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HNI Website
Username: great
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 In This Issue
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Expand Your Palette
Plantsman Paul Westervelt of Saunders Brothers, Inc. loves the Bluestems. Find out why in our feature on underused grasses.
The Latest at HNI
It's tourist time at the Nursery, grasses go pink in video, and we take a beautiful day to prepare for the season.
In the News
Horticulturist and author Noel Kingsbury suggests a brilliant combination, Texas goes with grasses again, and a municipality tweaks the rules.
Thinking Ahead
Asian Sedges offer color, texture, and beautiful habit, and now's the time to be thinking about them. Not sure how to use them? Let us fill you in.
Comments & Features
Photos from a mountain home, and it's time to think about trade shows, and a gracious thank you.
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| Expand Your Palette with Underused Grasses |
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Little Bluestem backlit by the sun.
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Paul Westervelt gets up close and personal with his plants. As the Annual & Perennial Production Manager at Saunders Brothers, Inc. in Virginia, he has to know exactly which plants perform well. He's also on the lookout for new introductions and the next great plant.
To see where he's going with grasses, we asked Paul to tell us which ones deserve more attention.
His answer was immediate. Little Bluestem and Big Bluestem
Why these two prairie grasses? Find out by going to the full article.
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| The Latest at HNI | |
It's Tourist Season, and We Love It
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Landscape architects from ColeJenest & Stone pose by the old milk truck at Hoffman Nursery. Photo courtesy of Susan Freyler.
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Although ornamental grasses are great year-round, the peak season comes in fall. With that upon us, we've had several groups visiting to see and learn more about grasses. A local garden club, Master Gardeners, and several customers have graced our grounds lately.
One of our favorite visits was from a group of landscape architects from ColeJenest & Stone. They had a list of grasses they'd specified on plans or were thinking about, so we focused on seeing those. They also discovered some new favorites. Grasses fit well with the increased emphasis on sustainable sites, and they were eager to see how we'd used them in our landscape. We'll let them tell you how it went:
"We had a great time. It's very important and fun for us to get away from our computers to experience the materials we work with. You showed us some great examples and sent us home with new ideas and confidence in the grasses we specify. Everyone was perusing through the catalogs this morning..."
"The grasses tour was outstanding and the weather was perfect. Your extensive knowledge was evident and we benefited greatly. Armed with all our pictures and your catalog, we are off and running."
We appreciate the interest these folks show in ornamental and native grasses. Thanks for visiting!
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Real Grasses Wear Pink
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Real Grasses Wear Pink
You probably know that grasses wear all kinds of colors, but rose pinks were gorgeously obvious this month. The color, texture, and movement were so striking that we were inspired to make a short video to share. Don't forget to turn on the sound!
Getting Ready
It's the time of year to start thinking about enclosing our coldframes and heated houses. As part of that process, we make sure they're ready to face the winter by making repairs. Early this month, as crews replaced some of the poly roofs, we took some time to observe. The big poly sheets were pulled across the metal frames and then secured in place with heavy-duty staples and brackets. It was a gorgeous fall day that was perfect for this task, with a clear, blue sky and no breeze. It was a welcome reminder of how glorious a day at the Nursery can be.
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In the News
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This issue, we have an eclectic mix of items that cover grasses.
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What would you pair with the fluffy plumes of Deschampsia cespitosa or similar grasses? Noel Kinsgbury tells us what works for him.
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Great Grass Combo from Noel Kingsbury
From across the pond, noted horticultural consultant and author Noel Kingsbury brings us a beautiful combination. He pairs light, cloud-like masses of grass with stylish perennials that develops dark seed heads. He details one combo in particular and suggests more in this recent article in The Telegraph.
Texas Keeps on with Grasses
We're all aware that Texas has been hammered this year with heat and drought. So it's no surprise that stories on using grasses keep cropping in that state. We liked this brief, but info-packed article from San Antonio.
Tweaking the System
Homeowners in Ft. Collins, Colorado are getting a break on regulations that had been sending mixed messages. On the one hand, they had been encouraged to plant natives grasses to help reduce water use. On the other hand, these low-water plants were growing taller than the 6-inch limit set by law. So the system got a little tweak. Read more.
