A Practically Perfect Panicum

Those of us who have been gardening with Panicums probably aren't at all surprised that Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' has become so popular. It's an outstanding native grass with a graceful upright form, year round beauty, deer resistance, cold and heat hardiness, good wildlife value, drought tolerance and soil adaptability. It's been named the 2014 Perennial Plant of the Year™by the Perennial Plant Association* and that's pretty cool!

While P virgatum 'Northwind' is relatively new to the garden scene (1992), Panicum virgatum has a long history on this continent. It's native to the tall grass prairies of the Great Plains from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and along with big bluestem, little bluestem and Indian grass. It was grazed by herds of bison, deer and elk and can still be found growing in ‘remnant prairies’ and along interstates throughout much of North America.

summer bloom

It's rather ironic that it took European plant breeders to open our eyes to the versatility and beauty of Panicum virgatum. They've brought us lovely cultivars and spurred American breeders to get on the native grass bandwagon, but, that's not the case with 'Northwind'.  Roy Diblik, of Northwind Farms selected it from a population of Panicum virgatum he raised using wild-collected seed. It had wider leaves and a very upright growth habit unlike other panicums that tended to arch. I am very appreciative of his efforts, 'Northwind' is a stellar cultivar!

I love the panicums and have many in my garden. ‘Northwind’ is without a doubt the most upright of all the cultivars that have been introduced in the last dozen years. That's probably been it's best selling feature, a tall grass that fits beautifully into small or larger gardens. What makes this grass especially attractive to me is its color change from summer through late winter.

In my garden it begins to golden up in September just in time to compliment the purple ex-asters, the reds of Iteas and Aronias.

glowing in the afternoon sun

The fall color is especially gorgeous in the late afternoon when it's backlit by the setting sun.

It's a tawny gold for several months, but, by the end of the winter it's a striking pale blonde that looks incredible in my almost brown landscape! It's also the best time to cut it back!

Late winter is the ideal time to cut your ornamental grasses, just before the new shoots emerge and you risk clipping them off with your shears. Please don't be like many of my Nashville neighbors who allow the mow and blow crews to scalp these beautiful plants to a stub in mid fall!

Think of all the marvelous color changes you would miss and besides the critters need the shelter those golden/tawny/blonde blades offer them all winter.

Thank goodness it won't be long before they start greening up! I miss them terribly when I have to cut them back, but, before long the beautiful olive-blue green leaves will be back helping showcase Itea, the ex-asters, Vernonia, Juniperus, Rudbeckia, Phlox, River oats, Hypericums and the other rough and tumble wildflowers that make their home here at Clay and Limestone.

xoxogail

*  (here for more info)

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Switchgrass

I cut the switchgrass down this afternoon and I already miss them.

I can hardly bear to cut those beautiful tawny golden blades down to stubs and put it off until the very last minute.  I really didn't want to, they still look so pretty, but if you wait too long you can't clip them with your hedge clippers without running the risk of cutting off the new shoots. Lucky me, there were no green shoots showing and I could chop away!

Panicum is a stellar grass for winter interest and I've never understood why gardeners cut it down in the fall. It fills the garden with movement and beauty all year long and the standing grass  provides food and shelter for visiting mammals, birds and insects.

Panicum virgatum 'North Wind'

I've heard gardeners complain that grasses are floppy and messy by mid winter. If that's the case, they might want to add Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' to their gardens. It is without a doubt the most upright grass I’ve ever encountered. Strong winds, heavy rains and even snow have not made it flop over.

It dances all winter in the wind...

Me, I don't mind floppy grasses. In fact, I appreciate how they have softened the sharp corner of my house along the path to the porch. I can't recall if this graceful beauty is a cultivar or the species, but I love it. 

'Northwind' backlit and glowing

It's rather ironic that it took European plant breeders to open our eyes to the versatility and beauty of Panicum virgatum. It has a long history on this continent. It's native to the tall grass prairies of the Great Plains from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and it can still be found growing in ‘remnant prairies’ and along interstates.

You could certainly say that it has a lot going for it-graceful form, long seasonal color, deer resistance, hardiness, drought tolerance and adaptability.

Thank goodness it won't be long before they start greening up! I do miss them waving at me as I walk the garden!

xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Tommies On My Hillside Sing A Spring Song

The Tommies are in bloom!  I wish you were here to see them!  I know they must be making a statement because Mr I Do Not Garden or Blog thinks they look wonderful.

He's right, they do look pretty wonderful.

Just look at that flower, it's covered in golden delicious pollen.

 But, you don't have to take my word for it.

The hillside that has charmed me for decades!

 You might remember my inspiration!  A dream of a hillside with tens of thousands of Tommies.

 I think I've finally found my hill.  It was covered with forsythia and made the entrance to the house feel crowded.  Early last fall we cleared the shrubs and planted  Juniperus virginiana 'Gray Owl', Panicum virgatum 'Northwind',  stone unearthed in the clearing process and of course Crocus tommasinianus.

So far the Tommies are unscathed by the resident rodents!  The hill has perfect drainage, great soil and plenty of sunshine. They just  need one other  thing to insure that they naturalize with ease and

also planted on Tommie Hill

It sure looks to me like the bees are doing their best to make sure there will be more Tommies at Clay and Limestone!
xxoogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Not Ready To Say Goodbye To Autumn

Iridaceae germanica 'Rosalie Figge'

Neither is Rosalie Figge.  She's a remontant and reblooming her pretty deep reddish dark purple nearly black flowering heart off again.  She has a hint of grape fragrance and an intense coloring that looks fantastic backlit by the setting sun.  That's Panicum 'Northwind' in case you were wondering. It looks pretty good backlit, too.

But, I'm not ready to say goodbye, so I've bundled her up in a frost blanket and we'll see if she's still blooming when the sun warms the day.

xxoogail

Autumn Movement
I cried over beautiful things knowing no beautiful thing lasts.

The field of cornflower yellow is a scarf at the neck of the copper sunburned woman, the mother of the year, the taker of seeds.

The northwest wind comes and the yellow is torn full of holes, new beautiful things come in the first spit of snow on the northwest wind, and the old things go, not one lasts.

–Carl Sandburg

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone."