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Perennials

Grasses

Herbs - Edible & Aromatic

Ampelodesmos mauritanica (Angel’s tears)*   3 litre - £5

This excellent specimen grass forms a clump of neat green leaves that look fresh all year round.  From June onwards these are topped by spikes of beautiful drooping creamy flowers that are excellent for cutting and drying.  270 x 180 cm.  Sun and shelter, any well-drained soil, even poor stony soil.

Anemanthele lessoniana (pheasant grass)*      3 litre - £5

One of the best specimen grasses which looks attractive year round.  It forms a neat clump of leaves that take on bronzy-red tints in autumn if grown in full sun. From July to September there are pinky flowers like spun silk that cascade over the foliage.  180 x 180 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.  Formerly known as Stipa arundinacea.

Briza media (doddering dillies)*   1 litre - £2.50

Tiny trembling pendant beige flowers like a cloud of little insects are borne in May to July above neat clumps of fresh green foliage.  It will happily grow on light or heavy soil, tolerates both damp and dry conditions well and is not bothered about soil pH.  Now a rare British native.  60 x 20 cm. Sun or partial shade, any well drained soil.

Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Overdam’ (variegated feather reed grass)*   2 litre - £4

This striking grass has a very upright habit with golden flowers on tall straight stems in June to August.  These are held above a neat clump of green and cream variegated leaves that look good all year round.  120 x 60 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.

Calamagrostis brachytricha (feather reed grass)*      2 litre - £4

This grass looks wonderful in late summer and autumn with its large plumes of soft feathery flowers from August onwards, initially silvery pink then fading to buff over winter.  It forms a small clump of neat green leaves that look tidy all year round.  120 x 90 cm in flower. Sun and well-drained soil.

Carex buchananii (leather leaf sedge)*     1 litre - £2.50

The tall, upright leaves of this neat grass are a colourful mix of browns, red and pink.  Like all the brown sedges, it looks its best in winter when the different hues are most apparent.  Excellent in containers, particularly winter pots, where it makes a good focal point.  90 x 60 cm.  Sun/partial shade, most soils.

Carex dipsacea (teasel sedge) *   1 litre - £2.50

The leaves of this neat grass are an unusual and eye-catching mix of different browns and olive green and look good all year round.  It is excellent in containers, particularly winter pots, where it makes an interesting focal point.  It also grows well at the front of the border.  45 x 45 cm.  Sun or partial shade, most soils.

Carex elata ‘Aurea’  (Bowles golden sedge)   2 litre - £4

Impressive specimen grass with bright golden leaves which remain colourful throughout the summer and small spiky brown flowers in late spring.  It makes a bold splash and forms an ideal focal point.  75 x 90 cm. Sun or partial shade.  Any soil from well drained to damp, it can be grown in the bog garden.

Carex flagellifera (whip sedge)*  1 litre - £2.50

The red-brown leaves of this neat grass curve over on themselves to reach the soil, creating a neat hummock of foliage.  Like all the brown sedges, it looks its best in winter when the different hues of red and brown are most apparent.  Excellent in containers, particularly winter pots.  40 x 40 cm.  Sun or partial shade, most soils.

Carex grayi (mace sedge)   2 litre - £4

This neat evergreen is grown for its unusual flowers that look like a Medieval mace.  Although it comes into bloom in May, the flowers remain on the plant right through the summer and well into winter.  It makes an unusual choice for a container.  60 x 45 cm.  Best in partial shade on a soil that is not too dry.

Carex  oshimensis ‘Evergold’ (variegated tufted sedge) *        1 litre - £2.50

This neat little grass is ideal for containers and looks good year round with its brightly striped gold, cream and green leaves.  It makes a particularly good partner for colourful foliage evergreens in winter pots but also does well at the front of the border.  20 x 20 cm.  Sun or partial shade, most soils.

Carex siderosticha ‘Shima-nishiki’ (broad-leaved sedge)   1 litre - £3

Ideal for bringing colour to brighten up moist, shady areas, this slowly creeping sedge has broad gold and green leaves that look more like a dwarf bamboo than a grass.  It is herbaceous and loses its leaves over winter.  30 x 60 cm.  Partial shade and a moisture retentive soil.

