New Plant: Fantastic 'Fubuki' Hakonechloa

Hakonechloa, or Japanese Forest Grasses, are one of few grasses that actually prefer shade to part shade instead of sun. Grown for their colourful foliage and dense, mounding habit, they are fantastic, colurful addition to the shade garden.

Hakonechloa 'Fubuki' brings 'cool plant' to whole new level. This new variety is variegated with green and white foliage. Develops pink tones in fall. It has a graceful weeping-mounding form, is dwarf to 14 inches in height and 18 inches in spread. Very elegant in shade gardens. Prefers part shade and moist, well drained soils. dislikes heavy soils or dry conditions. Foliage may burn in the hot sun.

Only limited quantities are available this fall so get yours quick!

Four Hot And Heavy Heavenly Bamboos

No, not real bamboos, we're talking about Heavenly Bamboo or Nandina. Nandina domestica is a part shade to part sun loving evergreen shrub with bamboo-like foliage. It's hardy and should make it through the average westcoast winter without any too many problems. In harsh winters it may defoliate, but usually re-leafs in the spring. In areas of severe or extended cold, winter protection is recommended.
Nandina is not invasive and does not take-over the garden. It's actually a very well behaved plant and grows more more as a loose clump than a large spreading shrub.It is an excellent understory or woodland plant and can also be used in containers.

Ultimately, nandinas are very popular plants because of their attractive foliage. Delicate and airy throughout the year, many varieties turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red or burgundy in fall Small white flowers and tiny red berries add further interest.

Four interesting Nandina varieties include:

Gulf Stream Heavenly Bamboo
Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream'
This hardy shrub displays attractive foliage in all seasons. Intense red new growth and fall colour is its signature. Ideal fo ruse around foundations or in mixed borders. Small white flowers bloom in late spring and summer. Moderately fast growing to 3.5ft tall and 3ft wide. Has a dense, mounded form. Needs regular watering, more often in extreme heat. Virtually pest and disease free. Hardy to zone 6.

Sienna Sunrise Heavenly Bamboo
Nandina domestica 'Sienna Sunrise'
This heavenly bamboo has intense fiery red new foliage that cools to lush green in summer. Red highlights appear in fall and winter. Occasionally produces small white flowers in spring. Sienna Sunrise is a perfect choice for high profile accents or nooks in the landscape. Plant on mass for vibrant colour. Evergreen. Grows 3-4ft in height and 2ft wide. Full sun in cooler climates or part sun is recommended. Needs regular watering, more often in extreme heat. Hardy to zone 6.

Plum Passion Heavenly Bamboo
Nandina domestica 'Plum Passion'
Plum Passion is a relatively new Nandina with beautiful plum to deep red coloured new foliage in spring and summer. winter colour is a reddish purple. Evergreen to semi-evergreen depending on the harshness of winter. White flowers appear in late spring and summer. A moderate grower 4-5ft tall and 3ft in width. Full sun in cooler climate or part sun/shade in other locations. Needs regular watering, more often in extreme heat. Hardy to zone 6.

Harbor Belle Heavenly Bamboo
Nandina domestica 'Harbor Belle'
An attractive, dense, compact dwarf form of Nandina. This evergreen shrub displays brilliant burgundy foliage in fall and winter. White flowers appear in spring. Fall features clusters of bright red berries. Can be used as a ground cover, a specimen plant or at the front of the border. Foliage has a pink tint in spring. Grows 1-2ft in height and width. Needs regular watering, more often in extreme heat. Hardy to zone 6.

Art's Nursery carries several other varieties of Nandina as well many other evergreen shrubs and plants for shade and partly shaded areas. If you need help picking a plant for your garden, visit us and we'll help you find the perfect plant!

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4 Beautiful Well Behaved Clumping Bamboos

Bamboo is a lovely tropical looking plant that has a variety of applications - most notably as an evergreen screen, a specimen and even a container plant. Over the years, bamboo has developed a bad reputation because of its ability to take over the garden, the yard beside you and possibly the entire neighborhood!


However, not all Bamboo's are aggressive or spreading. In fact, Bamboos are divided into two groups, the invasive "running varieties" and the well behaved "clumping varieties".

