Plant Inspirations
August 2007 ~ Summer Chic

Outdoor living is definitely the way to go.  Barbeques, drinks parties, children’s parties, paddling pools, sunbathing, snoozing under the trees – the lot.  Plus why not enjoy some summer chic from stylish plants while you’re out there.  Here are some plants which offer the perfect backdrop to fun in the sun for you, your family and friends.
Flowering grasses (the ‘flowers’ are the highly decorative seedheads) are adaptable and can grow successfully even in poorer soils.  They are extremely versatile and perfect for centrepiece positions.  As they move in the breeze they bring sound and motion to the garden giving it a wide open space feel.  Grasses are a soft and sympathetic element in the garden and don’t need a lot of water or care.

Look out for members of the Pennisetum family. Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ is compact, with bottle-brush flowerheads and dark green leaves that turn golden-yellow in autumn.  The leaves of Pennisetum villosum can reach up to 60cm in length and take on a purple hue when fully grown.  Pennisetum orientale is a mound forming grass with dark green leaves and bears beautiful flowerheads up to 14cm long.  These are hardy to between -5oC and -10oC and would benefit from a covering of dry mulch in winter in frost prone areas.  Other suggestions of great grasses are: Zebra Grass (Miscanthus) or Reed Grass (Calamagrostis), both of which have loads to offer.

The perfect partner for flowering grasses is Echinacea or Coneflower.  As the name suggests, the flowers resemble upward-pointing cones.  These add glorious colour through the summer months and are great in borders or even in open woodland settings.  Echinacea purpurea is an absolute winner, flowering from August through to October (depending on location).  Colour options include purple-red in the case of ‘Bright star’, the deep purple of ‘Magnus’ and the pure white of ‘White Lustre’ and ‘White Swan’.  Echinacea purpurea reaches 1.5m in height and a spread of 50cm.  They are fully hardy and thrive on well-drained chalk, loam or sand.

Once established, grasses will look after themselves to a large extent.  Perennials like Echinacea are also easy to care for.  Cut back stems after flowering which will encourage more flower production.  In autumn, it’s good to cut stems down to the base and in spring the new shoots will come back strongly.  Otherwise, a prune in early spring will also do the trick.  All of which means that to have summer chic doesn’t have to be hard work leaving plenty of time for the serious business of outdoor enjoyment.

Newington Nurseries, a haven for plant lovers, on the A329, Newington, nr. Stadhampton, Oxon

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