Pennisetum: Vertigo vs Princess

A few years ago I grew Pennisetum Vertigo (cultivar name 'Tift 8'), a large, purple grass with wide leaves. I loved this grass, but alas, I did not overwinter it successfully one year -- I think it dried out too much in the garage. So I wasn't able to grow it last year, and I missed it!

The nurseries around me all seem to carry only Pennisetum Princess now (shown above), which is labeled as smaller than Vertigo, but supposedly similar in color. I finally gave in this year and bought a couple, thinking they'd be a replacement for Vertigo -- not exactly the same maybe, but better than nothing.

The Front Garden, September 2019

I thought that it would be a good time to show you the front garden -- the view that my neighbors get, and what I see when I pull up to the house each day.

You'll notice a lot of bamboo. It's been over 10 years since I got the bamboo collection bug, and this plant still delights me! There are seven or eight different types in the front here.

The Pond this Summer

This was a good year for the pond. It had a few rough years recently, but I put a little effort into it this year and I think it shows.

This shot was taken in early September, and you can see that I've added lots of sedges around the edges -- that really helps to soften up the rocks and make this a more inviting space.

Catching Up: Less is More

For a couple of years now I've contemplated a fairly drastic change in the garden, but I could just never bring myself to make it happen. Until this past July that is, when one day I decided enough was enough and I got to work.

What am I talking about exactly? It's this Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Filicoides' which is taking up too much space and looking so ratty most of the year. If you're not sure which plant I'm talking about, you'll soon see.

Catching Up: Luna Moth

Back in early August I got a text from my neighbor, asking if I knew what this thing was on her tree:

She had sent a blurry phone camera image, but I knew exactly what it was. As I hurried over with my camera, I texted back: "Luna Moth!"

Catching Up: Tomato Plants!

It's been a few years since I've bothered to grow any edibles, even though in my opinion one of the best things about summer gardening is a homegrown tomato. The deer and woodchucks and inconvenience of the fenced veggie garden being so far away from the kitchen door just made it too much of a hassle though, so I gave up on it.

Until this year that is, when I decided that the deck would be a great place to grow tomatoes! I planted up six large pots, each holding a different variety. I was quite pleased with the results.

Catching Up: Japanese Maple

It's been a while since I've posted, but I've missed sharing some of my garden happenings this past summer. So I'm doing a series of catch-up posts to show you the highlights...

...starting with my main Japanese Maple. It's so good early in the growing season, where its red really shines, and it can strongly complement the bamboos.