The clumpers form tight, slowly growing masses that do not need containment. They can be planted directly into the garden without worry. All bamboos grow by way of underground rhizomes or in laymans terms, roots. The key difference between the groups is how they spread. On running varieties, these rhizomes travel underground a certain distance and then form a node. At the node, they can either form an upward growing cane, or continue to spread to form additional rhizomes. As a result, they are able to fill an area quickly and their above ground canes tends to be spread out. On the other hand, when a clumping variety forms an underground node, it will only grow up as a cane. Therefore it spreads much slower and remains much tighter in appearance.

Clumping varieties give a lot of options for landscapes. Some are very narrow clumping and this alone gives an architectural look that is pleasing. Clumping varieties do not outgrow containers as quickly and they are more ‘behaved’ in the garden, so we can all remain ‘good neighbours’. They do not grow as fast, so one must be patient for them to reach their desired height.

Borinda angustissima:

Angustissima, means ‘extremely narrow’, even the foliage on this variety are narrower and more delicate. This is one of the tightest growing bamboos, clumps only reach 18-24”, and therefore is great for containers or narrow areas in a garden. This vase shaped, graceful bamboo can grow up to 18 ft tall and can have canes up to 1” in diameter on older canes. It prefers part shade. Plant spacing recommended at 5-8ft on center.

Borinda boliana

This open clumping bamboo will grow similar to timber bamboo but without spreading rhizomes! New canes come up with a tinge of blue and turn shades of burgundy depending on exposure to sun. A unique choice for the urban garden. This more open habit bamboo can grow up to 30 feet and have canes up to 2 inches in diameter. Best spaced 8-12 feet on center.

Sunset Glow Bamboo

Fargesia 'Rufa'

Another cold hardy clumping bamboo, that does extremely well in our climate. Rufa has orange-red cane sheaths, and is noted for it’s very dense foliage and quick growth. It clumps into a nice full plant quickly and is therefore desirable for using as a small screen or hedge, as well as in pots! It will grow in sun or shade to a height of up to 8ft. The diameter of the canes is only about a half inch. It is wind tolerant and spacing is recommended at 5-8ft on centre.

Thamnocalamus crassinodus

This graceful clumping bamboo needs shade to perform best. One of the best features is new canes that emerge a grey-blue, turning to hues of burgundy, with light sun exposure. It has a delicate foliage, and is slower to establish than other bamboos, but becomes a prized garden specimen with age. It will grow up to 18ft tall and have canes up to an inch in diameter. Plant spacing recommended at 5-8ft on centre.

 
 
 
Art's Nursery carries a large and wide assortment of clumping and running bamboos ranging from small specimen varieties to giant timber bamboos. Please call ahead, 604.882.1201, to confirm availability if you are looking for something specific.

3 Diverse Evergreens For Your Garden

At this time of year, most  flowers have  faded and the leaves have coloured and fallen, but the evergreens are just getting ready to reclaim the spotlight. While evergreens have a perception of being dull, boring and cedar-like, there are many that offer  interesting shape, form, colour, texture and other features. Today's three cool plants are as diverse as they come, but all are evergreen and well suited to our milder Pacific Northwest climate.

Red Tip Tasmanian Podocarp

Podocarpus alpinus 'Red Tip'

Good looking blue-green foliage similar to that of the Yew and interesting form are the key features of this unique, mounding, evergreen conifer. Foliage is highlighted by the red-coloured new growth. Grows slowly to 3ft by 3ft. Plant in sunny areas  and protect from heavy frosts and excessive wetness. Well drained soil is prefered. Hardy to zone 7.