Carex testacea (brick-coloured sedge)*  1 litre - £2.50

Living up to its name, this neat sedge has green leaves tinged with orange and red, particularly if grown in full sun to bring out its best colours.  It has a neat upright habit and is ideal for both containers and the front of the border.  45 x 45 cm.  Sun or partial shade, most soils.

Carex trifida (New Zealand blue sedge)*   2 litre - £4

The leaves of this sedge are indeed a blue-green, the colour being particularly noticeable in spring and early summer when the neat is topped by prominent brown flower spikes.  The broad leaves curl back into the base of the crown making it an unusual focal point.  90 x 100 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.

Chasmanthium latifolium (spangle oats)*   2 litre - £4

The dangling, oat-like flowers of this neat grass turn from green in July and August to bronzy-red by autumn and remain looking good through the winter.  They are also ideal for cutting and drying.  Easy to grow with attractive green leaves.  60 x 30 cm.  Sun or light shade, any soil.

Chionochloa conspicua (plumed tussock grass)   2 litre - £4

This elegant grass from New Zealand bears tall plumes of arching feathery flowers from mid-summer that are held well above a neat clump of foliage that stays green in winter.  The flowers are ideal for cutting or drying.  120 x 60 cm.  Sun and any soil.

Chionochloa flavicans (snow tussock) *     2 litre - £4

Showy plumes of pendent golden flowers that are ideal for cutting are borne in June and July above neat clumps of evergreen foliage.  It makes an excellent specimen for a container or it can be grown towards the front of the border.  90 x 90 cm.  Needs sun to flower well, a well-drained soil and shelter from cold winds.

Cortaderia fulvida (New Zealand pampas)*   3 litre - £6

This elegant pampas has nodding plumes of silvery flowers in June and July above a clump of tough but slender leaves.  The flowers continue to look good well into autumn.  Although as large as the Argentine pampas, it has a much more open and attractive habit.  240 x 180 cm.  Needs a sheltered sunny position, any soil that is not too dry.

Cortaderia selloana ‘Aureolineata’ (golden pampas) *       3 litre - £5

Although it has a few elegant flowers, this pampas is grown primarily for its gold and green striped leaves and it makes an ideal larger specimen that looks good all year round.  300 x 240 cm.  Sun and any well-drained soil.  Established plants are very drought tolerant and perfectly hardy.

Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’ (dwarf pampas)*     3 litre - £5

The ideal pampas grass for smaller gardens, ‘Pumila’ reaches only 150 x 150 cm when mature.  It is very free flowering with masses of upright fluffy greenish-tinged silvery plumes from August onwards.  Sun and any well-drained soil.  Established plants are very drought tolerant and this is one of the hardiest forms of pampas grass.

Cyperus ‘Chira’ (Canary Island galingale) *     2 litre - £4

This ornamental sedge is grown for its clusters of golden-brown seed heads that are shaped like spiky mace and are borne among umbrella-like spokes above a clump of fresh apple-green foliage.  60 x 60 cm.  Sun or partial shade and any soil that is not too dry.

Deschampsia cespitosa (tufted hair grass)*   2 litre - £4

This evergreen grass makes an attractive specimen if grown on its own but is also ideal for interplanting with early summer flowering perennials.  A neat clump of fresh green leaves is topped by sprays of delicate pendent silvery flowers in June to August.  100 x 30 cm. Sun or partial shade, any soil.  Easy to grow.

Eragrostis airoides (airy love grass)   1 litre - £2.50

A curtain of the lightest, airiest pale green flowers cascades over a neat clump of foliage from mid-summer onwards.  Once the flowers have turned beige, cut them back to the crown to get a second crop in autumn.  It makes an excellent focal point in a container.  30 x 45 cm.  Sun, well-drained soil.

Eragrostis curvula (weeping love grass) *     2 litre - £4

This South African grass is smothered in a trailing curtain of weeping lavender-tinged flowers from June onwards, the flowers lasting well through the winter and into the following spring.  It forms a substantial but neat clump of fine evergreen leaves that looks good all year round.  90 x 120 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.

Eragrostis spectabilis (purple love grass) *   2 litre - £4

In late summer a cloud of delicate purple-red flowers erupts from the crown of this otherwise rather ordinary grass, the flowers turning to tawny-bronze by autumn.  It is very drought-tolerant and ideal on poor and sandy soils, although it can self-seed when happy.  60 x 60 cm.  Sun and any well-drained soil.

