GRASSES

SCHIZACHYRIUM SCOPARIUM (syn.Andropogon scoparius).

Fine textured upright grass growing 2ft to 3ft. tall, valuable in autumn and winter. Summer foliage is bluish green, but in autumn the plant turns orange red with delicate white flowers. Prefers poor dry soil and is drought and cold tolerant. Z3. 

SESLERIA CAERULIA.

Densely tufted blue grey leaves. Bluish purple flower spikes. Tough and reliable.  12” x 12”. Z6 

SORGHASTRUM NUTANS ‘INDIAN STEEL’.

Steel blue erect foliage to 3ft turning yellow in autumn.  Copper coloured flower heads reaching 6ft appear in August and last through winter.  Z4 

SPARTINA PECTINATA AUREOMARGINATA.

Leaves 4ft long olive green with yellow edges. Slender  flower spikes with purple stamens. A graceful grass reaching  6ft. Prefers damp soil, and will grow in shallow water. Z5. 

SPODIOPOGON SIBIRICUS

Clump forming and arching foliage to 3ft.  Flowers to 4ft. Mid green leaves turn rich red in autumn in many years.  Attractive flower heads from July to October. Z5 

SPOROBOLUS HETEROLEPSIS.

A dense arching 15” mound of fine mid-green leaves which turns deep orange in autumn fading to pale copper in winter. Delicate open grey-green flowers appear in late summer on very slender 3ft stalks. Unusually the flowers are scented. Extremely drought tolerant and very hardy and long lived. Takes a year or two to attain significant size but worth the wait. Z4. 

STIPA ARUNDINACEA

A dense mass of arching dark green leaves, turning soft orange-brown in summer, with 3ft flowering stems with fine purplish-green panicles. Z8. 

STIPA BARBATA.

Silver Feather Grass; narrow leaves to about 2ft forming a dense clump. Silvery plumes of delicate flowers to about 3ft. Z8 

STIPA CALAMAGROSTIS.

Mounds of blue-green leaves, and in summer masses of  silvery purple tinted feathery flowers 3ft x 3ft. Z7.               

STIPA CAPILLATA.

Narrow glossy dark green leaves to  about 4ft. Misty white flower plumes July to November. Dryish soil. Z8 

STIPA GIGANTEA.

An arching clump of dark green leaves about 2ft x 2ft, from which sprout impressive flowers, like giant 8ft tall oats. Z8. 

STIPA TENUISSIMA.

A dense tuft of fine filament like leaves, combined for most of the summer with feathery flowers, giving an overall fluffy effect. 2ft x 1ft. Z8 

UNCINIA RUBRA.

The narrow leaves a re a rich mahogany red, Small dark brown flowers, 12” x 12”.  needs a sheltered sunny spot. A striking little grass. Z8 borderline.