 
 
 
 

Spiders Web Variegated Aralia / Spiders Web Variegated Fatsia
Fatsia japonica 'Spiders Web'
Lush tropical looking foliage in the shade? Yup!
All Fatsia's are broadleaf evergreens with large tropical looking green leaves that prefer to grow in part to full shade. The 'Spiders Web' is a rare form with variable speckled and splashed variegation on mid to dark green glossy leaves. Roundish clusters of small creamy white flowers appear in fall and winter followed by small, shiny black non-edible fruit. It can also be brought indoors and used as a houseplant. Grows 5-6 ft in height and a similar width. Dislikes wet soggy soils. Typically hardy in zones 5-8
 
 

Gold Finger Mexican Orange
Choisya ternata 'Gold Finger'
A relatively new and unusual evergreen shrub with bright golden-yellow narrow foliage. Like other Choisya's it also offers very fragrant white flowers similar to orange blossoms in late June through September. Attracts bees. Grows 5-7ft in height and a similar width with maturity. Excellent when used as a specimen or as an informal hedge. Grow in full sun to part shade in well drained soils. It dislikes alkaline and wet soils. Can be somewhat tender in colder climates - some winter protection is beneficial. Hardy in zones 6-9.
 
 
Come on in and have a look at these and other diverse evergreens at Art's Nursery!
We're open 7 days a week, 9:00pm to 5:00pm in the fall and winter.
 
 

New Plant: Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey'

Little Honey Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey'
A compact growing dwarf form of oakleaf hydrangea with bright golden foliage and scarlet fall foliage colour.  Great for brightening up a darker spot in the garden and adding colour in the fall. Pannicles of white flowers grace this plant in summer. Best when protected from hot afternoon summer sun. Grows 3-4ft in height and similar spread. Hardy to zone 6.

New Plant: Acanthus mollis 'Tasmanian Angel'

Variegated Bears Breetches
Acanthus mollis 'Tasmanian Angel'
Striking bold leaves with white margins and mottling make this a show stopping architectural plant. It forms a large clump with 4-5ft tall ornamental flower stalks of pink and cream in late summer. Tolerant of most soils, but prefers it deep, fertile, moist and well drained. Will tolerate sun or part shade. Hardy to about -15 degrees celsius

These and other forms of Acanthus are generally available in limited quantities at Art's Nursery. Call ahead to confirm availability.

Fab Five Flora For Fall Gardens

The dog days of summer are over. Yes, I think we had a few nice days and now the Fall switch has been thrown and its time to wave goodbye to our garden and tuck into our cozy houses and the new season of Amazing Race and all those other lovely indoor pursuits. Not so fast!!!

There are amazing things going on in the garden. Fall is actually my favorite season. The electric colours, the earthy smells (can you tell I live near farmland), the frosty pictures painted by Ma Nature each morning, apples, pumpkin pie, Steveston Pizza Co’s wasabi scented terriyaki chicken pizza with a Stovetop stuffing chaser, hey you have your Thanksgiving tradition and I have mine.

The trees, shrubs and perennials have been quietly sitting in the background, while roses, peonys, hibiscus and all the other glorious blooms do their thing. Now, they have finally stepped into the front and centre. I’ll share with you my fab five fall picks in the shrub arena; I look forward to them every year…

Beauty Berry.
Callicarpa bodinieri
My Mother commented a couple of years ago after taking a good long look at those spectacular metallic purple berries on the Callicarpa in my front garden and asked me when I managed to come up with the time to tie those fake berries on my shrub…and then added if I had all of that extra time, I might want to get to folding some of the laundry. Ha Ha.

Seriously, they are always spectacular and last quite a while in a bouquet. The smallish purple blossoms in the summer have quite a lovely fragrance and seem to be rather attractive to honeybees and other pollinators.

Callicarpa is a really easy to live with plant, preferring humic, well drained soil in a sunny site, but is rather forgiving if you have a less than perfect spot for it.

Enkianthus
Enkianthus are actually rather wonderful year round, but I particularly love the scarlet and gold fall colour. In a woodland combination, Enkianthus is a stunner; it is a much underused shrub and deserves to be seen more. Enkianthus likes a moist, acidic, humic soil with fairly good drainage. Fall colour is more pronounced in full sun, but will still work rather well in dappled sun position.





Burning Bush
Euonymus alata.
I couldn’t look you in the eye if I didn’t have this neon leaved fall charmer on my list! I quite like the limy new growth as well, not to mention the great winter structure and fascinating winged bark. Another forgiving plant, Euonymus likes a well drained, humic soil in a sunny spot.

Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
Yes, Blueberries - and they pay rent too!! Depending on varieties, the fall colour ranges from butter yellow to deepest burgundy red. Many varieties also have red twigs and can be used in winter arrangements. Blueberries like an acid soil, well draining with plenty of available moisture, so adding pine needles or compost rich in coffee grounds works great as a topdressing. Treat them like a Rhododendron and they will be your friend. Ask for our GardenPro Rhododendron and Azalea Food in early spring.

Oak Leaf Hydrangea
Oak Leaved Hydrangea or Hydrangea quercifolia is the best of both worlds as far as I’m concerned. Huge blossoms in the summer, which hang on for quite some time and impressive, deep burgundy fall colour. Its a larger hydrangea so do give it the room it deserves and you won’t be disappointed!

Again, a well drained (really well drained) humic soil in part shade is best for this one.



A great new variety is called 'Little Honey'. Lime green - yellow leaves are sure to brighten up a dark spot in the garden! These are the Fall Fab Five in the shrub arena, of course there are many, many other notables, Most if not all are available at Art's as regularly stocked items.

I’d love to hear some of your faves!! Stay tuned for the Fall Fab Five trees, grasses and perennials.

Cheers,

Laurelle
Guest Blogger

New Plant: Farfugium Japonicum

Crested Leopard
Farfugium japonicum
A perennial with glossy green leaves that are spotted with yellow dots - somewhat resembling a leapards skin. Beautiful yellow flowers appear on stocks in the fall. Prefers part sun to shade. Grows 12-24 inches in height. Limited quantities available at Art's Nursery

New Plant: Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips'

Hot Lips Turtlehead
Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips'
A fall flowering perennial with cheerful spikes of pink snap-dragon like flowers over spreading plants. Fast growing to 2ft by 2ft in size. An ideal plant for poorly drained, wet soils. Prefers moist conditions in part to full shade. Hardy in zones 3-8. Native to the south Appalachian areas of the Eastern USA.

Four Must Have Perennials For Fall

While most people visit garden centres exclusively in the spring, the true gardeners known that the secret is too visit all year round. Large varieties of plants hide in green anonymity revealing themselves only when the 'gardening hordes' have passed by onto other pursuits. Take these four perennials as examples of what you could plant in your garden today...


Chinese Lantern
Physalis alkekengi
A great plant for Halloween! Papery bright-orange lantern-like pods decorate these perennials creating a festive display in late summer and fall. Flowers can be cut and dried to be used all through the winter to decorate your home the old-fashioned way. Grows 2-3 feet in height. Blooms in August, September and October. Prefers full to part sun and moist, but well drained soils.

Autumn Colours Gloriosa Daisy
Rudbeckia 'Autumn Colours'
This vibrantly coloured form of the Black Eyed Susan is sure gather attention when planted on mass. Colourful autumn tones in orange, yellow, red and brown bloom in late summer and early fall. Makes an outstanding cutflower. Deadheading will greatly increase flowering time. Fairly drought tolerant once established.Great in containers and gardens. Prefers full sun and moist, but well drained soils.

Ascot Rainbow Spurge
Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow'
A herbaceous perennial with mint green, gold and lime variegated foliage tinged pink with winter cold. Flowers are also lime in colour. Blooms in March through May. Compact and slightly spreading in form. Height 20 inches. Spread 20 inches. Great in borders, gardens and containers. Prefers full sun and well drained soils. Hardy in zones 6-7

Walberton Yellow Crocosmia
Crocosmia Walberton Yellow
This perennial offers a long lasting bright yellow-orange, trumpet shaped flower that blooms in mid to late summer. Flowers appear on wirey gracefully arched stems. Sword like foliage reminiscent of iris creates a strong statement in border and gardens. Prefers full sun. Grows 36-42 inches in height. Spreads to 18 inches. Hardy in zones 6-9. Also known as Montbretia 'Walberton Yellow'.

See these and other beautiful fall blooming perennials at Art's Nursery!

8 Happening Heucheras For Your Garden

Heucheras, also known as Coral Bells, are a plant collectors version of going to the all you can eat buffet.

Just when you start getting full, they bring out a whole new plate of options. Hundreds if not thousands of varieties exist. Some have been around forever, some are brand new. However, all have in common something that is often needed, foliage colour and flowers in shade or part shade locations.

