlings when you see them.

Purple Moor Grass £6.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: any moist but well-drained, preferably acid to neutral soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: May to September. Hardiness: fully hardy. The flowers of this deciduous grass stand, airy and transparent, high above the foliage. It's therefore ideal for the middle of a border planted among large-flowered perennials, where the purple, feathery spikelets will catch every breeze. A native of moorland, it will flourish on most soils as long as they are not too dry. It will tolerate sun or light shade, and lasts well into winter. Garden care: Cut back in late winter before the new foliage appears.

Purple Moor Grass £5.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: any moist but well-drained, preferably acid to neutral soil. Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May to September. Hardiness: fully hardy. An attractive, tuft-forming moor grass that has mid-green leaves with purple bases above which upright, feathery flower spikelets rise from spring to autumn. With its compact habit and delicate flowerheads, this is an ideal ornamental grass for the middle of a perennial border, where the the spikelets catch the breeze and provide a lacy veil for other plants. A native of acid bogs, this deciduous grass will flourish on most soils as long as they are not too dry. Garden care: Cut back in early spring before the new foliage appears.

Red Hook Sedge £5.95

Dwarf, evergreen grass with wonderful deep bronzy-red-orange foliage, depending on the light. This beautiful sedge is an excellent accent plant for use at the front of the border or in a large container. Best planted in a sunny, sheltered spot that does not dry out, the foliage contrasts well with variegated, black or golden-brown ornamental grasses. Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July and August Flower colour: mahogany-brown to black. Other features: the ephemeral foliage is brightest when young. Hardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection) Garden care: Lift and divide congested colonies between late-spring and mid-summer Goes well with: Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens', Carex hachijoensis 'Evergold', Phormium 'Maori Maiden', Molinia caerulea 'Variegata', Panicum virgatum 'Re. Hbraun', Luzula sylvatica 'Hohe Tatra'

Sedge £5.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: any, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: July to August. Hardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection) From spring to autumn the pale olive-green leaves of this ornamental grass turn a warm coppery-orange. In midsummer, it bears small, brown flower spikes. Although. it will take some shade, it colours up best in moist soil in full sun. Grow it among other grasses or perennials, as a specimen plant, or in a large pot. Garden care: Comb through. the plant in winter to remove dead foliage

Silver Grass £5.95

Position: full sunSoil: fertile, moist, well drained or sandy. Rate of Growth: average. Flowering period: August and September. Hardiness: fully hardy. A stunning, fountainous grass for a mixed or herbaceous border, this has narrow, silvery leaves with a white stripe down the centre. It flowers profusely and keeps on flowering right into autumn, when its new, reddish-brown, tassel-like flowers are a pretty foil for the faded, silvery older ones. Use it to add height to a perennial border, and to give winter presence. Garden care: Protect from excessive winter wet. Cut down to the ground in later winter, before new foliage appears.

Silver Grass £4.95

Position: full sunSoil: fertile, moist, well drained or sandy. Rate of Growth: average. Flowering period: August and September. Flowers: silver-white. Other features: slender, arching mid-green leaves. Hardiness: fully hardy. Large, silver-white flower plumes held high above clumps of slender, arching, mid-green leaves in late summer and early autumn. Given sufficient space this beautiful ornamental grass makes a striking specimen plant. Perfect for a sunny, well drained border, the frosted upright stems and flower-heads are a significant feature of the winter garden. Garden care: Protect from excessive winter wet. Withered stems can be left as a winter display but should be cut down to the ground by early spring.

Switch Grass £5.95

Position: full sunSoil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Rate of growth: average Flowering period: August and September. Hardiness: fully hardy. A recent introduction, this is a deciduous, fountain-like grass with red-tinted, green foliage, enhanced by sprays of pinkish flowers in July which form an airy cloud above the foliage. It's great for adding vertical interest and movement to a planting scheme, especially in autumn, when the foliage deepens to red-purple. The flower spikes gradually fade to buff as they mature and can last well into winter, prolonging the season of interest in the garden. Garden care: Cut down to the ground in late winter. Lift and divide congested colonies betwen mid spring and summer. Goes well with: Allium sphaerocephalon, Monarda 'Aquarius', Sedum 'Herbstfreude', Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen', Stipa tenuissima, Verbena bonariensis

Tufted Hair Grass (syn. D. Golden Dew) £5.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: dry to moist, neutral to acid soil. Rate of growth: average to fast-growing. Flowering period: June to August. Hardiness: fully hardy. A mound-forming, evergreen grass that's particularly versatile, as itthrives in both sun and light shade and theflowers persist well into autumn. Silvery, reddish-brown flower spikes appear from early to late summer above dense mounds of slender, arching, mid-green leaves. The feathery inflorescences of this elegant, ornamental grass mature to a soft golden yellow and shimmer like agolden cloud as it catches the light. Compact and easy-to-grow, it looks gorgeous spot-planted among perennials, ingroups towards the front of a border, or in a rock gardenGarden care: Remove the faded flowerheads in late winter before new growth appears. In warm areas the plant has a tendency to self-seed freely. Where this is the case remove unwanted seedlings as part of routine border maintenance

Tufted Hair-grass £5.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: dry to moist, neutral to acid soil. Rate of growth: average to fast-growing. Flowering period: June to August. Hardiness: fully hardy. A mound-forming, evergreen grass that's particularly versatile, as it thrives in both sun and light shade. In summer, it shimmers like a golden cloud as its feathery inflorescences catch the light, and the flowers persist well into autumn. Spot plant it among perennials, in groups towards the front of a border, or in a wildflower meadow. Garden care: Remove the faded flowerheads in late winter before new growth appears. In warm areas the plant has a tendency to self-seed freely. Where this is the case remove unwanted seedlings as part of routine border maintenance. Goes well with: Calamagrostis æKarl Foerster', Astrantia major cultivars, Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii, Eryngium giganteum, Acanthus mollis

Variegated Purple Moor-Grass £5.95

Position: full sun or partial shade. Soil: any moist but well-drained, preferably acid to neutral soil. Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May to September. Hardiness: fully hardy. Molinias are grown for their upright, delicate flowers that form a lacy veil in the border. They also thrive in sun and shade, which makes them particularly versatile. 'Variegata' has cream and pale green variegated leaves from which rise yellow flower stems with purple flower spikelets. In autumn the plant fades to a soft buff colour. With its compact habit and delicate flowerheads, this is an ideal ornamental grass for the middle of a perennial border, where the spikelets catch the breeze and act like a shimmering veil for other plants. A native of acid bogs, this deciduous grass will flourish on most soils as long as they are not too dry. Garden care: Cut back in early spring before the new foliage appears.

Zebra Grass £5.95

Position: full sunSoil: fertile, moist, well drained or sandy. Rate of growth: average. Flowering period: August to September. Hardiness: fully hardy. A graceful, fountainous grass that takes its name from the, horizontal cream bands on the leaves. Striking, silky, finger-like flowers bloom in late summer, and stay for months, giving this plant dramatic winter presence. Use as a specimen, or in small groups at the back of a perennial border. Garden care: Cut down to the ground in late winter before the new foliage appears.

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