This is the time that I usually ask someone (yes, lucky old me) to cut down the foliage in the borders. Partly because much of it gets messy by this point in the year: I have not planted exclusively with plants that would meet Piet Oudolf’s criterion: ‘The only good plant is a plant which dies well.’ Many of mine go manky.
And partly because I love the look of the chopped foliage after the rather messy dying:
But I have a sensitive gardener (see here) and he doesn’t cut everything down. So we have a beautiful grass left rather randomly behind:
I’m happy enough with random at this time of year. As Elizabeth Licata pointed out recently on Garden Rant we have got terribly either/or. In this case, it’s either chop it all down or leave it all. Some people are convinced that the wildlife like it all standing up, some of us are quite convinced that a multitude of slugs and snails and other bird food resides quite happily under the mulch waiting for the blackbirds and others to come and scoff them. Who knows what other wildlife like – if anyone has asked them, please let me know.
I walked round the garden to see what else looked too good to chop yet.
Grasses are always the garden stars until late winter:
Miscanthus are stars too:
Though if it’s not flowering lit looks like this, so maybe the ones above aren’t Morning Light? Feel free to correct me.
But we do know, those of us who know and that must be you too, that grasses are good for three quarters of the year. What about ferns then?
These are baby ferns yet – and are intended to become hedges when they get big. They are rows/hedges of Dryopteris affinis, Crispa Whiteside and Brilliance – not easy to work out which is which yet. They look perky, but this is a fern looking like it could maybe cut down. But I like it yet:
Strangely, I liked the vigorous mess of the crocosmia at the top of the steps. These steps repeatedly appear in my hymns to decay and messiness...
Some things are still in colour – are they becoming incongruous?
But other things just look drab and needing the chop:
And then there are places where it’s all too confusing: this bit of garden has a variegated grass still looking lively, some of those problematic hellebore leaves, looking good, and evergreenish perennials amongst stuff.
It becomes a place for some selective and judicious chopping? So, it’s good to be dogmatic and do the ‘put your garden to bed’ thing , or equally, leave it all for the hoar frost (which never comes) – or the wee beasties who prefer it standing. (which are?)
Some parts look subtly good to me in a gloomy early winter light:
Really, it’s rather complicated. Who’d learn gardening then???
Winter will resolve much:
Do what feels right to your heart and eye. Yes, chop the flattened crocosmia ! Xxx
That’s the thing, Paul. (and yes, he will!)
I love that you’re not always 100% sure of the name. Snap!
I keep trying! Good not to be alone with that one. I was once dealt with very harshly when I did a talk and failed to name Alchemilla !
You will love the Brilliant autumn ferns. They are absolute work horses. We planted them as 1 Liters in a triangle, 20cm apart. That forms a small evergreen shrub 1.5m wide and 0.75m high.
One of our few proper non “plant zoo” plantings. They edge the front borders in front of the hydrangeas.
The 3 fern clumps not protected by tree shade need a large amount of water in mid summer to carry on beautifully.
Your climate should be a lot more favorable in the summer.
Thanks! I wish I could be sure about our climate in summer – we have had proper droughts, though not enough for a hosepipe ban. Have been feeling grateful for the heavy rains we’ve been having recently, filling up our reservoirs, I hope.
Happy New Year!
Late to the party as usual. I always read your thugs list with interest. We have variegated ground elder in a container. Love it!
But it won’t leaving that 1 large pot anytime soon.
At least not intentionally.
Be careful of the Clerondendron. Our neighbors across the street have a beautiful version growing along their woods behind the house. Mowing keeps the seedlings in check.
Beautiful red and white flowers. Perfume like a tropical paradise. Seeds that last on the tree and are beautiful purple/grey shiny pearls.
We transplanted 2 of them into pots. Hoping to keep them as standards.
The following spring was when we discovered how many of those beautiful seeds there were.
Taproot tree seedlings everywhere. Been removing them for a decade now. Down to 1 inside a shrub that i need to finish killing.
These things have more seeds than mimosa and Persicaria and a healthy taproot.
Had them for some years now without finding any we want to remove. I accept that may not always be the case, but I can still think of places where they could be an asset.