Festuca glauca (blue fescue)*   1 litre - £2.50

The neat rounded clump of steely blue-grey leaves takes on its strongest colours from late spring onwards and is topped with beige flowers in June.  It is excellent as an edging plant or a focal point.  It needs a sunny spot to get the best blue colouring.  30 x 30 cm.  Sun and any well-drained soil.

Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ (golden Hakone grass)*        1 litre - £3

This useful little grass makes a neat specimen and is also ideal ground cover when planted en-masse, particularly in the dappled shade under trees and taller shrubs.  The soft leaves are striped gold with a little green and takes on orange-red tones in autumn.  40 x 90 cm.  Partial shade and a moist soil.

Hordeum jubatum (squirrel tail grass)*   1 litre - £2.50

This attractive ornamental barley has hairy flowers that look a little like a squirrel’s tail and are borne in June to July, often with a second flush in late summer.  They emerge tinged with pink and then fade from green to beige as they age.  60 x 30 cm. Best in full sun on a well-drained soil.  Will self-seed reliably but not to excess.

Hystrix patula (bottlebrush grass) *     2 litre - £4

It isn’t difficult to see how this grass gained its common name as it produces spikes of bottlebrush-like flowers in August onwards.  The flowers fade from green to beige and last well into winter, while the foliage is neat and green throughout the year.  100 x 60 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.

Leymus racemosus (giant blue rye) *     2 litre - £4

The bold blue-grey leaves make an excellent specimen for a sunny spot in a border or a large container. Although related to lyme grass, this member of the family is not particularly invasive, although it can spread to make good groundcover on a light, sandy soil.  90 x 100 cm.  Sun and a light, well-drained soil.

Luzula nivea (snowy woodrush) *   2 litre - £4

This easy-to-grow grass makes useful groundcover all year round but with its dark green leaves, but it also has the added bonus of fluffy clusters of creamy-white flowers in May to June.  It is particularly useful in woodland situations but is equally at home in open spots.  60 x 40 cm.  Sun or partial shade, any soil that is not too wet or too dry.

Luzula sylvatica ‘Aurea’ (golden greater woodrush) *   2 litre - £4

This unusual evergreen grass has stunning golden leaves making it ideal groundcover for brightening shady spots, even under trees.  The colour fades to lime green by summer but is retained better in sun, as long as the soil is not too dry.  50 x 40 cm.  Sun to full shade and most soils.

Milium effusum ‘Aureum’ (golden wood millet) *     1 litre - £2.50

The new leaves of this herbaceous grass emerge a glowing golden-yellow in spring to be topped by delicate spikes of yellow flowers in May and June.  It is ideal for brightening shady areas, although the leaf colour is more golden if grown in some sun. 100 x 30 cm. Full or partial shade, any soil.

Miscanthus nepalensis (Nepal fairy grass)   2 litre - £4

This neat and unusual little miscanthus makes an excellent specimen with heads of old gold blooms from August onwards.  They explode like a firework as they open then droop into a fluffy ball.  These are held well above a short, neat clump of green leaves.  150 x 50 cm.  Sun and any soil that is not too dry.

Miscanthus sinensis (Chinese silver grass)*   3 litre - £5

This stately grass is ideal for quick height in a border with attractive green leaves, each with a central cream stripe, and plumes of silky flowers which emerge with a pinky tinge in August and fade to beige by early winter.  Also makes a good specimen.  180 x 100 cm.  Full sun and any soil that is not too dry.

Miscanthus sinensis condensatus ‘Cosmopolitan’  (Chinese silver grass)*      3 litre - £5

This stunning specimen grass has bold leaves striped with cream and green, topped by silvery plumes of flowers from September onwards.  Although quite hardy in our garden, it may need a sheltered spot or winter protection in colder areas.  200 x 120 cm.  Full sun and any soil that is not too dry.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ (variegated Chinese silver grass)*      3 litre - £5

The fine green and cream variegated leaves create a silvery effect overall with a neat fountain-like habit making it a lovely focal point in the border or a large pot.  Although it rarely flowers in Britain, the foliage alone is worth appreciating.  120 x 90 cm.  Full sun and any soil that is not too dry.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Nippon’ (Chinese silver grass)*   3 litre - £5

This stately grass is ideal for quick height in a border with attractive green leaves, each with a central cream stripe, and plumes of silky flowers from August onwards.  These emerge a warm red that fades gradually to beige by early winter.  180 x 100 cm.  Full sun and any soil that is not too dry.

