How to ... Prairie Planting

It's time to join the revolution! There has been a great
resurgence in the use of grasses in the garden.

This is due, in part, to the garden designer Piet Oudolf
- some of his gardens can be seen in these photos.

It is also due to a more informal approach to gardening
where natural environments and garden intermingle
seamlessly together.

Grasses and perennials are planted in drifts alongside
each other, providing a palette of colour that usually
lasts well into late Autumn.

Perennials such as echinacea, rudbeckia, monarda, salvia,
achillea, sedum, helenium and asters are used to
name but a few and are interspersed between the
contrasting airiness of the grasses.

The idea is to create a naturalistic look that evokes a
flowering grassland.

Use Spring and Summer bulbs to extend the season and
ensure successional interest such as camassias and alliums.

Many plants used for this style naturally attract butterflies
and bees. An additional benefit for wildlife would be to
delay cutting back the bed until late Feb early March
for winter habitat.

Seedheads can look magical with a glimmer
of frost and they provide food for birds.

Essentially, grasses add an extra dimension to a garden,
creating movement and texture wherever they're planted.

Tamar View Nurseries Garden Centre

The Gardeners' Garden Centre

Tamar View Nurseries Garden Centre

The Gardeners' Garden Centre

How to ... Prairie Planting