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Monday February 9th, 2009
Working Class Roots
I asked Heronswood’s Research Director, Grace Romero, to present the best plants that hit the “sweet spot” of most durable or hardy, most beautiful and least expensive. A Recession Garden for you. She and our horticulturist Bill Rein selected these diverse, lovely and soulful Heronswood Nursery cultivars for full and partial shade as well as full and partial sun. Botany on a budget!
The four groups are:
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I love the selection, especially the sedum and also the lobelia ‘Russian Princess’ as I am a designer who loves to use unusual plants with extraordinary colors!
Kudus
This is good information. I am wondering if any of these plants can survive without water.
Hi. I’ll probably try the Yucca and Athyrium ‘Regal Red’ this year. So pretty. But I also wanted to let you know that I grew Eragrostis spectabilis from seed a couple years ago for my sandy-soil garden near the beach on Long Island, NY. I suspected it would do well because it grows wild in the area. I ended up removing it from the perennial border last year because it did too well, self seeding by the hundreds in the crevices of the other perennials. I think in the context of low shrubs or other plants not easily swamped, it would be a clever and lovely groundcover. It needs zero irrigation or fertilizer. The huge panicles break off over the winter and roll around like sagebrush. No wonder it’s so successful scattering seed. In real life, the panicles are not so intensely red as your photo. I’d say bronzy-pink and probably most striking when they don’t have to compete with bright flowers and certainly with the setting sun behind them. Like a glowing fog bank. With these caveats, a really attractive and unusual native grass.
ummmm……cotinus “Grace” in full shade?!?!?!?!?
Thank you John,
We have used this at the Farm in shade to part shade, although in other areas of the country, they tolerate a wider range of light conditions and are grown in sun. We find that leaves tend to get dull and scorched under our conditions in direct sun. Soil conditions have to be taken into account in considering light conditions.
Grace Romero
Heronswood’s Research Director
It is nice to finally see more of a focus on the plants this time. You had nearly lost me after the lack of such in favor of the recent political and sociological rantings. Please remember that Heronswood loyalists became so because of the years of great opportunities to find exciting and interesting plants. I would love to see your blog used towards providing your customers with the horticultural expertise and adventurous plant selections that we have come to love and expect of a nursery named Heronswood.
Forrest – Thanks for the heads up. I don’t want to lose you. Please stay tuned as we move into the season. I simply get “cabin fever” every so often. Won’t “rant” so much in the future. Thanks again.
George
What an awesome collection, something for every part of the grounds. I can envision a spot for
several of these. It is great to have someone making choice selections.
Maggie
I love reading the newsletter – it just takes me to another, calmer place. We all should tend our gardens…. And then share the bounty
Thanks to Grace. Excellent choices for us shad/ woodland gardeners.