The weather has, at last, warmed up and now feels like Spring. It is surprising how good this group of plants look despite the cold winter and late Spring.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus'
I’ve grown this grass for many years now and have to restrict its spread each year. The photo above shows the dead stems and flower heads of last year’s growth. Very soon I will cut down the old dead canes to enable the new growth to come through. But I leave this as late as possible as I rather like the white, almost ghostly dead stuff. In fact, the grass is highlighted by an exterior spotlight and looks good from the windows of the house. When cut-back there will be only a few short weeks when this plant is not earning its keep in the garden. It grows to about 2 metres with a fountain of leaves and produces its flower hears in late summer. The top growth dies with the onset of winter and usually I pull out the dead leaves, partly to stop them falling into the pond below but also to expose the canes.
Dicksonia Antarctica (Tree Fern)
With fronds like these . . . . As the photo above shows, the fronds of this Tree Fern have been scorched by the frosts but I still think it looks good. I’ve stuffed some old dry fronds into the crown of the trunk to give it some protection from the cold – I don’t know yet if this has worked but I’m quietly confident. When new growth resumes (if!), I will probably cut out the fronds killed by the frost and leave any looking healthy.
Background
The Bamboo Phyllostachys nigra and Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ are both great ‘all year’ plants and go well with the Tree Fern and Miscanthus. In Spring and Summer they are joined by Hydrangea aspera and various Ferns and Hostas.
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