Heucheras are available in a full spectrum of colours, are easy to grow and are great in containers and gardens. So without further ado, here are 8 more happening Heucheras to add to your garden.

'Cassandra' Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Cassandra'
Cassandra offers a myriad of autumn shades including deep bronze to copper pink, amber and honey. All this in one cool plant! Light pink flowers bloom atop slender stems in summer. Grows in a low, mounding habit. very easy to grow. Excellent for edging or in containers. Best when grown in part shade to part sun in moist, but well drained soils. Hardy to zone 3.

Lime Marmalade Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Lime Marmalade'
A super vigorous eye-catching selection with ruffled, lime coloured leaves. Grows in a large mounding habit. Looks great when mass planted or grown in containers. An all around great plant that is easy to grow. Ensure adequate drainage. Plant in part shade for best results. Hardy to zone 3

'Root Beer' Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Root Beer'
The third in the 'Soda' series of Coral Bells. Root beer has similarly coloured foliage combined with creamy yellow flowers.  'Root Beer' forms a mound of color year round and is sure to charm you with its spring bloom. Other members of the 'soda family' include 'Ginger Ale' and 'Cherry Cola'. Mounding habit. Height 6-18 inches. Ideal in beds and containers. Part shade and moist, but well drained soils are best. Hardy in zones 4-9.

'Dolce Peach Melba' Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Dolce Peach Melba'
Another great heuchera with fall colour tones ranging from butterscotch to redish-orange. Small in size, growing only 8-16 inches in height in a mounding shape. Blooms in spring and summer and is ideal  for landscapes and containers. Drought tolerant, deer resistant and attracts birds. Part shade to part sun is best in moist, but well drained soils. Hardy to zone 4.

'Black Currant' Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Dolce Black Currant'
Another in the 'Dolce' series of Heucheras, this one offers variegated, almost spiderweb like leaves with tones of black,silver, purple and burgundy. Very stylish. Short in size (8-16 inches) and mounding in habit. Blooms in spring and summer. Can be used in containers and landscapes. Tolerates some sun but prefers part shade. Moist, but well drained soils are best. Hardy in zones 4-9.

'Pinot Gris' Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Pinot Gris'
Ginger leaves with silvery overlay age to smoky rose with a rosy purple underside. Stems of cream, bell-shaped flowers rise above height given: up to 18 inches. Compact, growing only to 10 inches in height. Villosa type. Blooms in June and July. Tolerates full sun and part shade. Hardy to zone 4.

'Frosted Violet' Coral BellsHeuchera 'Frosted Violet'
A vigorous, widely clumping heuchera with broad leaves and dainty pink flowers. New leaves are deep maroon-purple, more mature ones are deep plum with darker veining. Fine haris cover the leaves giving the plant a frosted appearance.  Colors intensify with the cool fall weather. Height to 20 inches. Hardy in zones 3-9



 

'Amber Waves' Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Amber Waves'
The cream-colored flowers are secondary to the STUNNING, ruffled, amber-gold foliage which is brightest in spring. This plant is short, 8-14 inches in height with a mounding habit. Part shade in moist, but well drained soil is best. Hardy in zones 4-9.






We stock a large and ever-changing collection of heucheras and other complementary plants for the shade. These varieties and many other shade perennials are available today for your gardens or containers. Not sure how to combine them? We can help! And don't forget to ask about our garden coach service.

New Plant: Euonymus japonicus 'Rokujo Variegata'

A miniature little shrub with tiny white & green variegated leaves. A perfect addition to a collectors garden. grows only 6-8 inches tall and 3 inches wide. Evergreen. Hardy in zones 6-9

This plant and many others are available at Art's Nursery.
Something new in-store every day!

New Plant: Ginkgo biloba 'Troll'

'Troll' is dwarf form of the Maidenhair or Ginkgo tree will only grow to 60cm high and wide in 10 years. A fantastic natural bonsai. Rich green fan shaped leaves grow large and rounded so that opposite edges meet.

Available in limited quanties at Art's Nursery. Call ahead to confirm.

Five Exciting Echinaceas for Fall 2010

Echinacea or cone flowers are exciting for many reasons. The first, is that they are easy to grow! Find any fertile, well drained soil in a sunny spot, plant properly and add additional water as needed until it is established, and you will be rewarded! It is even adaptable, in that it isn’t fussy about soil as long as it isn’t heavy clay and soggy, and can even take open or part shade. Once established it is drought tolerant, and requires little care.

