Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'

Miscanthus species and cultivars, award-winner Chinese Silver Grass 'Morning Light' (Miscanthus Sinensis) is a remarkable ornamental grass. First, it features a unique and exquisite vase shape that stands out beautifully in the garden. Second, its fine-textured foliage that sways gracefully in the slightest breeze and delicately softens any landscape is slightly ivory variegated, making it look silver from a distance. Finally, this graceful ornamental grass is one of the best grasses for winter color in mild climates.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Blooming later than most Miscanthus cultivars, 'Morning Light' displays tiny crimson-red plume flowers in late summer or early fall, which delicately change to silvery white as they mature and provide good winter interest.
• Rarely flopping, this striking ornamental grass can be easily grown in a dense, upright, rounded fountain-like clump, up to 4-6 ft. tall (120-180 cm) and 3-4 ft. wide (90-120 cm).
• Performs best in full sun in moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Protect from excessive winter wet. Drought and salt tolerant once established.
• Very versatile, it can be used as a graceful accent plant in the garden, massed to create screens or hedges, or planted in borders, coastal gardens, city gardens, cottage gardens , or prairie plantings.
• This Chinese Silver Grass is generally pest and disease free. It is deer and rabbit resistant but attracts birds.
• Cut foliage to the ground in late winter before new shoots appear. Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring.
• Native to Asia, the specific form of Miscanthus Sinensis is invasive in several US states. The invasive potential is of less concern for many of its ornamental cultivars, some of which are sterile. However, as a general rule, do not plant more than one cultivar on your property, and use only a vegetatively propagated cultivar that has shown little or no evidence of self-seeding in your area.
• Discover beautiful U.S. native plant alternatives.

Scirpus lacustris

Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) lacustris (Common or Grey Clubrush) is the true native bulrush, not the reedmace with poker heads (Typha) that almost everyone refers to as bulrushes. Hollow pith-filled greyish-green leaves rise from the base to up to 2 meters, topping which is brown spiky flowers. Rather too vigorous for small ponds and does have sharp roots that can penetrate liners, but good for larger wildlife ponds.

Plants will be supplied in a cut-back condition whether bare root or potted to prevent damage and enable quick establishment; they will soon produce new canes once rooted.

Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis 'Yankee Point' (Californian Lilac)

Californian Lilac 'Yankee Point', Ceanothus 'Yankee Point', Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 'Yankee Point'

Fast-growing and durable, Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis 'Yankee Point' (Californian Lilac) is a low-growing, evergreen shrub noted for its abundant clusters of fluffy China-blue flowers in spring to early summer. The flowers are so profuse that they literally cover the shrub, transforming the plant in an explosion of blue. The blooms are borne on horizontal arching branches clad with shining dark green leaves, 2 in. long (5 cm). Attractive to birds and butterflies, 'Yankee Point' is regarded as one of the best low-growing Ceanothus for use as a large-scale groundcover. It is also useful on banks and slopes or in the foreground in mixed borders. It is the most commonly grown selection in California gardens.

• Grows up to 2-3 ft. tall (60-90 cm) and 8-10 ft. wide (240-300 cm).
• Thrives in fertile, sandy or loamy, well-drained soils in full sun. Appreciates afternoon shade in hot summer areas. Established plants need little summer water. Drought tolerant.
• Excellent choice as a groundcover, for wall-side borders, bank stabilization or in butterfly gardens.
• Prune immediately after flowering.
• Propagate by root semi-ripe cuttings in mid to late summer and hardwood cuttings from late fall to midwinter.

