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 In This Issue
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GrassSolutions™ Focus
We've got you covered with Blue Sedge, the first plant featured in our series on grasses and sedges for ground covers.
The Latest at HNI
We see a campus site undergo a Cinderella-like transformation, we celebrate a local Aboretum, and the staff gets a tasty thank you.
New Plant Profile
Want to create a dramatic container planting? This unusual Cyperus will get your attention.
In the News
Indulge in a visual feast of grasses with Houzz, read why experts think grasses will become increasingly important, and see which sedges and grasses get the nod from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and Allan Armitage.
Comments & Features
A national ornamental grass trial gets going in 2012, summer trade shows are almost here, and we hear positive comments from customers.
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Browse our Current Availability
To sign up for periodic availability emails or adjust your email preferences, click here.
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GrassSolutions™ Focus: Grasses & Sedges for Ground covers
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Carex flacca 'Blue Zinger'
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This issue we begin a new series on Grasses & Sedges for Ground Covers. Almost any landscape includes areas that need, for both functional and aesthetic reasons, a spreading, low-growing plant. But with site challenges such as erosion, planting under established trees, or variable sun exposure, it can be difficult to find the right ground cover. Our goal is to expand your palette of possibilities and help you make smart choices.
We start by introducing you to a sedge that is incredibly versatile. Meet Carex flacca.
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| The Latest at HNI |
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The Syme Rain Garden, the first project completed by the NCSU Landscape Architecture Design-Build Studios
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It's been a busy spring, so there is a lot of news to share. We picked a few highlights:
Channeling Cinderella
First they created the Syme Rain Garden, transforming a damaged, barren space on campus into a landscape of beauty and functionality. After winning awards for the project and gaining the University's confidence, they were asked to do it again.
Students in NC State's Landscape Architecture Design-Build Studios are engaged in a 5-year project to transform space around two high-profile dorms. The space between the dorms, which was a compacted and poorly drained mess, is now an engaging gathering area known as the Artists' Backyard. Several of us from Hoffman Nursery attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for Phase 2 and were, once again, impressed with the students' work, their creativity, and their perseverance. It's clearly an amazing experience for them, and the University is thrilled with the results. The space now includes a green staircase, special outdoor furnishings (designed and fabricated by the students), and additional stormwater features.
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Phase 2 of the Artists' Backyard at NC State University
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Hoffman Nursery is thrilled to be connected with this endeavor. We've provided consultation on plant selection and have donated grasses, sedges, and rushes during each phase. We're also pleased to be talking with Dr. Andrew Fox, who designed and leads the course, about collaborating on other projects as well. Kudos to everyone involved with the project!
To see photos of the Syme Rain Garden, the project that got it all started, check out our Facebook album. It shows the garden at installation in August 2010, and at maturity this spring.
Gala in the Garden
We look forward to the Gala in the Garden, the spring fundraiser for the J.C. Raulston Arboretum at NC State University. The Arboretum is an important part of our horticultural community, and we're proud to be a sponsor each year. The weather was cool and comfortable, so it was a particularly fun spring to be there.
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Scott Epps (our Nursery Manager) and Magan Agee (Sales & Customer Service Coordinator) enjoy the excitement at Gala as the silent auction begins.
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We wined, dined, and enjoyed the company of folks from all over the Triangle. The silent auction gave everyone a taste of plant diversity and a chance to further support the Arboretum. Hoffman Nursery donated plants for the auction, but it's possible we left with more than we brought! For more on this fun event, read NCSU's post.
Spring Pizza
Getting plants ready for the spring rush takes lots of dedication and teamwork. In the midst of the work, it's important to thank the staff and have some fun. To that end, the Hoffmans hosted a
lunchtime pizza party, with tons of food and a drawing for prizes. Everyone got a good laugh choosing the numbers and seeing winners decide what prizes they'd take home. It's also a great time for co-workers from different departments to get together and hear the latest. The only problem was figuring out how to avoid falling asleep after lunch.
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New Plants: Cyperus albostriatus 'Variegatus'
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An eye-catching plant with fun leaf arrangement and unusual blooms.
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Cyperus albostriatus 'Variegatus'. Great for containers or landscape.
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Cyperus albostriatus 'Variegatus'
Dwarf Striped Umbrella Sedge
- Ornamental foliage
- Flowers on new growth
- Prefers sun-light shade, moist-wet conditions
- 1-1.5'; 1.5' with flower
- Zones 8-10
Dwarf Striped Umbrella Sedge makes containers and accent plantings pop with its beautiful variegated foliage. Its flowers emerge from the center of each leaf whorl in a tiny starburst.