Nassella trichotoma (serrated tussock) *    1 litre - £2.50

This neat little grass is grown for its clouds of flowers that look like fine-spun thread.  It flowers in June onwards above a clump of very fine green leaves that turn to beige in autumn.  Its neat habit makes it an unusual specimen, but it also looks good planted en-masse.  50 x 100 cm.  Sun and any soil not too dry. Will self-seed.

Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ (black dragon grass)*       1 litre - £3

Not a true grass, but with a similar habit and striking almost black leaves, this evergreen rarely fails to attract comment.  It is excellent in containers but can also be grown in the border where it spreads slowly.  It has tiny lilac flowers in autumn followed by purple berries.  25 x 30 cm.  Sun and any well-drained soil.

Paspalum quadrifarium (crown tussock)*   3 litre - £5

This elegant evergreen grass has a clump of neat green foliage topped by buff flowers that look like caterpillars and are held at right angles to the stems.  150 x 90 cm.  Sun and well-drained soil.  Although it originates in warmer climes, it survived the winter of 2005-06 quite happily with us and at Rosemoor in north Devon.

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ (fountain grass)*   2 litre - £4.50

This specimen grass has furry purple

flowers that fade to fawn from September onwards which last well into winter.  This neat little form will flower in a container.  The leaves turn buff in winter and remain until the following spring.  60 x 60 cm. Sun and any well-drained soil.

Pennisetum macrourum (African feathertop)*   2 litre - £4

Tall spikes of thin buff flowers like cat’s tails are held above neat clumps of evergreen leaves making this a slim and upright grass.  The flowers last well into winter and it mixes well with other plants in the border.  Hardy in a sunny spot as long as the soil is well drained.  120 x 45 cm.

Pennisetum orientale ‘Tall Tails’ (oriental fountain grass)*     2 litre - £4.50

This neat herbaceous grass has furry cream flowers that emerge in July and last into winter.  It is smaller than other members of the family and makes a good choice for a container as well as an excellent border plant.  180 x 90 cm.  Sunny sheltered spot and a well-drained soil.

Pennisetum villosum  (Abyssinian feathertop)*     2 litre - £4

This herbaceous grass has irresistibly stroke able furry cream flowers with long bristles from July onwards which are held well above the leaves.  The foliage is short and neat and only emerges from May onwards.  60 x 100 cm.  Sun and a sheltered position, a light, well-drained soil.

Phaenosperma globosa  (Chinese bead grass)*   2 litre - £4

Grown for its bead-like seed heads, this grass also has bold strap-like leaves that remain evergreen in mild winters.  Attractive green flowers in descending whorls are borne on tall stems from June onwards and birds love the seeds.  150 x 60 cm.  Needs sun and a well-drained soil.

Stipa calamagrostis (silver spear grass)*   2 litre - £4

An excellent grass that is grown for its silky white-green flowers that appear from June onwards and last right through winter.  It forms only a small clump of very fine leaves so is easy to integrate into the border, but it also looks good planted in bold clumps.  100 x 100 cm.   Sun and a well-drained soil.

Stipa gigantea (Spanish oat grass)*    3 litre - £5

This evergreen grass forms an impressive specimen when in flower with plumes of large golden oats rising from a small, neat crown of fine green leaves.  It is an excellent ‘see-through’ plant and the flowers last well, usually from May to November.  180 x 180 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.

Stipa lessingiana (Steppe feather grass)*   2 litre - £4

An excellent specimen grass that forms a swaying clump of very fine green leaves that is topped by silky creamy-beige flowers from June onwards that last well into winter. It makes a larger and chunkier version of pony’s tails (Stipa tenuissima).  70 x 40 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.

Stipa tenuissima (pony’s tails)*   1 litre - £2.50

Its common name aptly describes the soft-as-a-feather cream flowers that emerge in June and last into winter, the flowers swaying in the slightest breeze.  The pale green leaves are equally fine and look good even in winter when they turn to buff.  60 x 30 cm.  Sun and a well-drained soil.

Uncinia rubra (red hook sedge) *    1 litre - £3