A few standouts in the November garden right now.
Pennisetum (Fountain Grass) ‘Foxtrot’
This one came out of nowhere this year and kicked some serious garden booty. It bloomed beautifully and quickly reached four to five feet in height after only a year or two in my garden.
I’ll put together a post dedicated to this grass in the upcoming weeks with photos depicting it in all seasons.
Right now, it is shining with fall color.
Molinia (Moor Grass) ‘Sky Racer’
Another killer grass that keeps making a statement throughout the fall season.
It’s a great specimen grass and unintentionally, a great see-through grass from up higher on my deck.
Panicum (Switch Grass) ‘Cloud Nine’
I believe this Switch Grass is ‘Cloud Nine’ (please call me out if I’m wrong, I have no shame) and my lord does it stand out.
It’s currently at six feet high if not taller and has remained upright without fail.
You can’t help but notice it no matter where you are in my front yard.
Miscanthus purpurascens (Flame Grass)
Another day, another pic of the Flame Grass.
I have no fear of featuring it in a foundation planting.
Barberry
I’m not sure of the cultivar of this yellow barberry but is it ever eye popping in color right now.
I swear I didn’t touch up this photo below.
Amsonia hubrichtii
Still kicking butt and taking names this far into the fall. Even if only a small portion of it is visible from a certain angle.
I will never stop adding these to my garden each and every year.
Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’
Underrated autumn color and the leaves remain on this shrub longer than any other shrub in my garden.
Gorgeous pics! The Cloud Nine really is a stunner! I can see why you love it so much! All of your grasses look great and add so much beauty to the fall landscape. I really like the pic of Cloud Nine from a distance with the sidewalk in the picture. The colors are fantastic!
It was a sad day at my workplace today. As I pulled in the parking lot, I noticed the landscaping crew had cut down ALL of the grasses and there were a ton of them that were looking so pretty. I wanted to scream at them lol. There are probably close to 100 of Karl Foerster reed grass and a very large Zebra grass and other Miscanthus and they have all been cut down.
Thanks for sharing!
Linda
The cutting down of the grasses makes me crazy! Missing out on all they have to offer into the colder months. Grrrrr. Thanks for the kind words! The grasses get me through the winter months. Don’t know what I’d do without them.
Gorgeous! Man, I love Fall! If I were in charge, spring and fall would be 150 days each, and summer and winter would be 30 days each.
Well done! I need to add Skyracer to my garden.
Thanks Bill! And yes, you do need Skyracer.
Love seeing your garden photos. They are a great source of inspiration. However, for those of us who are trying to go native, would you consider pointing out the native plants?
Thanks Jane. I’m going to edit this post and identify the natives and do so going forward. Great idea!
Really nice; the grasses glow in the low light! Thanks for the ideas!
You are more than welcome Jennifer!
Beautiful fall garden.
Thanks Cathy!
That Cloud Ni e is a stunner! All are. But especially that one. Wow. I gotta see if it can handle our Zone 3. Yea for not cutting them down!
Inviting John’s readers to check out my blog as well: Be Well, Do Good. Found at http://www.be-well-do-good.com. (And if ya aren’t getting my posts, my bad, I am still learning this blog stuff. But it’s now resolved, so please re subscribe.) Thanks😄
Loving the Cloud Nine more and more Chuck. And again, big congrats on the blog!!
Just found this blog and am loving the autumn grasses. Quick question — what type of pH does your soil have? (Always best to find out quickly with a new blog so I don’t break my heart longing after acid-only plants.)
Thanks for finding me Ann! My soil is fairly neutral so no acid only plants here!
GREAT pictures, your grasses are amazing. I have so many yards to take care of and sooooo many grasses, if my clients don’t care if they are cut in the fall, I cut them down. With our horrible ND winters some years leaving them til spring becomes a spring clean up nightmare and the rabbits love to nest in them in the winter. I always ask before I cut tho’, fall cleanup costs them less than spring cleanup because it takes a lot less time. This fall the grasses where mostly weather trashed by very early hard freezes and 60 mph winds that it didn’t bother me at all to cut down winter interest, as it does some years. We can’t grow as many of those beautiful grasses here either. Keep the pictures coming, you did fabulous things with your garden this summer!!
Totally get that Kay. I’ve considered cutting down some of the lesser winter performers to get a jump start on the never ending spring grass cut down but I’m too lazy by this time of year.
All gorgeous!
Thanks Maureen!
Hi John, Nice November colors and textures going on with your grasses and other color changing plants!
By the way, I did catch hearing you and being a guest speaker on C.L. Fanari’s Garden Line show this past Saturday(Nov. 3rd).
I listen to her program every week. WXTK radio happens to be one and a half miles from where I live!
Thanks Deborah! Hopefully I didn’t embarrass myself too much on the show. C.L is the greatest!
Gotta love the fall grasses. Love your passion and love your pics. Also agree with your other posts regarding people who insist on cutting back the grasses for the winter. Makes no sense when i see the snow covering them over the winter months here north of Toronto (near Buffalo N.Y) Trying to educate the masses and the people are slowing catching on. Nonetheless, keep the posts coming. Cheers “from North of the Border”
Thanks so much Domenic! Grasses are the backbone of my garden out of necessity and out of their beauty this time of year.
I found it difficult to work grasses into landscapes until 10-12 yrs ago …. now love them . Taller ones can create such a nice “whispy” flow on breezy winter days and are interesting all year long . One important comment : Barberry (Berberis ) is on the invasive list in many states , including here in Maine , and NO cultivars are any longer allowed to be sold ! Granted , ordinary thunbergi is more of an issue (more berries) than many cultivars , but all are now illegal !
So true with the “whispy” comment Phil! And so true about the barberry. I removed a few others I had years back and these are the last two remaining. I have to admit I love them, but feel guilty as hell that I haven’t removed them yet.
As usual, your pics are gorgeous ! Have you noticed the Seasons weather–wise seem to be ‘off” by a month now … when I was young, the leaves changed colors & began falling in October … now it’s nearly mid–November, & the leaves are changing colors & falling. Conversely, the old saying, “April showers bring May flowers” wass ‘off’ the same way … 9it was a rainy May … snowfall in the east 8usually doesn’t start until January, then we’d get a blizzard oin March/April. This Greenhouse mess is affecting the seasons we are used to … I’m just being whimsical here … I HATE change …