Other Cyperus like to be submerged; however, this fellow prefers its crown above water. We're told Dwarf Striped Umbrella Sedge can tolerate dry soil once established (as long as the soil is rich), and it can take more shade than the species.
For growing and marketing tips, go to our Grass Guide.
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In the News
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Visual Inspiration
We recently discovered a visual feast of grasses online at Houzz. Similar to the explosively popular Pinterest, this site is a collaborative online resource of images. Professionals in fields related to home building can upload photos from their projects in order to build an online presence. Website users can browse the photos by style or space and organize their photos into "Idea Books." Houzz's collection of ornamental grass photos is a fabulous dive into style, beauty, and functionality.
The site also includes advice organized by category, so you can browse articles on ornamental grasses. Users can choose to share their Idea Books, which is similar to the Pinterest model. If you find a user whose taste you share, it's a great shortcut to images you're likely to love. You must register with the site to create Idea Books and start following others. There are lots of other social features for sharing, so be prepared to spend some time there!
Grasses For The Next Generation
Greenhouse Grower just published a timely article that touts the beauty and functionality of grasses. The author notes that grasses have gained popularity as people wrestle with drought, growing deer populations, poor soil fertility, and extreme heat. Several experts, including Rick Darke, predict that grasses will become increasingly important as we face upcoming challenges. Read what he and others have to say.
We couldn't agree more that grasses are both beautiful and functional. To see grasses listed by function, try our GrassSolutions™ Indexes.
Expand with Sedges
The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum is one of our favorite places, and their Great Plants™ program features grasses we love. They're also very fond of sedges, focusing on selections that work with rain gardens, drought conditions, and as part of sustainable landscapes. Christina Hoyt of the Arboretum recently wrote about sedges in the Lincoln Journal Star. See what she recommends for expanding your palette.
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One of Allan Armitage's past recommendations for low-maintenance, Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' PP11202
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Looking Back at Grasses
Finally, we ran across this 2008 article from horticultural guru, Allan Armitage. He was recommending grasses for low-maintenance landscapes. It's interesting to see what he recommended then and compare it to current popular cultivars. As usual, he's picked those with staying power. Read for yourself.
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Comments and Features
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2012 National Ornamental Grass Trials
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Panicum virgatum cultivars will be part of a national ornamental grass trial.
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Which grasses win the prize for ornamental traits and sustainability? Everyone's got their favorites, but Dr. Mary Meyer of the University of Minnesota wants to see what the data say. She's coordinating a national ornamental grass trial that begins this year.
Several grass suppliers (including Hoffman Nursery) have sent cultivars of Panicum and Schizachyrium to locations across the country for evaluation. The plants will establish during the first year and will be evaluated for the following three years. Each cultivar will be rated on a number of characteristics, including appearance, self-seeding, winter injury, and pests. The plants will be watered only enough to maintain acceptable appearance, and no fertilizers and minimal pesticides will be used. This will provide information on resources needed to maintain these grasses in the landscape.
We're looking forward to seeing how these grasses do in the trials, particularly in disparate regions of the country. It will be a while before those data are available, but in the meantime, you can follow Dr. Meyer and learn more about the trials on her blog.
Time for Summer Shows
 It's hard to believe summer is almost here, but we're already preparing for summer shows. We love seeing friends and colleagues, and this summer follows a great spring. We expect to hear good news from most folks. Catch us at one of the shows below and tell us how you're doing.
Taking Time to be Positive
It's been a busy season, and with everything that's going on, our customers still manage to take time to say thanks. It's our job to get it right, but we really appreciate being told we're doing well. See what some of these thoughtful customers said:
"Thanks for all the great plants. Have not had a problem with a plant yet. All are growing great and selling as they finish."
 -Retail Garden Center Owner
"Many thanks. Everything went well, and many thanks to Magan for her patience with me! I'm excited to watch as summer passes. I'm almost done planting!"
-Landscape Professional
A buyer at a large, Midwestern nursery told us she doesn't usually get feedback from her staff about plants they bring in unless there's a problem. However, after receiving one of our shipments, her crew made a point of telling her how great the plants looked.
We couldn't ask for more than this, so thank you to everyone who takes the time to give us a pat on the back.
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