pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

Which Pampas Grass would you recommend for a garden of about an acre and
a half . The owner wants to put it at the back (luckily) of very deep
border.

The new one being pushed by garden Centres is too small but there's
Sunningdale Silver and also Rosea.
I hate the stuff but someone out there might like it enough to have an
opinion. :)
--
Janet Tweedy

pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
Which Pampas Grass would you recommend for a garden of about an acre and a
half . The owner wants to put it at the back (luckily) of very deep
border.

The new one being pushed by garden Centres is too small but there's
Sunningdale Silver and also Rosea.
I hate the stuff but someone out there might like it enough to have an
opinion. :)

Wouldn't be able to recommend one, but there was one in my garden in
Staffordshire. I used to leave the fronds on over winter, and was rewarded
each spring by watching the sparrows and finches plundering it to line their
nests. Worth having one for that reason alone, IMHO.

--
Kathy

pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

On Sat, 5 Nov 2011 14:23:22 -0000, "Kathy" wrote:

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
Which Pampas Grass would you recommend for a garden of about an acre and a
half . The owner wants to put it at the back (luckily) of very deep
border.

The new one being pushed by garden Centres is too small but there's
Sunningdale Silver and also Rosea.
I hate the stuff but someone out there might like it enough to have an
opinion. :)

Wouldn't be able to recommend one, but there was one in my garden in
Staffordshire. I used to leave the fronds on over winter, and was rewarded
each spring by watching the sparrows and finches plundering it to line their
nests. Worth having one for that reason alone, IMHO.

I have a cortaderia pumilla (if I've spelt it right). This is a dwarf
variety, only growing to about 5 feet tall. It's now quite old and the
centre has rotted away together with a small bit at the back (but only
I ever see the back and you have to stand next to it to see the hole
in the middle so it doesn't matter). Like Kathy's used to, mine gets
covered in birds pulling off nesting material in the spring but, in
addition, I pile up leaves in the centre each autumn and hedgehogs can
get in through the little gap at the back and hibernate safely.

Annual care involves a swing of the hedge cutter about a foot above
ground in late spring to remove the old heads and leaves.

IMO the dwarf variety looks ok as a single specimen and you don't need
massive space to take it. The normal 12 footers really need to be
grown in groups and take up so much space it gets ridiculous.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
You can't change yesterday so forget it. You don't know
what tomorrow will bring so don't worry about it. Just
enjoy today. It's a gift; which is why we call it "the
present".

pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

In article , Jake
writes
IMO the dwarf variety looks ok as a single specimen and you don't need
massive space to take it. The normal 12 footers really need to be
grown in groups and take up so much space it gets ridiculous.


Yes but the garden this is destined for has huge deep borders about 20
foot to back and full of self sown hazel and ash etc. which is slowly
being cleared. A 12 footer is what is needed to make some sort of
backdrop against the conifer/yew hedges
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

In article , Janet
writes
GMTA.. I grow cortaderia richardii


Looking it up Janet it says it's more tender than the normal one and the
plumes don't go through winter. i think the owner of the garden wanted
the plumes to add some interest at the back of the border through the
winter but I'll print out the web page and show her so thank you.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

On Sat, 5 Nov 2011 22:20:26 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

In article , Jake
writes
IMO the dwarf variety looks ok as a single specimen and you don't need
massive space to take it. The normal 12 footers really need to be
grown in groups and take up so much space it gets ridiculous.


Yes but the garden this is destined for has huge deep borders about 20
foot to back and full of self sown hazel and ash etc. which is slowly
being cleared. A 12 footer is what is needed to make some sort of
backdrop against the conifer/yew hedges

Has your friend allowed for the fact that a single pampas 12-footer
will not produce many heads for several years. Even though the heads
may stay on through the winter, they will probably look a bit manky by
Christmas; plus stems are very susceptible to breaking in anything
more than a slight breeze. She really needs at least 3 plants, in a
group, not a straight line, if that's the way she wants to go.

Might stipa gigantea be a suitable alternative? This can manage about
9 feet. Or miscanthus goliath that can get to 9-10 feet? The greater
mass of seed heads (which can survive through the winter and into mid
spring) blowing in the wind may well produce a better effect, even if
a bit lower.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
You can't change yesterday so forget it. You don't know
what tomorrow will bring so don't worry about it. Just
enjoy today. It's a gift; which is why we call it "the
present".

pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

In article , Jake
writes
Might stipa gigantea be a suitable alternative? This can manage about
9 feet. Or miscanthus goliath that can get to 9-10 feet? The greater
mass of seed heads (which can survive through the winter and into mid
spring) blowing in the wind may well produce a better effect, even if
a bit lower.


Yes but she sees them in a garden centre looking good and thinks it will
be ideal! I'll pass on this idea though Jake, thanks
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

pampas grass (if you had to have one)
 

On Sun, 6 Nov 2011 17:18:34 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

In article , Jake
writes
Might stipa gigantea be a suitable alternative? This can manage about
9 feet. Or miscanthus goliath that can get to 9-10 feet? The greater
mass of seed heads (which can survive through the winter and into mid
spring) blowing in the wind may well produce a better effect, even if
a bit lower.


Yes but she sees them in a garden centre looking good and thinks it will
be ideal! I'll pass on this idea though Jake, thanks


Just googled pampas grass and there's a thread somewhere asking if
pampas grass in the front garden is a sign of swingers!!!!
:)
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk