With the arrival of autumn and the low, soft and almost magical light the garden becomes resplendent with myriad colours, shapes, sizes, sounds and scents – and of course movement. The gardens many woody plants in association with our collections of grasses and perennials somehow combine to create an atmosphere of calm and contentment. I am certain that I can feel my soul lift as I enter the garden.
Early on the morning of Saturday 12th September the light was clear, the air was cool and still, and as you can see the garden and its plants were clearly in an exuberant mood.
With the first rays of sunlight just starting to alight on the stipa in the nearby Gravel Garden, the impressive flowers of Pennisetum Black Arrow (a Knoll Gardens introduction), are still laden with a heavy morning dew and appear literally almost black.
Walking up the first part of the Dragon Walk Pennisetum Black Arrow can be seen set against the others plants in the Decennium border which in turn is backed by the Lower Lawn.
Then, as the sunlight gradually creeps along to the Decennium border the flowers of Pennisetum Black Arrow light up in a heady mix of silvery white to smoky back. This is a prime quality of many flowering grasses in that the colour, texture and effect of their flowers can appear to alter significantly depending simply on when and where the light strikes them. Offering a kind of free light show that is as infinitely variable as it is stunningly beautiful.
A meadow like mix of Gaura Whirling Butterflies and Scabiosa ochroleuca form the flowering base of the Gravel Garden – ably supported by accent grasses such as Stipa gigantea that catch and reflect the first rays of morning sunlight each day.
Looking out from the shady wisteria walkway across the Dragon Garden the early rays of sunlight can be seen just beginning to reach the first of the prairie style planting. Warming a number of miscanthus with its soft and mellow light.
A little further along the wisteria walkway the extent of the Dragon Gardens prairies style planting is more obvious. Miscanthus, panicum, stipa, calamagrostis and pennisetum are the main groups of grasses that bring structure to the planting at this time of year.
On one side of the Decennium border, and backed by the stately upright stems and flowers of a feather reed grass, Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, the drying flowerheads of Deschampsia Schottland are scarcely less effective now than when in full fresh flower.
A reasonably recent introduction, the relatively compact habit and freely produced pinky red flowers of Miscanthus Red Chief make this a really excellent choice for our gardens.
At this time of year the large showy flowers of miscanthus are especially effective in our gardens. Most miscanthus are quite large grasses but there is a tremendous variation in size shape and habit, as well as flower colour. Miscanthus Cindy is a more compact selection, Miscanthus Malepartus is distinctively upright, while Miscanthus Rosi is rather tall but very airy. They can work as well when planted together as they do when used as part of a wider palette of plants including perennials such as Persicaria Rosea.
Panicum Straight Cloud, Sesleria Summer Skies, Panicum Sea Mist and Pennisetum spatheolatum form a gentle mix of different shapes and textures in a part of the Mill End borders. While the foreground Sesleria autumnalis provides a near perfect foil for the fresh flowers of some autumn crocus.
Highlighted by sunshine, and planted at the top of the Dragon Walk as you enter the Dragon Garden, the first flowers in a group of Miscanthus Starlight appear as if to have different colour flowers from the rest that are still awaiting their turn in the sun.
Pennisetum Hameln is a relatively long established selection whose compact habit and smaller but freely produced flowers has earnt it a place among the top performing fountain grasses for our gardens.
While Pennisetum Hameln is one of the most compact of fountain grasses that we can grow here in the UK, the aptly named, and comparatively recent, Pennisetum Piglet is similar but smaller in all its parts. As can be seen from the two groups growing on either side of the grass path at the bottom of the Long Walk.
A good number of grasses can be grown successfully in containers – including Pennisetum Piglet which is offering masses of flowers and growing in a pot by the entrance to the garden. The taller and larger flowered Pennisetum Black Arrow is also growing in a pot to the right.
As can be seen from this display of several grasses as you enter the plant centre grasses are not only happy in containers but can offer an amazingly varied display in a relatively small space.