Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)

Mexican Feather Grass, Nassella Tenuissima, Texas Needle Grass, Nassella Tenuissima, Stipa tenuifolia

Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass) is an exceptionally lovely and graceful ornamental grass which exhibits silvery-green thread-like leaves in late spring, that sway gracefully in the slightest breeze, delicately softening any landscapes. All summer, it bears abundant feathery panicles, which are held a little above the foliage and can be used in dried arrangements. Native to the Americas, this perennial grass provides a fairly long-lasting display with its airy silky green leaves turning golden brown towards fall.

• Translucent, this deciduous grass mixes beautifully with almost any flowering bulbs or perennials to create spectacular and elegantly mobile combinations.
• Growing easily in a dense fountain-like clump about 12-24 in. tall (30-60 cm) and across, it enjoys full sun and medium to light, moderately fertile, well-drained soils.
• Drought, rabbit and deer tolerant, Stipa tenuissima requires very little care.
• A graceful accent plant for beds or borders, city or cottage gardens that also does well in containers. Wonderful plant for naturalized meadows thanks to its ability to self sow.
• Generally pest and disease free!
• Sow seed in a cold frame in spring. Divide from mid spring to early summer.
• Native in North America only to mountains in west Texas and adjacent New Mexico south to central Mexico.

Cuprocyparis leylandii

Cuprocyparis leylandii, commonly called Leyland cypress, is a bi-generic fertile hybrid between Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) and Nootka false cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis). It is a fast-growing (18-36” per year in early years) evergreen conifer with a dense, broad-columnar to a narrow-pyramidal habit that typically grows as a tree to 60-70’ (less frequently to 100’) tall in landscapes unless pruned otherwise. From its Nootka false cypress parent, it inherits its habit, foliage, and winter hardiness, and from its Monterey cypress parent, it inherits its branching pattern and rapid growth. Features flattened sprays of gray-green foliage on slender upright branches and dark brown fruiting cones (to 3/4” across), each with 8 scales. Scaly, reddish-brown bark.

Cornus sericea

Cornus sericea (Red Osier Dogwood) is a medium-sized ornamental shrub with an incredible appeal. Rapidly growing, and adaptable to most soils including wet soils, it features spectacular decorative features: stunning fall color, attractive berries, vibrant red or golden stems, and sometimes lovely variegated summer foliage. A spectacular addition in the garden for most seasons, Red Osier Dogwood certainly adds a WOW! to a winter landscape.

• Cornus sericea is a multi-stemmed, suckering, deciduous shrub with an upright, spreading habit. It grows at a fast rate, typically up to 6-9 ft. high (180-270 cm) and 8-12 ft. across (240-360 cm), but there are many dwarfs or larger varieties available.
• The stems are often numerous and beauty radiate from the base of the shrub. They develop their intense and showy coloration, usually bright red, in fall and winter.
• Flat-topped clusters of tiny, fragrant, creamy-white flowers, 2 in. wide (5 cm), appear in late spring and sometimes sporadically flower in summer. While not especially showy, they attract happy butterflies and pollinators and give way to clusters of white berries, sometimes tinged with blue, that are greedily devoured by birds.
• The summer foliage consists of ovate, medium to dark green leaves which turn dull or rich red-purple in fall.
• Promptly remove root suckers if the colonial spread is undesired
• Performs best in full sun to part shade, in organically rich, medium to wet soils. Red Osier Dogwood is shade tolerant but generally grows best at intermediate to high light levels. It is not fussy about soils provided they are kept evenly moist and well-drained. This plant is more vulnerable to diseases in hot summer climates (south of Zone 7)
• Generally disease-free, Cornus sericea may be affected by leaf and twig blights, canker, and leaf spots.
• Easy to grow, easy to care for. Cornus sericea is rarely severely damaged by deer.
• Cornus sericea looks spectacular when massed to emphasize and accentuate the cold season stem color. A great choice for shrub borders, along ponds and streams, or planted in naturalistic plantings where it can freely spread and form thickets.
• While pruning is not required, it should be noted that the best winter stem color appears on new growth. For the best display, cut the stems flush to the ground every 2-3 years in early spring, just as the leaf buds start to swell. This radical pruning however means that you will have a bare spot in the garden for a few weeks and miss the creamy-white flowers or attractive berries since they only form on second-year growth. Alternatively, if severe pruning seems to be onerous, one-quarter or one-third of the oldest stems could be pruned in the early spring of each year, to stimulate the growth of new stems.
• Propagated primarily by rooted stem cuttings

Rosa White Meidiland

Rosa White Meidiland® belongs to the Meidiland® Landscape roses which are known for their spreading habit, long bloom season, bright colors, profuse flowering and exceptional disease resistance.

• Grows up to 1-2 ft. tall (30-60 cm) and 4-6 ft. wide (120-180 cm).
• Best grown in full sun or partial sun, in rich, fertile with adequate moisture, well-drained soils.
• An excellent choice for mass plantings and erosion control. Ideal for slopes and banks as it hugs the ground with weed-smothering vigor.
• Propagate by hardwood cuttings in autumn or by chip budding in summer
• Bred by Marie-Louise (Louisette) Meilland (1920-1987) (France, 1987).

Azalea Gumpo Pink

Gumpo Pink Azalea will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. You may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It requires evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth but will die in standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.