Interestingly, Echinacea stems from greek origin echinos or hedgehog. Perhaps they find them tasty, or it could be the attractive cone – seedhead that is at the centre of this flower. The seedhead attracts birds and is also attractive in floral arranging.

The flowers traditionally are purple, but over the years many more selections have been made available. You can pick your colour, from white, to deep red and mango. They truly are accommodating for any garden. They do not disappoint, having a long bloom time from July through October especially on established plants, and those that have been ‘deadheaded’.

Plant and enjoy these exciting echinacea’s today!

Echinacea 'Coral Reef'

Characterized by amazing two-toned double anemone-like flowers with dark orange to coral rays combined with a coral red cone. A full sized echinacea that grows to 36 inches in height with a spread of 1-2 feet. It is excellent as a cut flower. A real show stopper.

Echinacea 'Pink Double Delight'
A Fully double pomon flower in bright clear pink fading to mauve as it matures. Short, 18-24 inches in height and well branched. Numerous upright stems makes it ideal for borders or as a cut flower. Blooms in july through October. Prune old flower heads to encourage more blooms. Well drained soil in full sun is prefered.

Echinacea 'Hot Papaya'

A double, hot papaya orange pompon flower with and orange-yellow cone. contrasting dark stems. Upright, with lance-shaped leaves. Ideal in large containers and mid-border plantings. Grows 30-32 inches in height and 1-2 feet wide. Blooms in June through august. Prefers well drained soil and is drought tolerant once established. Deadhead for continuous blooms. Full sun is recommended.

Echinacea 'Meringue'
Apple green double flowers are surrounded by creamy white rays on sturdy compact plants. Grows to a height of 15-18 inches. Spreads to 18 inches as well. Blooms in July through October. Deadhead for continuous bloom. Prefers full sun and well drained soils. Drought tolerant once established. Nice addition to a front or mid-border, urban gardens or containers.

Echinacea 'Daydream'
Daydream is a mid-sized plant with fabulous yellow to soft yellow flowers that bloom all summer long. Delicate light sweet fragrance is just right for a lazy summer afternoon. Grows 24-26 inches in height and is hardy in zones 4-9. Full sun and well drained soils are best.





Call ahead to make sure the echinacea you're after is in-stock today.
Our selection and availability is always changing!

New Plant: Ignite Scarlet Red Hypericum

Ignite Scarlet Red Hypericum

Hypericum androsaemum 'Seiball'

You haven't seen colour until you see the combination of hues on this beautiful upright growing shrub. Green foliage is complimented with small yellow flowers in summer and fall. Dark orange-red ornamental fruits add further interest in fall. A low water needs, compact plant that is both deer and rust resistant. Hardy to zone 5. Available for a limited time at Art's Nursery. Add one to your garden today!

3 Devilishly Delightful Daphnes

Arts Nursery is proud to offer 3 devilishly delightful daphnes for the plant collector.
Quantities are limited so hurry in!

Daphne tangutica

This daphne offers clusters of fragrant white flushed purple-pink flowers in early spring. Reblooms again in late summer. Oval shaped, dark green leathery leaves. Accented with attractive red berries. Completely hardy. Grows to about 30 inches by 30 inches within 10 years. Prefers sunny spot in well drained by humus rich soil. Do not ingest as all parts of the plant can be toxic if eaten.

Daphne x houtteana

This dark foliaged plant is a cross between Daphne laureola and Daphne mezereum. Leaves are uniquely purple to dark black. Flowers are dark redish-purple and bloom in March-April. Best in sun or part shade.

Grows to 3ft x 3ft. Evergreen. Quite rare and hard to get. Hardy to zone 6

Daphne odora 'Maejima

This striking daphne offers variegated green leaves with bright yellow-green leaf margins. Leaves are very uniform and the habit is compact. Flowers are fantastically fragrant. Hardy to zone 7. Limited quantities available.

