Once you see the seed heads it is pretty obvious why the common name of this interesting grass is Bottle Brush Grass. The seeds on the seed heads are arranged like the bristles of a bottle brush. This clumping grass will add interest to the woodland garden starting in early summer when the seed heads are formed. The seeds are very light in color and difficult to photograph. As the summer goes on and fades to fall, the seed heads turn tan. The seeds remain through the fall. This helps to keep the woodland garden interesting for a long period of time. 
 Read More

 

Fall is a great time to take stock of your plantings. How did they come through the summer? In the northeast we had a drought for most of the summer. Then, spring came early, followed by a cold snap and eventually seasonally warm weather. Little rain fell over the course of the rest of the summer. Since September, it has rained here a lot and hurricane Sandy brought even more rain. Plants may be stressed from the summer but with the rains and cool weather, their roots will grow. Hopefully this will make your plants stronger for the 2013 spring and summer growing season.

The best native gardens are the ones that mimic nature. The best place to learn how to design one is in nature. When you hike, walk or enjoy nature make a list of plants you like and what grows together. Look at your site, if it had been left undeveloped what would have grown there? If you don't know or don't know how to identify the plants you like, let us help. We offer on-site consultations. If you prefer to learn the plants and design your own, why not stop by Amanda's Garden? We can go through the gardens with you and help you learn to identify native plants. In each of the different seasons you will see different plants in bloom.

There are lots of great books on native plants that can help you learn too.

 

 

Ellen Folts, Owner

Amanda's Garden