A wonderful plant to add ever-changing interest and colour from early summer all the way through to winter. Starting with low, spreading, fleshy pale green/grey leaves, the flowers begin to show their heads in late spring. Reaching up to a height of 50cm, the flowers start to flush pink in early autumn and then gradually turn to a beautiful rust-coloured burgundy.
This succulent herbaceous perennial should be planted in full sun and works well planted in swathes next to contrasting textures such as strappy or ornamental grasses or compact shrubs. Cut it back in winter to prepare for new growth in early spring. This plant attracts butterflies and is drought tolerant.
Botanical name: Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’
Common name: Stonecrop
Family: Crassulaceae
Origin: Northern Hemisphere
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ is a large graceful arching grass that sways in a breeze providing a soft dynamic element to the landscape especially when used on mass. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ is a deciduous, perennial grass with a clump-forming habit growing up to 1.8m high.
Its herbaceous foliage is formed from very narrow, upright blue/green leaves, which are hairy beneath and often turn bronze. Coppery fan-shaped panicle flower heads appear in late summer / autumn that later become silvery white plumes which may fade to beige in winter providing interest and change throughout the seasons.
Botanical name: Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’
Common name: Maiden Grass ‘Gracillimus’, Chinese Silver Grass
Family: Poaceae
Origin: Eastern Asia – Japan, Korea, North East China
The February issue of House & Garden Magazine features our Seaforth garden design and discusses how an inspirational plantscape along with sandstone walls and terracing have transformed a steep site into a real Secret Garden.
Providing a fantastic and ever changing look year round – Boston Ivy has soft layers of Maple-like leaves that colour up to beautiful oranges and reds in Autumn, before falling and exposing a silhouette of bare woody stems in winter.
Gives an established look to European, Mediterranean and Asian-themed gardens. Strong dense growth in full sun and leggy thinner growth in shadier spots where a view to a feature wall behind can be partially exposed during the warmer months. A self-clinging climber which uses tendrils tipped with tiny sticky discs to cling to walls. It is a non-destructive climber and won’t crack walls but can spoil paintwork when removed. Used to shade sun exposed walls during summer, it also helps to keep houses cool. This is a low water use plant once established.
Botanical name: Parthenocissus tricuspidata
Common name: Boston Ivy
Family: Vitacea
Origin: Eastern Asia – Japan, Korea, North East China