Keep an eye out for scale insects, honey fungus

Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry)

Bunchberry, Bunchberry Dogwood, Canadian Bunchberry, Creeping Dogwood, Crackerberry, Dwarf Cornel, Pudding Berries, Pudding Berry, Chamaepericlymenum canadense, Cornella canadensis, Cornus canadensis var. dutillyi

Attractive in flower or fruit, Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial forming a carpet of conspicuously-veined, oval, glossy leaves, 1-2 in. long (2-5 cm), borne in whorls atop erect stems. Medium to dark green, the deciduous foliage turns showing wine-red to purple shades in the fall. In late spring to midsummer, a heavenly array of star-like blooms appear. They consist of four narrowly pointed white bracts which surround the center cluster of tiny yellowish-green flowers. The blossoms give way to dense clusters of edible berry-like fruits in late summer, which ripen to bright red and persist into fall, unless devoured by hungry birds. Bunchberries can be added to puddings, preserves and sauces. This dwarf species of dogwood spreads by underground stems and makes an excellent ground cover in the moist, acidic woodland garden.

• Grows up to 4-9 in. tall (10-22 cm) and 6-12 in. wide (15-30 cm).
• Performs best in full sun to part shade, in moist, acidic to neutral, well-drained soils.
• No serious insect or disease problems. Keep an eye out for horse chestnut scale. Deer and rabbit resistant.
• Great choice as a groundcover, for woodland gardens.
• Propagate by seed or division. Sow seeds in fall or provide cold stratification. Plants will not flower until the third year.
• Native to Eastern Asia, Greenland, northern North America.

Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch)

Betula papyrifera, commonly called paper birch or canoe birch, is a robust, fast-growing landscaping tree with a most attractive gleaming white bark, which peels off in papery strips to reveal an orange-brown bark underneath. Growing with an oval rounded habit, mature trees develop black markings on the white bark. The ovate, irregularly toothed, dark green leaves turn bright yellow in fall. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in drooping catkins while greenish female flowers appear in upright catkins. The female flowers give way to drooping cone-like fruits containing numerous small winged seeds.

The paper birch received its name from the nature of its bark. Long ago, people would peel layers of the thin, paper-like bark and write on it as a way to send messages. The common name of canoe birch comes from the use of the bark for making sleek, lightweight canoes among Native Americans and early fur trappers.

Exceptionally hardy, paper birch performs best in cool northern climates where root zones are often covered with snow in the winter and do poorly in the heat and humid areas. Betula papyrifera is one of the best-loved trees of the New England landscape (it is the state tree of New Hampshire), often planted for the beauty of its distinctive bark and golden fall color.

• Grows up to 50-70 ft. tall (15-21 m) and 25-50 ft. wide (7-15 m).
• A full sun or part shade lover, this plant is easily grown in medium to wet, well-drained soils. Tolerates a wide range of soils, including sandy or rocky loams but needs consistently moist soils.
• Perfect as a specimen plant or in borders, cottage gardens, city gardens, and foundation plantings.
• Low maintenance, this plant needs little pruning. If pruning is necessary, prune during the dormant season and avoid pruning in spring when the sap is running.
• May be affected by sawflies, aphids, rust, and leaf spot.
• Propagate by seed, softwood cuttings or grafting
• Native to North America

Carex oshimensis evergreen

Carex oshimensis 'evergreen' is a clump-forming evergreen Japanese Sedge with narrow, arching, lime-green leaves that gradually turn golden-yellow as the season progresses. In early summer, it bears inconspicuous brown flower spikes on long stems. Valuable for its stunning appeal and wonderful texture, this highly decorative evergreen Sedge is easy to grow, low maintenance, and cold-hardy. Its compact clumping habit makes 'Everillo' a splendid ground cover or container plant.

• Grows easily about 12-18 in. tall and wide (30-45 cm).
• Enjoys full sun or part shade and thrives in moist, fertile, well-drained soils. The best foliage color is obtained in the part shade rather than in sun. Do not let the soil dry out.
• This is a graceful accent plant for beds, borders, rock gardens, and city or cottage gardens. Perfect as a ground cover or to edge a path. Excellent choice to brighten shady areas. Does well in containers too where it adds wonderful character and texture to your plant combinations.
• Deer tolerant, it requires very little care and provides year-round interest.
• Propagate by seed, sown in containers in a cold frame in spring or by division in early summer
• Cut out any dead leaves in summer.
• Generally disease free. Watch for Aphids.