And finally, this little gem of an article starts with a puzzler and ends with grasses.
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Thinking Ahead: Asian Sedges
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Cool season is here, so it's time to think about bringing in sedges for your nursery, greenhouse, garden center, or landscape. We love the genus Carex because it offers wide variety and a style for every garden. We focus here on Asian sedges--those variegated beauties that brighten up shade and create lush plantings. This groups includes species and cultivars of C. morrowii, C. oshimensis, C. dolichostaya, C. phyllocephala, C. conica, and more.
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Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' with Chasmanthium latifolium and English Ivy
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Like all species in the genus Carex, the Asian Sedges are cool season plants. They put on growth when soil and air temperatures are mild in spring and fall. Many are evergreen or semi-evergreen in milder climates. Their growth slows in summer as they enter a period of partial dormancy. Among the Asian sedges, some are clumpers, while others are well-behaved creepers.
Most look their best with moist, fertile soil, but many can take drier conditions once established. Light exposure is somewhat dependent on region and soil moisture. In hotter climates, provide more shade for better performance. With more sun, they'll need increased moisture to look their best.
How to use them?
In Containers - The Carex species with narrow foliage and arching habits make dramatic specimens in decorative containers. C. oshimensis 'Evergold' and C. dolichostaya 'Kaga Nashiki' are particularly well-suited for this. Also, when mixed with other plants, they weep fetchingly over the sides. Because many of the Asian sedges stay evergreen, they're a great choice for winter container combos. C. phyllocephala 'Sparkler' is another sure-fire hit for containers. It never fails to elicit comments when we have it on display. It gives a bamboo look, but has a more interesting spiral foliage pattern.
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Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'
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As Groundcovers - The cultivars with bright, variegated foliage can lend drama to an otherwise ho-hum shade garden. Achieve a carpet effect by spacing clumpers close together (<=12") or by using one of the creepers like C. morrowii 'Ice Dance', C. morrowii 'Ice Ballet', or C. 'Silver Sceptre'. For a more formal, patterned look, plant clumpers like C. morrowii v. temnolepis 'Silk Tassel' and C. conica 'Snowline' further apart (18-24") so that they overlap slightly.
In Mixed Plantings - The Asian Sedges are jewels nestled among other perennials They add contrast and interest, especially when planted next to broad-leaved perennials such as Hosta, Helleborus, Heuchera, Trycirtis, Oxalis, and Polygonatum. The brightly variegated selections are particularly well-suited for this task.
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Carex oshimensis 'Everest' PP20955
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For information on other sedges and on container production, check out last year's article on sedges. You can also call (800-203-8590) or email us for more information or to book your order.
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Comments and Features
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Photo courtesy of Jesse Turner
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Photo Share
We love it when people share their projects with us. Jesse Turner recently sent us this photo from a project he designed in the North Carolina mountains. He used Carex pensylvanica as a groundcover in this shady bed. The homeowners are thrilled with the look, and we're thrilled with the photo. Thanks, Jesse!
Looking Ahead to Winter Trade Shows
Winter trade shows are wonderful for reconnecting with people and the industry. We're already making preparations, so we thought we'd remind you. If you're attending one the shows below, please come by and say hello. If you'd like some guaranteed one-on-one time, we're happy to reserve some time for you. Just send us an email at Sales, and we'll make the arrangements.
Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), Baltimore, MD
January 11-13, 2012, Booth 412
Green & Growin' Trade Show (NCNLA), Greenboro, NC
January 19-20, 2012, Booth 533 & 535
Central Environmental Nursery Trade Show (CENTS), Columbus, OH
January 23-25, 2012, Booth 2108
A Gracious Thank You
Our customers make the difference, so we try to make the difference with them. We follow up on every order that ships to make sure everything arrived in good shape. It's important that you have what you need. It's great to hear feedback like this from a recent email:
"Thank you for your professional service in ordering and shipment of this recent grass order. All boxes came yesterday in great shape. Will be ordering in the future."
We'd call that mission accomplished.
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