For more information about growing and caring for Daphnes, consider the following book from Amazon

5 Great New Warm Season Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental Grasses are a mainstay of the Fall garden. With so many classic and new varieties its hard to choose between them. We say, why choose? Try them all! And for best effect, plant them in large groups or drifts. Mass planting just works for grasses.

With that said, here's 5 great new warm season grasses from Art's Nursery for Fall 2010

River Mist Northern Sea Oats
Chasmanthium latifolium 'River Mist'

A spectacular warm season perennial grass that forms a loose tuft of loverly arching, green and white variegated foliage. Clusters of unique sparkling white seedheads arch elegantly above the foliage. Makes a wonderful cut flower and offers lovely winter interest.  Very showy in beds, boders, containers and mass plantings. Can be used in shade and water-wise gardens.
River Mist Prefers full sun to part shade in fertile, moist, well drained soil. Blooms in July-September. Grows 30-36 inches in height and is hardy in zones 5-9.

Gold Breeze Zebra Grass
Miscanthus sinensis 'Gold Breeze'

A glorious warm season perennial grass that forms a thick clump of upright, arching green leaves heavily banded with gold. It's taller and more banded than its cousin 'Gold Bar'. Showy silvery-burgundy flowers mature to beige. Makes a nice cut flower. Is deer resistance and offers great winter interest. ;Gold Breeze' is fairly drought tolerant once established.

This grass is stunning in mass plantings, containers, borders, beds and water-wise gardens.

Prefers full sun to part shade in a wide variety of soils. Blooms in September and October and grows 60-84 inches high. Hardy in zones 5-9

Ruby Ribbons Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Ruby Ribbons'

This elegant warm season perennial grass forms a dense clump of tall, upright, blue-gray foliage that takes on a striking burgundy-red hue in mid-summer. Grows increasingly more brilliant as the season progresses. Airy pink flowers mature to a buff and last well into winter. Drought tolerant once established. Exceptionally striking in containers, borders, mass plantings and as a specimen.

Prefers full sun in moderate to low quality soils. Average, well drained soil is best. Grows from 36-48 inches in height and blooms in August and September. Hardy in zones 4-8

PennStripe Pennisetum
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'PennStripe'

This unique and elegant warm season mounding perennial grass forms a cascading mound of narrow green and white variegated leaves. Purple tinged flowers are soft and fuzzy; drought tolerant once established. 'PennStripe' makes and excellent cut flower, is deer resistance and offers nice winter interest. Striking as an accent or specimen in borders, containers, mass plantings, rock and water-wise gardens.

Prefers full sun to part shade in average well drained soils. Blooms in July-September and grows from 24-28 inches tall, Hardy in zones 6-9

Burgundy Bunny Miniature Fountain Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Burgundy Bunny'

This charming miniature warm season perennial grass forms a tight mound of narrow, fresh green foliage that is brushed with red accents in summer and turns a blazing burgundy-red in fall. Soft, small creamy-white bottlebrush flowers are held on slender stems above the foliage. Makes a nice cut flower, is deer resistant and relatively drought tolerant once established. 'Burgundy Bunny' is stunning in containers, borders, mass plantings, modern landscapes and rock gardens.

Prefers full sun to part shade in fertile, well drained soils. Grows from 10-18 inches in height and blooms in July-September. Hardy in zones 6-9


All of these ornamental grasses and many, many more are available at Art's Nursery throughout all four seasons. If you have any questions or need more information, call 604.882.1201 or visit us in person.

Seminar: Designing With Bulbs

At Art's Nursery we want to help you become a better gardener. This fall we are offering a series of seminars designed to increase the beauty of your garden or containers. Please call 604.882.1201 in advance to sign-up.

Designing With Spring Bulbs.

Enjoy a beautiful container filled with lovely autumn hues followed by cheerful blossoms of spring bulbs. Come and join Michele and learn how to build multi-season planters filled with foliage and layers of bulbs for a long spring display. Makes a great gift or enjoy it yourself!

Saturday, Oct 16th - 11:00am

The sign-up fee for each person is $10.00 / seminar The entire amount will be credited towards the cost of materials you use in designing and creating your projects. Please sign-up by calling 604.882.1201 in advance as space may be limited.



For more information about planting bulbs and bulbs in containers,
we recommend the following book from Amazon.